The Posse

It's a bit disturbing that a project such as the American Freedom Campaign really needs to exist these days. Their raison d'être is summed up in the following pledge (which you may sign at their website):

We are Americans, and in our America we do not torture, we do not imprison people without charge or legal remedy, we do not tap people's phones and emails without a court order, and above all we do not give any President unchecked power. I pledge to fight to protect and defend the Constitution from assault by any President.

Yet it appears that such assertions must no longer be taken for granted.

If you doubt its necessity, you might consider watching this talk by author Naomi Wolf, called "10 Steps to Fascism" (48 minutes long). She discusses not only examples of these "10 Steps" in history's most famous fascist states, but also, more relevantly, points to manifestations of them here and now. (You may prefer to read her article.) The first 4 in this recipe are

1. invoke fear (terrorism?)
2. create a prison system outside of the rule of law (Guantanamo?)
3. create a paramilitary force (Blackwater?)
4. create a surveilence apparatus over citizens

A disturbing example of step 3, which has not been covered in mainstream media nor even discussed by Congress, is known as "Presidential Directive 51," and was signed by President Bush in May of this year. This directive (to the degree that it is public, being partially classified) provides for continuity of federal government and preparation for martial law in the event of some "extraordinary disruption" to civil society. The directive (along with the Military Commissions Act and the Warner Defense Authorization Act) abridges, among other things, the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, which forbade the military from acting as law enforcement. (That Act, Wikipedia explains, is also the origin of the "Sheriff's posse" of the Old West.) The Act's intention was to ensure that the federal government patrol only the nation's borders, letting the states take care of their own territories. Now Bush and Cheney will take care of you when they decide to declare martial law.

Our only alternative is to remember and reinforce the principle that governments must be subordinate to their citizens. As Thomas Paine wrote,

It has been thought... that government is a compact between those who govern and those who are governed; but this cannot be true, because it is putting the effect before the cause; for as man must have existed before governments existed, there necessarily was a time when governments did not exist, and consequently there could originally exist no governors to form such a compact with. The fact therefore must be, that the individuals themselves, each in his own personal and sovereign right, entered into a compact with each other to produce a government: and this is the only mode in which governments have a right to arise, and the only principle on which they have a right to exist.

Or then again, maybe we'd be better off if we just let someone else make the laws.

On a personal note: thanks, Paulsons, for giving us a great Thanksgiving! Here are few photos (sorry, didn't take many). It'd be great, Erik, if you could share yours...! Just upload them to picasa or flickr or something. Barbara and I are doing fine. The magic of modern medicine has been of little help so far in our effort to make a baby, so we're turning instead to the magic of mystical power stones (or any other alternative that pops up). We just watched a pretty good movie on DVD. You've probably already seen it -- can you guess what it is from this quote?

"Tell me, do you think there's anything wrong with your mind, really?"
"Not a thing, Doc. I'm a goddamn marvel of modern science."

I got a ticket for the holidaze—home from Dec 21 to Jan 1!