In a perfect world, the government wiretapping would not worry me.
Governments are the only organizations that, in theory, work purely for the benefit of those they serve. They don't try to make money, they don't serve shareholders, they exist only to serve the constituents.
In theory.
In practice, we know that power corrupts, and that people believe they know better and what is best for the world, and that centralized power without checks and balance is to much temptation, even if intentions are good, for abuse.
Call me naive, but I believe Bush has good intentions. However his ideal America is not my ideal America, just as Bill Clinton's America is not my fathers ideal America. The rationization train ride from tracking down terrorists to monitoring political enemies to assure the "Right" people remain in power isn't very long.
I've listened to Nixon's speak many times on tape. He was not an evil man, in my opinion. He was simply very paranoid, somewhat personally insecure, and very wrong about what he felt was right for America. Bush is a horse of a different color, but what they both share is a firm belief they know what is best for America. As every politician does, because otherwise they wouldn't run for office, now would they.
But therein lies the beauty of Democracy, at least our version of it. It forces bullheaded idealists to comprimise and meet in the middle. It slows down ideologues with checks and balances. It isn't supposed to be efficient, it is supposed to be deliberate. It is supposed to be a process, debated and decided. Because history is very long, and despite what you may have seen on TV, it isn't about 24 hours, because what lead to those outcomes probably began 24 years before. The russian terrorist came from somewhere before they tried to kill Jack Bauer.
And so here we are, acting like all the countries we condemn. Doing what we accuse other countries of, perhaps with hearts in the right place, but our minds outside of historical context.
Three thousand people died on 9/11, and that is horrible. Now over 2000 Americans and by some estimates over 100,000 Iraqi's have died in the name of 9/11. I would argue the current president of Iran, not to mention Hamas, came to power riding the unintended consequences of that act. Riding the pictures from Abu Gharib, because we hid them and delivered only slaps on the wrists because we didn't really condemn the actions as much as we condemned getting caught.
We are at a crossroads in history, but only because every moment in history is a crossroads. In every life, in every moment, at least two roads diverge and lead to paths. Each time we have taken the high road, we have risen as a nation. The low road leads exactly where you expect.
I wish the world was black and white, I wish we could find the "bad" guys and lock them all up and there would be peace in the valley and John Wayne could ride off in the sunset. But that isn't how it works. One mans hero is another mans War Criminal, because anyone with to much power and a belief they know what is best is a dangerous man, who needs to be contained. But also a force that can be harnessed.
If our leaders are the horses that pull the cart, The Rule of Law is the harness. Sure it holds them back, but otherwise how would we be able to be brought along. And of course the horse can run faster and farther unbridled, but where is it going? And who is driving?