Entry 326, on 2006-05-12 at 15:51:11 (Rating 4, Politics)
The latest international news is telling us that the American government is using phone records to "spy on" its own citizens, without official legal approval. They claim they are only watching for potential terrorists and are just protecting Americans. If that's the case, there must be plenty of potential terrorists out there, since they seem to need the records of tens of millions of their own citizens!
Bush says this sort of tactic is justified. After all, there hasn't been another attack since his tough policies were in force. Obviously they must be justified. I don't think that argument really works. If there had been further attacks that would be an excuse for tough measures. And now that there isn't, that also is justification for them. It seems they are determined to spy on innocent people whatever the circumstances.
And how far should people's privacy and rights be compromised in order to increase their (real or perceived) safety? Is there any point in defending the American people if they lose whatever privileges they might have had in the past? Maybe its time to tackle the root of the problem instead of stirring up even more trouble and them acting defensively at home.
Now that America has already caused so much trouble its hard to reverse it, but they have to start somewhere. For example, the implied threat of using (potentially nuclear) weapons against Iranian nuclear facilities is crazy. Use American nukes because you don't think the Iranians should have nukes? Can they not see the hypocrisy there? No, apparently not.
Maybe Bush and his friends really do believe America has a god-given right to some things that other countries don't. When the leaders of Islamic countries have that sort of attitude we call them crazy. Should the same label not apply to some of the American religious right? Its time they all got over their childish belief in god and all the problems that belief system entails.
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