A sheep-like nation is allowing Bush to erode our liberties and well-being

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Sun, 12 Feb 2006 13:01:52 -0500

A sheep-like nation is allowing Bush to erode our liberties

and well-being

 

 

 

A sheep-like nation is allowing Bush to erode our liberties and well-being

by Bruce Mulkey

published February 11, 2006 6:00 am

 

 

http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060211/OPINION03/60209\

012/1006/OPINION

 

 

 

" If this were a dictatorship, it'd be a heck of a lot easier, just so

long as I'm the dictator. "

— President George W. Bush, Dec. 18, 2000

 

 

 

" As nightfall does not come at once, neither does oppression. In both

instances, there is a twilight when everything remains unchanged. And

it is in such twilight that we all must be most aware of change in the

air — however slight — lest we become unwitting victims of the darkness. "

— Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas

 

 

 

 

What is it going to take for the American people to wake up to the

presidential coup d'état that is now under way, a takeover that is

occurring in broad daylight by a president who has declared that as

commander in chief he has unfettered power to fight an undeclared and

never-ending war on terrorism, even if that means ignoring the courts,

disregarding laws passed by Congress and circumventing the Bill of

Rights in the process?

 

First the Bush administration rams through the so-called Patriot Act

in the hysteria immediately following Sept. 11, 2001, legislation that

includes the infamous " sneak and peak " provision. Then they usurp the

power of the Senate (though our senators didn't put up much of a fuss)

and use fabricated intelligence to initiate a pre-emptive war against

a nonaggressive nation. Next this administration decides that it can

detain foreign (and several domestic) adversaries as " illegal enemy

combatants " without charge for as long as it desires. After that, it

chooses to authorize torture of selected prisoners under the

designation of " enhanced interrogation techniques. " Now we discover

the Bush administration has used the National Security Agency to

eavesdrop on telephone conversations and e-mails of U.S. citizens on

American soil without a warrant and that several other government

agencies have been illegally tracking our computer activities.

 

If the president has the unfettered power that he and his acolytes

proclaim, what is the logical next step? Dissolving Congress should it

endeavor to forestall his illegal activities? Packing the Supreme

Court with his supporters should it declare some of his actions

unconstitutional? Proclaiming times so dangerous that he must remain

in office even after his term is over?

 

And if he did so, would we finally revolt against this King George as

we did against another during the first American Revolution?

 

I awaken many mornings asking myself: " Why haven't I taken to the

streets with my fellow citizens demanding the resignation of this

pretender to the throne? " " How can I go about my usual daily routine,

while my country gradually slides into fascism in the name of national

security? " " What am I so fearful of that I stand immobilized while

innocent men, women and children are being killed in my name? " " How

can I, in good conscience, continue to pay my federal taxes knowing

that a large portion of them is going to the immoral war in Iraq and

other such military adventures? "

 

In 1775, speaking in favor of action to throw off the tyranny of the

British crown, Patrick Henry declared: " Is life so dear, or peace so

sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? ... I

know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty

or give me death! "

 

Today we Americans seem to be saying quite the opposite by our

acquiescence: " Give me a powerful ruler to save me from the terrorists

even if this means surrendering my rights as an American citizen. "

 

From where I stand, there are worse things than passing from this

mortal form. For if I permit the loss of my individual freedom, my

personal integrity and the liberties that this nation stands for, am I

not already among the living dead?

 

Bruce Mulkey is an Asheville writer and a communications consultant. A

former community columnist for the Asheville Citizen-Times, a

collection of his commentaries have been published in " Peaceful

Patriots: Taking a Stand for Peace in an Era of Endless War, " now

available in paperback at www.brucemulkey.com or Malaprops. You may

contact Mulkey at bruce.