Speaking Truth to Power

« President Gore spoke today ». The President compared the wiretapping of Martin Luther King to the broad surveillance now imposed on Americans by the Boy Emperor:

‘Fear drives out reason. Fear suppresses the politics of discourse and opens the door to the politics of destruction. Justice Brandeis once wrote: “Men feared witches and burnt women.”
‘The founders of our country faced dire threats. If they failed in their endeavors, they would have been hung as traitors. The very existence of our country was at risk. ‘Yet, in the teeth of those dangers, they insisted on establishing the Bill of Rights.
‘Is our Congress today in more danger than were their predecessors when the British army was marching on the Capitol? Is the world more dangerous than when we faced an ideological enemy with tens of thousands of missiles poised to be launched against us and annihilate our country at a moment’s notice? Is America in more danger now than when we faced worldwide fascism on the march-when our fathers fought and won two World Wars simultaneously? ‘It is simply an insult to those who came before us and sacrificed so much on our behalf to imply that we have more to be fearful of than they. Yet they faithfully protected our freedoms and now it is up to us to do the same.
‘We have a duty as Americans to defend our citizens’ right not only to life but also to liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It is therefore vital in our current circumstances that immediate steps be taken to safeguard our Constitution against the present danger posed by the intrusive overreaching on the part of the Executive Branch and the [Emperor]‘s apparent belief that he need not live under the rule of law.
‘I endorse the words of Bob Barr, when he said, “The [Emperor] has dared the American people to do something about it. For the sake of the Constitution, I hope they will.”’
—Raw Story

But don’t bet on it. The Golden Globes are on and Angelina Jolie is pregnant and they didn’t even tell Jennifer! Oh, snap!

Still, good on yer, President Gore. Good on yer!