I have a more worthy place than anywhere else, Ann, but thanks for the invitation.
I suspect you are frustrated by those who consider these issues as problems to be solved, who are willing to confront them head-on, and not wave their hands at them.
One way to dismiss possible issues of personal liberty, extortionate taxation and an all-powerful central government is to name-call, such as "liberal", a meaningless term unless you supply the definition along with the claim.
Re: your question "Is it just the right wing conducting all these clandestine activities or are government officials in general guilty?....
The Communists of Russia, China, the Nazis, the Royalists of Saudi Arabia, all have one thing in common: totalitarianism. Whether you call that "right wing" or not is irrelevant to whether the central government or dictator holds sway over citizens in matters of personal liberty, wealth, speech, freedom of association and critical thinking in the media.
Name-calling won't change the arguments themselves, it can only change your self-proclaimed assessment, and perhaps comfort you somehow, by pigeonholing those discussions in a safe "liberal" place, that you don't have to think about.
That's not vigilance, Ann. That's avoidance. |
