Troubling Trends
by BradfordWhat you are used to can influence what you are willing to tolerate. But then again some Americans are willing to allow for the unfamiliar. Since the Declaration of Independence America has been known as a land where liberty flourishes. Individual freedom is maximized at the expense of institutional power. But recent trends give one pause. The power to regulate and control small businesses increases even as large corporations are funneled billions of dollars sourced from small business owners and American workers. We are told our health care crisis demands immediate attention in one breath and in another told we may have to wait for years before benefits are realized. Some of our earnings are funneled to organized crime and much more to huge corporate conglomerates. Environmental zealots push for costly legislation while the number of unemployed reaches double digit levels. Concern for political correctness induces some to look past obvious clues which result in the new Orwellian phrase "man made disasters." We're not terrrorized any more. We're victims of man made disasters. As bad as all this is there might be something worse.
Justice Dept. Asked For News Site's Visitor Lists is a very troubling development. From the article:
In a case that raises questions about online journalism and privacy rights, the U.S. Department of Justice sent a formal request to an independent news site ordering it to provide details of all reader visits on a certain day.
The grand jury subpoena also required the Philadelphia-based Indymedia.us Web site "not to disclose the existence of this request" unless authorized by the Justice Department, a gag order that presents an unusual quandary for any news organization.
A "request" for information that invokes memories of regimes around the world having contempt for individual liberty. And to add insult to injury- a gag order. No sense in alerting Americans about attempts to subvert freedom. Worse yet the object of the gag is a part of the media presumably having First Amendment rights. It did not escape the attention of this right of center blogger that the website is left of center. It matters not. The reason we have a First Amendment is to protect the speech and writing of those whose views we personally dislike. It protects our own speech from those who think it odious. That's how it works. It has worked well for over 200 years.
This incident should concern you if you are reading this. It should bother you when the government wants to know where you spend your ciber time. It should matter even more that the government collects data about the public and tries to hide the effort to do so.
The subpoena reportedly had been withdrawn. But what law school graduates thought this was a good idea in the first place? What Americans thought this was a good idea and would this have been rescinded if noone but those immediately affected knew about it?
November 11th, 2009 at 2:10 am
America is used to rebellion against authority, and thus tolerates advocates of creationism and intelligent design.
But now that these issues can tear the country apart, it's time to take a stand for science.
Comment by Mung — November 11, 2009 @ 2:10 am
November 11th, 2009 at 1:19 pm
Mung:
Label them man made disasters and sic the Justice Department on their advocates.
Comment by Bradford — November 11, 2009 @ 1:19 pm
November 11th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Related story:
Big Brother wants in to your hard drive
HT: Bill Dembski
Comment by Salvador T. Cordova — November 11, 2009 @ 3:21 pm
November 11th, 2009 at 3:52 pm
Thanks for the link Sal. I can understand the greed that motivates some to support policies that directly add to their bottom line. Idelogical fantacism is another well understood phenomenon. What puzzles me more is the minion movement. The millions of Americans who stand to gain nothing financially but blindly follow current leadership like good Germans.
Comment by Bradford — November 11, 2009 @ 3:52 pm
November 11th, 2009 at 6:17 pm
Yes, it bothers me very much, Bradford. What bothers me even more is that conservatives such as yourself are willing to suspect the government of conspiracies against us when a Democrat is in charge, but not when a Republican is in charge. There are now over 950 architects and engineers who are demanding a new investigation into the collapse of the WTC towers. They are willing to risk their reputations on this. But conservatives such as yourself refuse to look at their evidence. I'm willing to suspect Obama of plotting against us. And I'm a liberal Democrat. Too bad you can't be more open-minded.
Comment by Bilbo — November 11, 2009 @ 6:17 pm
November 11th, 2009 at 6:45 pm
I'm not alleging that a conspiracy led to the cited incident. I'm citing a lack of concern for liberty which I view as the birthright of all Americans. I also think it strange that more Americans are not bothered by this type of thing. Many of those bothered by the Patriot Act are strangely silent about gross violations of rights occurring now.
Actually I would not oppose an investigation based on the experts you cited. I do doubt that results would settle the issue. The Warren Commission simply generated more controversy. But go ahead and have at it. I only maintain that my own expertise will not allow me to make a firm conclusion either way. However, as critical as I am of Obama I do not think it possible that he could be implicated in a conspiracy.
Comment by Bradford — November 11, 2009 @ 6:45 pm
November 11th, 2009 at 6:50 pm
Oy
Comment by Zachriel — November 11, 2009 @ 6:50 pm
November 11th, 2009 at 10:29 pm
You maintain this without looking at the evidence.
You have more faith in human nature than I do.
Comment by Bilbo — November 11, 2009 @ 10:29 pm
November 12th, 2009 at 12:37 am
Yes. My time is limited and I already have a full plate. That's why I would be willing to give a panel of architects and engineers a shot at investigating the WTC collapse.
That's an interesting comment in that I am not known for my sanguine view of human nature. But if I really thought Bush and Obama were involved in a horrendous crime like covering up the WTC event or worse, I would think that discussions about anything less than an overthrow of the government are meaningless.
Comment by Bradford — November 12, 2009 @ 12:37 am
November 12th, 2009 at 5:40 pm
So why not sign their petition?
Since I think a violent overthrow of our government would most likely result in something even worse, I don't advocate trying it. (Plus I don't think it would be likely to succeed). But you're right, I think other discussions about our government — that don't include investigating 9/11– are rather meaningless.
Comment by Bilbo — November 12, 2009 @ 5:40 pm
November 12th, 2009 at 10:04 pm
"Government is not reason, it is not eloquence–it is force! Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master."
–George Washington
Comment by Bradford — November 12, 2009 @ 10:04 pm
November 13th, 2009 at 1:20 pm
mung,
given the rest of your post (intelligent design as freespeech) what exactly do you mean by "it's time to take a stand for science"? do tell, do tell.
Comment by dantedanti — November 13, 2009 @ 1:20 pm
November 14th, 2009 at 1:37 am
I'm poking fun at Kenneth Miller.
Comment by Mung — November 14, 2009 @ 1:37 am