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Thread 7567

Thread ID: 7567 | Posts: 2 | Started: 2003-06-23

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Fire Pen [OP]

2003-06-23 15:48 | User Profile

Virtually all of the war whooping, fashionably neo-conservative media figures and “talking heads” have one thing in common: They somehow manage to avoid even mentioning the disgraceful lack of security on our borders. For all their tough talking belligerence, they shrink from risking charges of disloyalty (political incorrectness, if you will) by their so-called “conservative” (read “republican”) teammates. Reporting or commenting on the outrageous border invasion going on daily, a contradiction of our much-ballyhooed Homeland Security measures, might tend to embarrass the president. This would never do for those self-styled conservatives who have become little more than cheer leaders for George Bush.

           Even sensible commentary about the infiltration of Islamic terrorists into our society -- such as the powerful column by the normally fearless Ann Coulter, which calls for the deportation of all Islamic non-citizens from the US -– amazingly fails to even mention the protection of our borders.  This, although thousands of aliens cross those borders every week.  The Border Patrol estimates that one in ten are of a nationality classified as “other than Hispanic.”  It is the best and easiest way for Middle Eastern terrorists to infiltrate the U.S.  And yet, the silence by otherwise good conservatives on the subject of border protection remains deafening.  Many are apparently buying into the immigration-is-good-for-America lie of unscrupulous businessmen who sell out America for cheap labor.

           It is truly a shame that so many conservatives, believing they are in power at last with a Republican president, are willing to deny the evidence of their own reason in defending their popular “compassionate” standard bearer.  They must, after all, recognize the politically corrupt -- and possibly treasonable -- desertion of duty by our elected representatives from President Bush on down, who refuse to do anything about the daily invasion of our borders.

I used to think that it was only the left which, bereft of religion, took their political dogma as the word of God, regardless of all evidence to the contrary.  Apparently, some who call themselves conservatives also fear excommunication.  Just as virtually all Democrats swallowed the Kool Aid for Bill Clinton, so do many Republicans, and even conservatives, for George Bush.

Questioning the veracity of the clumsier administration claims or sloppier reasoning is considered unpatriotic.  This was, in fact, the very word used by former Bush speechwriter, David Frum, to describe Robet Novack, Pat Buchannon and other war critics.  What is more, the neo-conservative Canadian Immigrant said it in the pages of Bill Buckley’s once revered National Revue.  Patriotism in time of war is thus too often equated with the blind obedience to our current politicians, even when they are dead wrong.  Although such unquestioning obedience may be right for our military, it is neglect of duty by free Americans.

No one, however, especially not those who are only tentatively committed to their principles, wants to be charged with a lack of patriotism.  Perhaps that is one of the reasons why the worst loss of liberties and the most constitutional violations have historically occurred during wartime, the ultimate big government event.

Lincoln’s brutish and tyranical war, for example, saw the unconstitutional denial of a states legal right to seek its independence from an overbearing government.  The  expansion of that government resulted in what was, perhaps, the beginning of the end for our constitutional republic.  Wilson’s unnecessary “war to end all wars” took us further down the road from republic to corrupt democracy.  And F.D.R. deviously engineered us into a World War II.  Then, in another “day of infamy,” he ordered all American citizens of Japanese decent imprisoned for the duration and their property confiscated.  All pretense of constitutional law was dropped and the cause of big-government socialism was advanced to a new high.

Now we have the Patriot Act, totalitarian legislation that authorizes the federal government to disregard constitutional safeguards in prying into the private lives of its citizens as never before without a court order and to imprison any American it has a mind to without due process.  President Bush wants to expand these powers in a Patriot Act II.

Some are not satisfied with the fact that its dictatorial provisions are considered temporary wartime measures due to expire in 2005. Senator Orin Hatch (R-Utah) has proposed legislation making these police-state powers permanent. Since the war on terror is likely to go on for many years (in some ways like the “wars” on drugs and poverty), think how many more infringements on our liberties will be proposed under the guise of national security. The power hungry politicians need to be taught that the founders did not restrict the Bill of Rights to peacetime.

The real traitors to the republic are not those who exercise their God-given right – their duty – to criticize their elected representatives, but those who would take away our freedom to do so.  And those who voluntarily give up their liberty for “security” are the collaborators who support them.  Furthermore, those who fear to speak out against government lies and corruption – such as the surrender of our borders for political concerns -- are cowards.

Texas Dissident

2003-06-23 15:54 | User Profile

*Originally posted by Fire Pen@Jun 23 2003, 10:48 * ** Virtually all of the war whooping, fashionably neo-conservative media figures and “talking heads” have one thing in common: They somehow manage to avoid even mentioning the disgraceful lack of security on our borders. **

I've gotten more mileage with generally pro-Bush "conservatives" over this open border/war on terror issue than any other argument I've presented. Course, I'm in Texas so that may figure more prominently down here.

Excellent essay, Fire Pen.