July 4th thought

[mamadeb]

Last night, Keith Olbermann had another Special Comment, in which he went on national television and demanded the resignation of both Bush and Cheney.

And THIS is the strength of our nation and our constitution - he did so without fear of retribution - he is free, alive and employed this morning.

It doesn't matter if you cheered at what he said or wanted to throw stuff at the screen. Certainly, people have said things as bad about Clinton and other former presidents while they were in office. And they were also left free, alive and employed. As they should have been. Roosevelt was roundly criticized all through his administration. As he should have been.

We take these basic freedoms for granted in this country. And that is one of our strengths.

And whether you support Bush or hate him, that strength remains.

Comments

[smallship1.livejournal.com]

The trouble is that even if a hundred thousand people like him got up in public and on telly and radio and demand the resignation of both Bush and Cheney--even if the entire population of America somehow did so--you'd still be stuck with them till whoever the Republicans pick to succeed them get inaugurated. Mr Olbermann has been making comments such as these--wonderfully eloquent and impassioned--for ages now, and everyone who already agrees with him agrees with him, and everyone who doesn't presumably flips the channel, and the issues he is addressing remain unresolved.

Freedom of speech is a wonderful thing and a basic right, and Americans enjoy it to a far greater degree than some other peoples. But in a country ruled by the wilfully deaf, it's a right they can well afford to allow.

(I saw a quote from Lincoln in another post today that made me wonder why, given the way the country was founded, the founding fathers never thought to write into the Constitution the right to have a revolution if things got too bad. Probably a good thing they didn't, on the whole...but it would come in mighty handy around now.)

[otherdeb.livejournal.com]

You make, of course, the most important point of all. In this country we are still mostly free to speak our minds. People seem to increasingly forget that this is not a right people have worldwide...only in a precious few countries is that right a given.

[brak666.livejournal.com]

You're absolutely right. All too often we take our freedoms for granted. Today of all days it's appropriate to take the time to remember how fortunate we are and how, as you say, that liberty is the greatest strength of our nation.

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

This is true. But that's also because we know that if enough people don't want a person as president - whatever the facts of the last elections - that person will be gone within four years. No president is permanent, and even a vice president elected on his own, as Bush senior was, will go his own way.

So a revolution is less imperative.

[neotoma.livejournal.com]

Err, if Cheney and Bush resigned tomorrow, the next in the order of succession is the Speaker of the House of Representatives -- Nancy Pelosi.

After her, is President of the Senate pro tempore -- Robert Byrd -- and after him is the Secretary of State, Condeleeza Rice, and then the rest of the Secretaries in order of establishment of their Departments (barring those office holders who are ineligible for presidential office by not being natural-born citizens). The Presidential Order of Succession for the United States is really well established -- in case of a freak accident or deliberate targeting of the executive branch, the country is prepared.

the founding fathers never thought to write into the Constitution the right to have a revolution if things got too bad

Err, why do think the Right to Bear Arms was included in the Bill of Rights? Or the bit about 'enemies, foreign or *domestic*' in the oath of office? The Founders certainly knew about the possibility having to revolt.

[cellio]

Well-said. Thank you.

[sandyurbahns.livejournal.com]

Amen! No matter what political side you feel you align yourself with we are all still Americans and fighting to protect the freedoms to say what we want and think what we want and still remain free! Happy Independence Day Everyone!!!

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

Exactly. Thank you.

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

This is a great country, for all of its faults. I wish it were better - of course I do. You always want the best for that which you love.

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

(I have to admit to curiosity. How did you happen to find this?)

[zsero.livejournal.com]

A point worth making, especially when to listen to many people today you'd think the opposite is true. You'd think that people like Olberman are bravely "speaking truth to power" and can expect to disappear into Guantanamo any day. But it isn't so, and so long as people can say these things in perfect confidence that nothing bad will happen to them for it, we're OK. (This hasn't always been so, even in the USA. There have been times not so long ago where an Olberman could expect an IRS audit. Not exactly the Gulag, but enough to have a chilling effect on speech. But that hasn't been happening under this administration.)

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

We must have been listening to different people. The closest thing to that that I've seen today was a reminder that Olbermann has received envelopes of white powder in the past and may again tomorrow (and a rather tasteless and ignored remark about him checking his brake lines by someone else.)

Because we do have free speech and free press. Yes, it's entirely possible

[bookworm1212.livejournal.com]

well said!!

[zsero.livejournal.com]

This (http://www.zombietime.com/anti-july_4th_sf/) is the sort of thing that a free country tolerates. Not a single one of the perpetrators of this are in the least danger of suffering at the hands of officialdom for it. That's a good thing. Nor are they in the least danger of being fired from their jobs, evicted from their homes, and shunned by all decent people, let alone being beaten up; I'm not so sure that's a good thing.