U.S. hypocrisy about freedom of press in U.S.-hating countries

Tim May tcmay at got.net
Thu Sep 13 12:06:30 PDT 2001


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





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