Monday, May 29, 2006

Going NGO: what THIS patriot will do

Since the government of the united states has decided to go around the constitution. I have decided to go around the government. My first act in that vein is to add that badge you see on the right: it is to make readers aware of Amnesty International's new campaign to prevent censorship.

As I understand American History, our imperfections have, for a long time, been yielding ground to the ideals of fairness so hopefully expressed in our founding documents. Many of our struggles, sometimes armed, have been for the preservation of a way of life in which the documents defined the government and the government served the people. The activists and soldiers who resolutely fought for continued progress or for a nation beloved because it could credibly promise that progress have a legacy we should honor, continue and enhance. But now a cloud is over this whole enterprise. The idea that the essence of being American is being free from bad guys more than being free to speak your mind seems to have gained a hold like crabgrass. In this darkening era, the government redefines the documents and serves itself.

We have handled far worse problems and faced far more determined enemies but can we overcome our own misapprehension?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

You're not supposed to notice this stuff. Didn't anyone tell you?