Here's the problem threatening the future of the American democracy. It's next to impossible to persuade lots of Americans that the principles the flag symbolizes should be cherished at least as much as the cloth the flag is made of. So every few years, right wing voters are "energized" by cynical politicians calling for a ban on flag burning as an act of free speech.
Harder still, apparently, is convincing too many fellow Americans that 1. America's foundational values, including the Bill of Rights, the "Grand Writ" of habeas corpus and the notion that only tyrannical regimes torture prisoners, were what made America a good and great nation; and defending those values is not akin to "coddling terrorists." and 2. The notion that this government -- any government for that matter -- can "keep you safe" is absurd.
Everyone of us is susceptible to injury or death at almost any given moment. Recently, for example, spinach posed a far greater threat to Americans in many states than a possible terrorist attack.
We've also learned now, that Condi and Rumsfield were indeed briefed on the Bin Laden threat weeks before it occurred. Despite the drag on the Bush Administration of having to get warrants in order to spy on you....despite the inconvenience of legal prohibitions preventing U.S. officials from "disappearing" people to secret torture prisons....it turns out the Bush people had all the info they needed to prevent 911...if only they'd taken the warnings more seriously.
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