The Christian Right has always been primarily run by apologists for the leviathan state. Massive government is always fine, they believe, as long as “godly” people are in charge. (Nevermind the fact that their definition of “godly” constantly changes as evidenced by their recent support of Mitt Romney, a man who isn’t even a Christian or monotheist according to most Christian theological interpretations.)
So now Hugh Hewitt, one of the darlings of the Christian Right is now saying:
Data collection is not data abuse. A disease of government abuse and intimidation at the IRS, the DOJ, EPA and elsewhere throughout the executive branch does not mean that the national security agencies are rampaging through the records of American citizens compiling massive dockets with which to blackmail and control foes, friends and the simple bystanders.
It does mean that serious participants in the war on terror are constructing the walls of security necessary to stop jihadists before they devastate neighborhoods, cities or entire regions of the country.
Translation: There are no limitations whatsoever on what government can do as long as it says it’s going after “jihadists.”
Some people never learn, especially right-wing Christians, and this is just the latest indication that if a Republican ever does manage to get back into the White House, the conservatives will immediately turn on a dime and start defending every violation of civil liberties under the sun because “they hate us because we’re free” and “We’re at war!!!!” and “you’re with us or with the terrorists” and so on. Or, they can simply quote George W. Bush who famously said that “The Constitution is just a goddamn piece of paper.”
9:02 am on June 7, 2013
