Senate Approves continuation of Patriot Act

Just to prove that the destruction of civil rights in America is not a partisan issue, the US Senate, on an 84-15 vote, today will allow the Patriot Act, possibly the most repressive law ever passed in the US since the end of slavery, to continue to be the law of the land.

By ending the filibuster of one of the few courageous members of Congress, Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, the Senate has all but assured that the reactionary measures put in place by the Patriot Act will become permanent. And there's nothing you or I can do about it.

It has to be said again that this "Patriot Act" could never have had a chance of passing if not for the hysteria and fear ginned up by the American Media and the Bush Administration after 9/11. Never one to look a gift horse in the mouth, George Bush, arguably the worst president in American history (Andrew Johnson included), seized the opportunity presented by this environment of fear to consolidate the immense power enabled by the latest information technology, while the citizens of the United States weren't looking.

As the average American was trying to make it through another day of exhorbitant gasoline and heating prices, the stagnation of income, spiralling housing prices, crime, the destruction of the environment and Janet Jackson's breast, most people just didn't want to have to worry about terrorists dropping airplanes out of the sky onto their head. So when a leader who under normal circumstances wouldn't be allowed to head a boy scout troop, who, along with his vice-president have a handful of DUI arrests, says "I can protect you: He is given inconceivable power to spy upon the citizens of the nation, simply by creating a state of fear.

But let's be honest. How many of you really worry about terrorists? I live a few blocks away from the tallest building in the world. If this building were to fall, it'd come down right in my backyard. When Homeland Security makes up a list of possible terrorist targets, my city is always on it.

But the thing is: terrorism is in fact rarer than meteor strikes. There's a greater chance of me (this is true) having lightening hit me twice after winning lotto than being killed by a terrorist. But somehow, we have been convinced that there is such a clear and present danger that the basic foundations of American life have to be given up in order to make us "safe" from this nearly non-existant threat. If we still have access to history in 50 years, our children will wonder why we believed so little in ourselves, in our nation, in our principles. They'll ask why the America of 2006 was more worried about homosexuals getting married than the fact that our President was selling off control of our ports to the highest bidder while making sure that he had the power to see which library books we were reading.

I think there's a perceptable shift going on in America today. I think, slowly, Americans are waking up to the nightmare that has been the post-9/11 nation. As polls show that only 34% of Americans approve of the president, more than 62% believe he broke the law, and an unbelievable 18% approve of the vice-president, there appears to be some eye-opening going on. The problem is: it's most likely too late for anything but a general uprising to make a difference. Also, and strangely, the American media seems reluctant to give up the twisted reality that's been created by the Bush Administration. Sunday morning talk shows are full of apologists, lickspittles, neofascists and soothsayers. The big names in American media wouldn't dream of asking a hard question of Bush or Cheney. It appears that Mr. and Mrs Average American are way ahead of the curve on this one. And I don't think all the abortion-mania, fearmongering, bible-thumping in the world is going to change the fact that it's becoming clear to most Americans that we've gotten ourselves into a nasty fix by letting fear rule our heads. But we're waking up surrounded by concertina wire. It's going to take a lot of courage to take this country back, and sacrifice. If anybody can rise up it's the American people. There's never been a people like us. We've been counted out before.

I have to admit that it's easy to be pessimistic about the future of this country. But when I look at my daughter, I have no choice but to hope. And down-deep, I'm just not willing to give up the dream that is America, no matter what. The good news: there's an election this year. The bad news: many of us are going to be voting on Diebold machines.

The bad news: the system is stacked against us. The good news: we know it.

[edit on 3/1/2006 by vuoto]

[edit on 3/1/2006 by vuoto]

Just proves the american people have 0 power, people dont believe it but this continuation proves it. The only other nations on the planet that had laws like this were: Nazi Germany, and Stalinistic Russia (Gulag). There are others but I wont go into detail, none the less facism is going gung-ho.