Tom, I keep hearing (and reading) this nonsense from neocons and rightist nationalists (Newt is annoyingly both) about the U.S. Constitution not being a suicide pact. I guess that statement means the Constitution should not prevent the U.S. gummint (usually referred to in such comments as “us”) from doing whatever is necessary to ensure its (usually referred to as “our”) survival.
But what, exactly, would commit suicide if “whatever is necessary” is not done? 300 million Americans? No, only that bloated and noxious fictitious entity called the United States Government. If it were to disappear tomorrow, cease to exist, “committ suicide,” what exactly would remain? 300 million Americans, in towns and cities and neighborhoods. Cultures and languages and churches and businesses and everything else free people make together (and individually). The country and its people would still be here — there’d be no great new ocean between Canada and Mexico.
Besides, if a government cannot disband itself, how truly representative can it be IF people in fact want to disband it? Or some people no longer want to be governed by it but they aren’t allowed to say “no”?
9:26 am on December 18, 2006
