Have a Good Memorial Day and Don't Forget What it Means

 

You mean, we're not celebrating "those losers" [as per Trump] on Memorial Day? What are we to make those veterans who support Trump? Or, the law & order people? Tsk.
 



FROM 4 STAR Army GENERAL H.R. McMaster, hired by Trump as his National Security Advisor: "[Trump's] failure to condemn white supremacy “gives space to these groups that foment hatred and intolerance.”
 
FROM Dan Coats, hired by Trump as his Director of National Intelligence (two photos, sorry): "He doesn't know the difference between the truth and a lie."
 
FROM 4 STAR Navy Admiral William McCraven, Commander, US Special Operations, Seal Commander who took out Osama bin Laden and coordinated the capture of Sadaam Hussein: Trump's comments "may be the greatest threat to democracy in my lifetime."
 
FROM 4 STAR ARMY GENERAL Barry McCaffrey. He received three Purple Heart medals for injuries sustained during his service in the Vietnam War, two Silver Stars, and two Distinguished Service Crosses—the second-highest United States Army award for valor. He was inducted into United States Army Ranger Hall of Fame at the United States Army Infantry Center :[Trump] "is a serious threat to USA national security."
 
CIA Director Gina Haspel, Trump's CIA choice: Haspel said Trump's post-election behavior was 'insanity' and he was 'acting out like a 6-year-old with a tantrum."
 
Of course there are dozen of others in the Trump administration who have revealed his dangerous incompetency. But, most Republicans don't have the integrity to oppose him. Even N. Haley's "totally unhinged" Trump is now better than Joe Biden's "catastrophe"... 

Of Course We Need to Know How Our Government is Exercising Power in Our Name and on Our Behalf.

It's fascinating that many liberally-minded people I know aren't bothered by our government's snooping and are more upset at Snowden for revealing the "state's secrets."  I fully understand that in order for us to enjoy our lives and freedoms we have to be safe, but at which point Big Brother-like government actions are not appropriate?

What did Edward Snowden reveal? Something that should not be secret anyway! We should know what and how our government invades our privacy. Do they follow proper constitutional procedure? When somebody collects information about me, I have to know about it, how they do it, and how they'll use this information. As consumers (never mind as citizens), we have to know. And, if we don't think it's appropriate, then we should be able to change that. This is what an advanced, liberal-social-democratic country should be.

Amendment IV

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Therefore, our government has to, "by oath or affirmation," obtain permission, and thus create a record that can be reviewed for abuses or even whether the act was necessary. We now know the snooping into many people's private affairs in the past was improper, wasteful, and not what an accountable government should be doing to its free citizens.

Not all leakers of government secrets are the same. When the government breaks the law, or lies to its people, or is corrupt, or wasteful, etc, the public's interest is at stake. We need to know! The Pentagon Papers, Watergate, Abu Graib, torture and rendition program, and so many other cases--revealed by conscientious people--served our country. 

This is not a banana republic where Big Brother knows best. Are we mature adults who care to know?