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L. Neil Smith's THE LIBERTARIAN ENTERPRISE Number 281, July 25, 2004 "Was ... this ... really ... necessary?"
Government Policy: Fear, Hatred, Bigotry, Oppression, Deceit
Exclusive to TLE As we begin the final run-up to the conventions and election day, I thought it might be interesting to note what our government policy is becoming or has become over the last three years. Ever since that disastrous morning of 9/11/01, our government, under the direction of George W. Bush, the 'compassionate conservative', has deliberately engendered a state of fear in the American people. I believe that this was done for one purpose only, the aim of the current administration to establish a theocratic dictatorship, with George W. Bush as the HMFIC. George Bush himself, has admitted as much, if not in so many words: ie; "A dictatorship wouldn't be so bad, as long as I was the dictator" Another indicator is his statement that "god" wants him to be president, to carry out "god's" plans. Examples of this hypothesis are the many unsubstantiated claims that a terrorist attack is imminent, with no details ever published to justify this, only the vague comment of "chatter." Other unsettling clues include the arrest and disappearing of people on vague charges of being terrorists, potential terrorists, or possibly connected with terrorists, then not hearing anything for months, or in some cases years. Finally, when something is heard, it is a long way from whatever allegations were originally made to justify the arrest, but is always something that would lead to more fear in the average person on the street; a mall in Columbus OH was to be blown up, or a person who was arrested on claims he was planning to set off a "dirty bomb" finally admits, after two years in prison, without bail, without legal representation, without being allowed to contact anyone, that he was planning to blow up apartment buildings. Does this seem strange to anyone else, especially in light of the fact that our government has now made it official policy that torture is an acceptable method of interrogation? Hatred and Bigotry: These are closely connected, and in fact, this campaign is being waged on two fronts, the international "terrorist" situation, and the domestic "homosexual rights" platform and also on "domestic terrorism threats. On the international front, while piously bemoaning the fact that some bigoted jerks are persecuting those of Arabic descent, or those who cling to Islam as a religion, government enforcement agencies are encouraged to spy on Islamic mosques in particular, and gives permission to do so to all denominations. (I sometimes wonder how many confessionals now have hidden microphones in them.) In regards to the homosexual rights situation: the gay marriage ban is the primary motivator here. I do not believe that a Constitutional Amendment is either necessary or desirable. In fact, the Constitution, by and large, is not about limiting rights of the people, but about limiting the powers of government, which is why our current government and, to a large degree, our courts, are not paying a damned bit of attention to it, or are refusing to rule on those parts of it that expose the government hypocrisy and lies for what they are. Or even worse, are deliberately ruling wrongly, on such things as the Campaign Reform Finance Bill, which is a direct assault on the First Amendment. This leads directly to our next area, oppression. Now, I know many will say that we are not being oppressed. I respond to that by saying it depends on what your definition of "oppressed" is. What do you call it when you are forbidden to support a presidential candidate, or OPPOSE one, in print? What do you call it when a so-called "free speech" zone is set up, so that politicians won't be offended by the opinions of the ordinary people? (Hmmm, I thought ALL of America was a free speech zone. Silly me!) What do you call it when cities, states, and even the federal government routinely violate the very laws and precepts they are supposed to enforce? What do you call it when you can be denied basic human and civil rights because you are "different", either in religious belief, sexual orientation, or some other arbitrary yardstick? What do you call it when some government agent, with no more than a vague suspicion, can get your library records, records from your local bookseller, spy on your church, or make you "disappear" as a "terrorist" suspect? Deceit: Right from the beginning, this administration has lied to the American people, even more than most administrations do. Dubya deliberately lied to us all, using specious arguments and unconfirmed "intelligence" to justify going to war against a country that had done us no harm, leading to the deaths of more than a thousand coalition troops and tens of thousands of Iraqis, both military and civilian. All for a lie. What is next? Do we invade Iran, if it is determined that they did have a concrete link to the 9/11 terrorists? I'd like to see how they plan to do that, since the Iraq war has so drawn down our military forces than if any OTHER emergency happens, we can NOT deal with it, without resorting to "weapons of mass destruction". And yes, I am exagerating slightly here, but what do you call it when bombs or main gun rounds or cruise missiles destroy neighborhoods? Isn't that mass destruction? We sure as hell don't have the troops, logistics, or the political leadership to deal with another ground war anywhere. One other focus of deceit: Dubya solemnly assures us that we are safer now than we were before 9/11. This is reinforced by the 9/11 commission and by Condoleeza Rice. I have just one question in regard to this: What the hell have these people been smoking that they believe that the people of America are that damned dumb? They want to say we are safer when they have deliberately insulted and antagonized one of the largest and fastest growing religions in the world, a religion which has a long history of terrorism, assassination, and violent covert political action? A religion which has a history of inflaming it's followers to violent suicidal acts? They want to say that we are safer when our own government has become more to be feared than a dozen bombers or terrorists? They want to say we are safer when all the things discussed in this article can happen in what is supposedly the freest country on earth? Are these people crazy, doped up, or just plain stupid?! Time to close this article now. As always, I invite each and every one of you to do your own research, prove to yourselves that what I say is true. Don't accept MY word, and don't accept the government or media's unsupported word either. Look it up, check it out, research, learn.
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