[IP] editorial comment -- more on middle-aged white females
-----Original Message-----
From: "Paul Biggar"<paul.biggar@xxxxxxxxx>
Sent: 7/30/05 8:22:53 AM
To: "David Farber"<dave@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [IP] editorial comment -- more on middle-aged white females
Dave,
> Are Americans conscious of what the consequences of their foreign
> policies of the last 50 years are turning them into? Totally paranoid,
> terrorist-obsessed crazies. What on earth are they feeding into you
> people's heads day-in and day-out over there? And now Tony B. Liar
> is bringing the same upon the British.
There was some criticism of this rant, and I wish to defend the
poster. A casual observer of this list would certainly question the
state of the nation.
America is branded as the land of the free, where the Bill of Rights
guarantees inalienable rights to individuals. At the same time, the
fear of terrorists allows certain Americans to torture 'enemy
combatants'[1], to search individuals at random[2], and to wiretap
without judicial consent[3]. Secret hearings[4], secret trials[5] and
secret laws[6] are all on the agenda in the name of protecting America
from terrorists. These are supported by those running the country; the
very people who are meant to defend your freedoms and the
constitution.
To go from here to ask whether American are 'totally paranoid
terror-obsessed crazies' is no leap of the imagination; one must
merely switch on Fox News.
While the tone may have been harsh, I don't believe the poster should
be chastised as 'childish', at least not by intelligent people, who
should see the serious issues under his rhetoric. I would prefer those
issues* were addressed, lest all Americans be painted with the same
brush stroke.
Yours
Paul Biggar
* These being:
-"Never a word questioning the rationality of a society that
apparently thinks it normal to wants to treat all of its citizens as
criminal suspects in the first place."
- "Are Americans conscious of what the consequences of their foreign
policies of the last 50 years are turning them into?"
- "What on earth are they feeding into you people's heads day-in and
day-out over there?"
[1]
http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/200412/msg00073.html
[2]
http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/200507/msg00207.html
[3]
http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/200504/msg00205.html
[4]
http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/200410/msg00258.html
[5]
http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/200408/msg00328.html
[6]
http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/200507/msg00234.html
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