Sunday, August 29, 2004

[1885 - First motorcycle, made by Gottlieb Daimler, patented]

Next Step?

Several efforts are underway to amend the USA Patriot Act, that was passed with far too little debate and scrutiny in the atmosphere of fear and hysteria that gripped the nation and its Congress in the wake of the 9-11 attacks. Perhaps cooler heads will now reflect on the essential nature of our democracy and appreciate that vulnerability to terrorism is a cost of doing business in an open society. Otherwise we may succeed in making this country so secure that no free man can stand to live here any longer. As a wise man once observed:

The next step [in a Fascist movement] is to fascinate fools and muzzle the intelligent, by emotional excitement on the one hand and terrorism on the other.

Bertrand Russell

As to the name of the Act itself, another wise man once observed:

Patriot:
The person who can holler the loudest without knowing what he is hollering about.

Mark Twain

to Summer

to Almanack Main Page