I don't
know. Maybe democracy isn't as dead as I thought. As
anti-war demonstrators protest across the country, I have to
marvel at the amazing foresight of the Founding Fathers, despite
(or maybe because of) their incredible cynicism. The Constitution
and the Bill of Rights were targeted precisely against petty
tyrants like Richard M Nixon and George W Bush, and I have a
feeling that even in these dark times, the Spirit of Freedom will
be pretty hard to extinguish.
But, yes, the struggle is only beginning.
So far, though, it seems to me that the average
thinking American (despite my cynicism, this is not
necessarily an oxymoron) understands that this war has at least two
sides to it, and that it is possible to be patriotic while
questioning the motives of our (in theory) popularly elected
leaders. If we are really fighting for freedom, then, by all
means, we must celebrate our freedom, which includes freedom of
expression. To do otherwise is to be hypocritical. And, frankly, if
you don't believe in Freedom, then, in point of fact, you are a
traitor to the nation, as far as I'm concerned.
But the parallels with the late 19th century/early 20th
century are eerie. (I am not even going to talk about how this
looks like 1939, except that we might actually be on the wrong side
this time.) In the same way that "Remember the Maine" became the
catch phrase in support of the Spanish-American War, despite the
fact that no one ever proved that it was Spain that had
blown up the U.S. battleship, it is disturbing how "Remember
September 11" has somehow become attached to Operation
Decapitation, despite the fact that no link between Saddam
Hussein and Al Qaeda has ever been demonstrated.
We will leave it at that.