A Real Jerk

With US Senators like this, we don't need to be afraid of foreign terrorists. Sen. Pat Roberts is assisting Georgie mightily in his efforts to take liberty and freedoms away from Americans.

The chairman of the Senate's top intelligence panel sharply attacked critics of President Bush on Friday and questioned the nation's resolve as it wages the war against terrorism. Roberts, strongly defended Bush's domestic spying program, saying that "in time of war and probable attack," the existing law "ties the president's hands....Much of the war against al-Qaida is being fought overseas. . . But the war against terrorism is not confined to foreign lands. The war against terrorism is being fought every day in our own back yard. America is a battlefield." Didn't Georgie tell us the spying only involved very few calls from overseas?

As the New York Times revealed the existence of the spying program, Roberts said he had no doubt that America's enemies appreciated having another "leak peek" at the nation's security strategies. Does he really think that people don't know about government electronic monitoring capabilities? The drug lords in South America have avoided them for decades. Roberts also vigorously defended Bush's domestic spying program and has sent a 19-page endorsement to the Senate Judiciary Committee before they start hearings on Monday, "I am confident the president retains the constitutional authority to conduct "warrantless' electronic surveillance within the United States."

Never mind that the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service said recently the program undercut what Congress intended when it passed a 1978 law governing domestic spying. Never mind that this program invades our privacy and eliminates our rights, that's fine according to Roberts.

"Every American should understand, our terrorist adversaries think of us as dust....The irony of it is that, in their minds, we are evil, which in turn justifies their acts of evil." Roberts also should have said that he believes Americans should understand that their rights as individuals are insignificant, the rights of the state are superior, and that the irony of it is the federal government thinks citizens are to be feared. Well, Pat, isn't the state supposed to preserve our rights – not eliminate them?

During a hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee last week, Senators traded bitter barbs over Bush's wiretapping - Republicans accusing its critics of aiding terrorists, Democrats charging its supporters of violating the Constitution. After two hours of debate, Roberts, appeared to grow tired of quarreling over the proper balance between protecting Americans from terrorist attacks and guarding their constitutional freedoms. "I would only point out that you really don't have any civil liberties if you're dead," Roberts said. Spoken like a true fascist.

Roberts should educate himself with the words of a real American who spoke about the importance of liberty – and of dissent:

'On 20 March 1775, The Second Virginia Convention convened at St. John's Church in Richmond. They assembled to consider weighty matters concerning the tyranny and oppression of the British Crown. Many favored continued conciliatory measures. Patrick Henry took a seat in the third pew. Here sat a man with a burden. He knew he faced "an irresolute body; that he would be opposed by the powerful, wealthy, element among the members. His risk was tremendous.

“No man thinks more highly than I do of the patriotism, as well as abilities, of the very worthy gentlemen who have just addressed the house. But different men often see the same subject in different lights; and, therefore, I hope it will not be thought disrespectful to those gentlemen if, entertaining as I do opinions of a character very opposite to theirs, I shall speak forth my sentiments freely and without reserve. This is no time for ceremony. The question before the house is one of awful moment to this country.....It is only in this way that we can hope to arrive at the truth, and fulfill the great responsibility which we hold to God and our country. Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country, and of an act of disloyalty toward the Majesty of Heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings. There is no longer any room for hope. If we wish to be free--if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending--if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained--we must fight! I repeat it, sir, we must fight!....The millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us....Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”

Posted on The Human Stain