I swore I wasn't going to get into this and am not looking for debate but I have honest questions about some of the statements:
> Fred wrote: > Damn straight, except you both forgot "curtail civil liberties and personal freedoms including > that of reproductive choice." Can someone point to a source that will explain what civil liberties of mine have been recently curtailed (other than extra security measures at the airport). Also, what has recently happened to curtail reproductive choice? > Anne wrote: > Too true, Fred. And anyone who thinks >dissention is un-American or un-patriotic >hasn't read the Constitution. Anyone who thinks dissension is anti-American is very simplistic. Someone leaking classified reports from the Pentagon to a "commentator" at the L.A. Times during a time when we are trying to defend ourselves is another matter, IMO. Susan wrote: > This is from someone who does not believe in >drug testing for a job, for government >enforced seat belts, police roadblocks to >entrap drunk drivers. I don't believe in any of those things, either. > I also don't think I am funding terrorists >because I smoke pot. I heard something about this - what's it all about? > No I think our stubborness in continuing to >rely on foreign oil funds terrorism far more. I wouldn't be surprised at this point if 99% of Americans agree, including the administration. We can get our oil from many other sources (and if we don't want to drill in our own country, we can get it from other friendly countries in North America). A few people from the list recently told me, however, that the main reason we stay in the middle east is to protect Europe's access to oil and that the U.S. only gets something like 10% of our own oil from there these days. >This administration's suggestion of nuclear >usage is appalling and depressing. A Pentagon report (which I don't think any of us have seen) was leaked to a *commentary* writer who wrote about it in the L.A. Times. Not a factual news reporter. From there it was apparently picked up by the perennial anti-American U.K. Guardian and the Mirror, the same U.K. tabloid who published the full page photo screaming "Torture" about the U.S. treatment of detainees in Cuba. Just like a game of telephone (and to promote their agenda and sell papers) now they were saying that Bush was going to nuke a bunch of countries. Nonetheless, people all over the world are now screaming about it. Small tactical nukes have been around for at least a decade and from what I've read (although I don't know for a fact) were first developed by the Russians. Then the U.S. started development of their own and who know what other countries. They are nothing new and certainly not a sudden Dr. Strangelovian dream of the Bush administration. And no, this doesn't mean I am for nuking anyone. But I don't think all the agenda-driven hyperbole over serious matters is helpful for anyone. Kakki
