From: Technotranscendence (neptune@mars.superlink.net)
Date: Wed Sep 12 2001 - 09:13:55 MDT
On Tuesday, September 11, 2001 10:25 PM E. Shaun Russell e_shaun@extropy.org
wrote:
> In light of the day's cascading atrocities, I feel pretty much the way the
> rest of the posters to this list feel --both repulsed and
> vengeful. However, after watching the (CNN) coverage from the morning
slip
> in to the coverage of the afternoon, I started to notice more and more
> reporters and interviewees start to criticize the government for either
not
> having enough intelligence or not making the "right" decisions etc. I'm
> starting to see that on this list as well.
Let me add to that. If the CIA knew and didn't act, it's incompetent and
near useless. If it's just making up information after the fact, then it's
lying to the World.
> I am a libertarian, and I generally don't care for governmental intrusion;
> however, I most unabashedly think that regardless of anyone's politics,
now
> is the time to be unified behind the US government. I know and accept
that
> regardless of what action the United States will take against the
> perpetrators and the harboring country/countries, there will be immense
> criticisms from a multitude of groups. But I don't think now is the time
> to make those criticisms. Having lived in Canada for most of my life, and
> USA for some, I have had the opportunity to muse upon what country I would
> rather have in a situation like this, and USA wins hand down. Though the
> more mundane day-to-day aspects of the government deserve criticism, I
> don't think such criticism is possibly justified when it comes to the
> issues of security, military or the overwhelming sense of national pride
> America possesses.
>
> I live in Canada again now, but as soon as I heard the news early this
> morning, I desperately wished I was in the USA. It may have its flaws,
but
> it is undeniably the most proud, independent and action-based country in
> this world...and that deserves no criticism.
One question: is it that way because of its government or in spite of it?
I think it's the good aspects of American culture you should be praising and
not its government.
I fear that the "crisis and leviathan" theme will now play itself out and
government power will expand using the current crisis as a pretext. I'm
surprised you don't see this.
Cheers!
Daniel Ust
See "Knowledge is Power" at:
http://uweb.superlink.net/neptune/IP1_Know.html
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Sat Nov 02 2002 - 08:10:31 MST