Features

Bush’ actions are not at all patriotic

Nancy Alexander
Wednesday February 27, 2002

Editor: 

 

Are you not also alarmed by the escalating abuses of power and the systematic subversion of our democracy since the Bush regime usurped the White House?  

Despite the media insistence on high popularity ratings for George Bush, I do not hear anything but fear and revulsion coming from the citizens of our country, even from people who are usually deceived. Massive protests are occurring every weekend and dictatorship has become a household word.  

Staggering numbers of starving Afghan moms, dads and children have been bombed in the night. Their country is in ruins. Warlords and the Northern Alliance drug dealers now reign supreme, conveniently aligned with US oil interests. The people of Afghanistan were unfortunately born in the vicinity of oil and for this they were murdered and their country destroyed. How many times will this pattern repeat? 

Hundreds of human beings have been kidnapped and caged in 6x8 foot containers in violation of our constitution and the Geneva Convention.  

They had the audacity to defend themselves when their country was bombed and invaded. Lawsuits have been filed in their behalf by conscientious citizens who are true patriots, defenders of human rights and constitutional law, including former US Attorney General Ramsey Clark. 

Why does Cheney refuse to call his captives POW's? Is it because Congress has not approved or declared war and his regime is in violation of the law?  

Does Bush imagine that declaring war on a noun rather than a nation will camouflage his agenda and that by inventing the term “unlawful combatants” he can escape the penalties of criminal behavior?  

Over 1,200 people have been “detained” who have not yet been charged with a crime or given access to legal counsel. After five months their families still do not know where they are.  

They are being held by the US government because of their ethnic origin, without any evidence that they have committed a crime.  

They are living a Nazi nightmare right here in America.  

Bush has repeatedly made reckless public accusations and threats against sovereign nations he plans to attack, without regard for the law and despite repeated warnings from the international community that they will not condone his abuses of power. His aggression has alarmed the whole world and alienated our allies. His answer? “We do not need anyone's permission.”  

Since when is he king of the world?  

The Bush regime wasted no time, capitalizing on the nation's fear, to decimate the Bill of Rights, and our constitution. Ashcroft rammed a repressive reactionary agenda through Congress disguised as a “Patriot Act” legalizing government wiretapping and internet surveillance of private citizens, police searches of their homes without probable cause, seizure of their property and their assets, and detention of citizens without giving them access to legal counsel.  

There is nothing patriotic about this act. This is blatant fascism. 

Constantly pushing for further extremes the Bush regime then announced its intention to install secret military tribunals with no court of appeal and executions of those whom they denounce. Let us not forget that Martin Luther King's group was listed as a terrorist organization by the FBI.  

Next on the list is mandatory ID cards to track the movements of American citizens, and a so-called “Homeland Security” force to control domestic society. Would anyone agree to this fascist agenda without the constantly reinforced fear of “terrorist threats?”  

Laws protect us when emotions are untrustworthy. It is precisely because people are irrational when they are afraid, that we have laws. This is no time to abandon the well thought out laws that have made America safe for democracy.  

For Bush's permanent war on anyone, anywhere, any time he is demanding $450 billion.  

Like his tax cut for the ultra wealthy, this transfer of funds from the public treasury to private coffers will be good for Wall Street, campaign contributors and the billionaire's club.  

Bush plans to pay for his bloated defense contracts with our social security pensions and says cheerfully he doesn't mind at all having a big budget deficit.  

Why should he?  

It won't affect him.  

That Congress would even consider granting this wish is completely outrageous. 

We depend on our representatives to uphold the constitution, spend our money on the public good and protect the earth we all share. We depend on our courts to be rational, fair and undeceived. It has become all to evident in the past fourteen months that our trust has been betrayed again and again. 

Ari Fleischer warned Americans to “watch what you say.” It would be inappropriate to question the regime while they are in the midst of global mayhem and murder.  

When is it appropriate to confront a tyrant?  

There is nothing patriotic about destroying the Bill of Rights. There is nothing patriotic about bankrupting America for a killing spree. There is nothing patriotic about dying for oil. There is nothing patriotic about surrendering to fascism. There is nothing patriotic about remaining silent. Exercise your freedom of speech while you still have it.  

 

Nancy Alexander