Pubdate: Thu, 13 Dec 2001
Source: Anniston Star (AL)
Copyright: 2001 Consolidated Publishing
Contact:  http://www.annistonstar.com/index.htm
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/923
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/opinion.htm (Opinion)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/ashcroft.htm (Ashcroft, John)

THE ASHCROFT WAY - EQUATING DISSENT WITH DISLOYALTY

The ideologue over at the Department of Justice was pushing things pretty 
far when he started championing secret military tribunals, open-ended 
detentions of terror suspects, the monitoring of attorney-client 
conversations and spying on religious and political groups. But now he's 
gone over the edge. In testimony before the Senate last week, Attorney 
General John Ashcroft just about equated dissent of his policies with 
disloyalty and came within a whisker of accusing those who oppose these 
policies with treason.

That's serious business, but it shouldn't be that much of a surprise. Here 
we have the darling of the far right, the man who was appointed to a power 
position to pacify the absolutists of anti-abortionists and of gun control 
opponents. John Ashcroft, in the background until Sept. 11, has come out 
blazing, hacking up the Constitution as hard as he can go.

Oh, he's drawn plenty of counter-fire and not all of it has come from the 
predictable defenders of the Constitution, the left. None other than mean 
ol' Congressman Bob Barr has lashed out at the attorney general for cutting 
constitutional corners. Then conservative commentators such as Bob Novak 
and columnist William Safire attacked Ashcroft for his policies.

But it was the attorney general's attack on them, editorialists and others 
for opposing his policies that brought the stink to an all time high.

Who, in short, is this man to accuse others of disloyalty?

We can sing God Bless America just as loud as John Ashcroft. But this man 
can't seem to understand that open debate and dissent are deeply ingrained 
American traits and by the way, enshrined in the Constitution. Expressing 
one's opinion makes this country strong, cowering in the shadow of a 
ideological hot head like John Ashcroft turns us into a congregation of 
weaklings happy to go along with whatever the big man wants. That might 
work in Iraq, but it won't cut it here.

So, Mr. Ashcroft should temper his near talk of treason, for dissent will 
flow long and hard from this editorial page and many others around the 
nation as well as from the mouths of those who dare defend the foundation 
of this nation.

Go on, Mr. Ashcroft, carry on with the McCarthiest threats and come after 
us if you want. But the price will be demands for your resignation.
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MAP posted-by: GD