On Thursday, September 13, 2001, at 09:43 AM, citizenQ wrote:

VIA CNN this AM: (somewhat paraphrasing)

Bush Sr., speaking to some corporate collection of cronies: "We'll also have to look at this Internet thing you all know so much about, and review our policies..."

Gephardt: "We don't have to, we don't want to change the Constitution, but there will need to be a shift in the balance between freedom and security..."

The planes have hit the towers but the shit has yet to hit the fan.

Perhaps we should rename the two towers First Amendment and Second Amendment. I've seen Congressvarmints complaining that the problem with countries around the world is that they "allow" too much free speech. (He was demanding that Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Syria, and Pakistan put a stop to the laughter and cheers of people celebrating the WTC and Pentagon events.) Some years ago I would have been shocked to hear U.S. officials calling for press crackdowns, but I have grown accustomed to this. The U.S. position in Sudan, Bosnia, etc. has been to _disarm_ ordinary farmers and merchants, to _control_ newspapers, and to institute random searches and seizures. They argue that the Bill of Rights obviously applies to U.S. citizens (or, they admit, maybe to non-citizens residents in the U.S. and its territories). This notion that the U.S. should press for disarmament of civilians, for press restrictions, for warrantless searches and seizures, and for other such things (*), all shows the utter hypocrisy of the U.S. It is rank hypocrisy for U.S. Congressmen to be calling for crackdowns on the press of other nations. No wonder they laugh when we are attacked. "Look on your works, ye mighty, and despair." --Tim May