In the Name of National Security

It's amazing what you can get away with by invoking the above words. Many a dictatorship has been spawned by using fear to destroy democratic institutions and processes. George Bush has convinced many Americans that they must surrender their constitutional rights in order to keep from getting killed by terrorists. This is unbleievable. I'm seeing more and more letters to the editor by people saying they'd rather be alive than free. This is absurd.

I remember an old saying "better dead than Red." That was a common attitude during the Cold War. I also remember a certain patriot saying "give me liberty or give me death." I remember countless American military personnel who sacrificed their lives to preserve our freedoms. But now many Americans are ready to toss their precious freedoms on the mountain of fear created by George W. Bush.

How dare any of us question the legality of the NSA wiretapping and telephone call monitoring. When an investigation was launched the Bush Administration said the NSA could not be investigated because only those with high level security clearances could do so.

This is pure genius. Create an attitude of fear with the public to justify your suspension of civil liberties. When the public discovers the extent of your abuse you cut off all investigations "in the name of national security."

Whatever happened to patriotic Americans refusing to abandon their freedoms? Why are we sending our servicepeople to defend liberty while we're dismantling it "in the name of national security."