[Winona Online Democracy]
At 02:50 PM 11/16/01 -0600, Chris Nelson wrote: >Ya! I also feel sooooo bad for the mass-murdering thugs that are the >henchmen for Osama and his screwed up idea of religion even though they are >responsible for the killing of 4,000+ innocent people. What about the >people that died that day? Didn't they have any rights? >One step short of Marshall Law? I don't think so! President Bush violating >the 5th and 6th Amendments? I don't think so! We are talking about >TERRORISTS THAT WANT TO KILL YOU AND ME. We aren't talking about a >shoplifter. >It is time people start standing up for the RIGHTS of VICTIMS and never >forget all of the families (including children and unborn children that will >never meet their father) that have been forever changed for the worse >because of a few nuts . Ya, I feel soooo bad for terrorists and Osama. Chris, Every single person on this list shares your concern about the victims and their rights in this national ordeal. None of us feel anything short of disgust for terrorists like Osama, Ted Kaczynski, or Timothy McVeigh. Unfortunately, we have been down this road countless times before (and we will undoubtedly travel it again) and history has taught us two lessons we would be well advised to heed: 1) While it makes people feel good because "something is being done!", curtailing civil rights has little or no effect on actually solving the problems that prompted the outcry for changes in the first place. The "bad guys" usually seem to walk away unscathed (yes, that ticks me off). The laws that have actually worked and have successfully taken them out of action haven't done so at the cost of civil rights. 2) Far too many people in power have shown a willingness to abuse that power for personal or political goals, crying "National Interest" all the way. A large portion of the U.S. Constitution focusses on limiting the power of government officials, police, etc, with very good reason: these are the things that people of the 18th century felt presented the greatest threats to the stability of their new nation. Since then, courts at all levels have repeatedly upheld the importance of individual rights and continued to limit government powers for the same reason: these STILL present one of the greatest threats to our nation. Yes, that means that society must extend exactly the same protections to the lowest slimeballs as it extends to the most upright of its citizens (which also often ticks me off). However, that is exactly one of the strengths that will allow us to withstand them. The unrest which would result from failure to do this would cost us many more lives in the long run than Osama et al. ever could. ***************************************************************** Ed's witty saying for this week comes from former VP Dan Quayle "The future will be better tomorrow." By the way: Winona State University is updating e-mail addresses. People who e-mail me should use the new address: - [EMAIL PROTECTED] - although the old one will work for a while. ******************************************************************** --------------- This message was posted to Winona Online Democracy Please visit http://onlinedemocracy.winona.org to subscribe or unsubscribe All messages sent to the list must be signed with your actual name. Posting of commercial soliticitations is not allowed on this list. Report problems or questions to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
