SF101 I know this may surprise you, but those of us on the right have concerns about the abuse of our basic rights. There are things about the Patriot Act that concern me, but at the same time there are many parts that offer greater security for this country. Clearly there is a very fine line and I tend to fall on the side of individual rights.
With regards to the Patriot Act though I guess it could be described as "date rape" as it was overwhelmingly bipartisan. To characterize it as only as Bush legislation to take away our rights is being disingenious, as the "donkeys and the asses"
as well as their elephant counterparts had ample opportunity to make it different if it was so horrible.
With regards to abuses, there have been many many accusations of the horrible rights violations that could occur. To date almost none of those have happened, so maybe the hysteria is predominately politics. In the end this is a statute, and as such if constitutional violations have occured then the remedy as always is to pursue redress through the courts. This statute must pass constitutional muster, and if it does violate our basic rights against unreasonable search and seizure (or other basic rights) then I will be at the front of the line demanding changes or abolition. I am not an expert on the Patriot Act, so I cannot argue the specifics of it. At the same time there has only been one circumstance (Jose Padilla) where the implementation of the Patriot Act has been found to violate specific constitutional rights.
With regards to you accusing me of being a Nazi, no you didn't specifically call me or anyone else a Nazi. My points were two fold. 1.) We should not ever minimize the horrible human suffering of the Holocuast, and comparing something like Guantomano Bay to the Holocuast minimizes the suffering of those innocents of the Holocuast, and provides undeserved cover for those violent terrorists at Guantomano Bay. 2.) When we make comparisions like these we do a great disservice to our country. You mentioned in this thread that you had concerns about the polarization of this country, which is a very real and legitimate concern. Good people can disagree, and there is nothing wrong with people demanding more of our leaders. The charges from the left against Bush can do 2 things 1.) force accountability, or 2.) create the kind of environment of hatred and retribution that polarizes and divides. Demanding that we treat the prisioners at Guantomano Bay with basic human dignity forces accountability, while referring to it as reminisant of Nazi atrocities inflames and divides. I support this administration (though I do not agree with everything), and if they are engaging in Nazi atrocities, then if nothing else I am a Nazi sympathizer. That polarizes and divides.
I will acknowledge though that I was impressed with your response. You heard and understood my point, and you did not try and justify your comment. Sometimes we make mistakes in the things we say, and all to often we feel compelled to try and rationalize it. You didn't do that, and I have a lot of respect for that.
ziggy
