Stars & Stripes letter: Why cheapen American ideals (Bush spying on US)

Why cheapen American ideals?

I am surprised that more people have not complained about the continued loss of civil, personal and professional liberties resulting from the actions of our democratic government. The word “terrorism” is being used to justify the violation of standards that have become synonymous with the American way of life. Personal freedoms guaranteed by our Constitution are being blown away like sawdust, and nobody seems to notice or care.

Our highest government officials, from the president to the secretary of state are arrogantly condoning the use of torture as legitimate means of interrogation. If such means are so politically correct, why must they be conducted in secret locations on foreign lands? Have we been so conditioned that Americans are willing to accept such atrocities as long as they happen in someone else’s backyard, and by individuals who we don’t want to know about?

Congress was willing to fight the extension of the USA Patriot Act until the process interfered with their holiday plans. Constitutional rights, democracy, and all that kind of stuff are not quite as important as being home for holiday parties. Maybe this is another indication that the best and brightest are not always drawn to government service. It is a shame that our congressional representatives cannot reflect the ideals, dedication commitment that our brave troops display every single day in Afghanistan, Iraq and South Korea.

Now we find out that the president has authorized our intelligence agencies to spy on Americans, with little or no judicial approval or authorization. This obsession with finding the “bad guys” has progressed to the point where nothing is safe or sacred for anyone, any place, any time. How does our political climate differ from what happen in Nazi Germany, or in Iraq under Saddam Hussein, or in Italy in the 1930s? If we, as Americans, are not careful, our democratic government, the one we want to export to other countries, could become our worst nightmare.

Clifton Jester
Kadena Air Base, Okinawa

http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=125&article=33965

We pre-emptively attacked a country (Iraq) that had no ability to attack us with the thought in mind that a war over there would result in deaths to other people and damage to property somewhere else, not here. In doing so, we lost sight of our real objective (bin Laden and Afghanistan) and are now in danger of losing the war that should have been our real focus all along.

which, under Bush's lack of governance, is looking more "ideal" everyday.

Between all of the above and what appears to be the dissipation and disappearance of Bush's bombshell admission that he has been, is, and has every intention of continuing to spy on the American people, its just really depressing to be an American right now. I don't know how people can continue to support him.