The founding fathers designed a framework that would adapt over time, to the changing views of morality of its citizens, while retaining certain immutable tenets: the inalienable rights of men; the limited role of government; the checks and balances of power.
Now, we see these neocon/religious groups attacking each of these immutable tenets. They attempt to redefine which rights are 'inalienable', and usurp equal protection, by attacking the rights of homosexuals. They attempt to redefine the limited role of government by masking their acts under the cloak of security in the 'war on terrorism'. They attempt to destroy the role of both the minority party and the judicial system with petty power grabs, such as destroying the long standing power of the minority party to fillibuster, and proposing legislature that is supposedly immune to judicial review.
If they were attempting these changes from within the framework of Constitutional process, both in letter and spirit, that would be one thing. But, they use their majority, their propaganda machine, and the fear of terrorism as devices to mask their actions and cow any opposition as 'unAmerican'. In doing so, they show themselves to be what they have accused others of: anti American.
I am continually disturbed when I see studies like the recent survey of high school age children who were asked if they believe that right of freedom should be sacrificed for security, and the majority say yes. I am disturbed when I see these neocons scream about 'activist judges', when they clearly have no clue what the phrase means. In fact, I believe their leaders know what it means, and how they are deceiving people into with these phrases, but they simply view them as code words useful in their relentless thirst for more power.
When will the people who have been deceived wake up and realize that they have been turned into dupes of the rich and powerful who lust for even more? |
