|
Written by Sheldon Richman
|
|
Friday, 01 February 2002 |
Self-Inflicted Violence
In the aftermath of the horrors of September 11 and in our wish for justice
for the perpetrators, we seem to have forgotten another kind of violence
that is ready to befall America: the self-inflicted violence of an
open-ended and essentially secret global war conducted by the U.S.
government against an amorphous enemy, "Terrorism."
It would be the ultimate tragedy if our rational desire for justice were
transmogrified into a blank check. The violence that such a thing would
inflict on American society would not be of the metaphorical variety. It
would be real, and the costs would be incalculable.
Secrecy and open-endedness undermine what the founding generation called
"free government." If, as the theory goes, government in a constitutional
republic (erroneously called "democracy") is the servant - not the master -
of the people, the people ought to know what it's up to. The Founders wanted
stringent controls on the government's ability to make war and conduct
foreign policy in part because they understood that such policies would
perforce be conducted in plausible secrecy. (Under the Constitution the
president is the commander in chief, but only Congress can declare war and
control the purse.)
Secrecy in domestic policy is ludicrous. If a critic of Social Security
charged that it will be insolvent in 15 years, no president could get away
with replying, "I possess information showing that to be a false and
irresponsible allegation. But that information is classified and it would
jeopardize national security were I to divulge it.."
But those words are spoken all the time in foreign affairs. And hardly
anyone objects.
The Founders therefore, recognized the eternal validity of this argument:
Foreign policy requires secrecy. Secrecy undermines limited government.
Therefore, the foreign policymaking of a limited government should be
strictly limited. No wonder Washington and Jefferson counseled against
alliances.
As President Bush says, a war against nebulous terrorism, spread around more
than 60 countries, will be fought in many ways. Besides the cruise missiles
and bombs let loose from safe distances, there will be secret special
operations we may never hear about. Whom will they be launched against?
Terrorists, of course. On the basis of what evidence? That's classified.
Trust us. (Remember the pharmaceutical factory Bill Clinton bombed.)
The financial infrastructure of the terrorist organizations will be
disrupted, in part by gaining access to banking information. On the basis of
what evidence? That's classified. Trust us.
The homes of people living in the United States will be searched without
their knowledge. On the basis of what evidence? That's classified. Trust us.
People's telephones will be tapped and their e-mail read. On the basis of
what evidence? That's classified. Trust us.
Noncitizens will be detained without charge. On the basis of what evidence?
That's classified. Trust us.
Trust us. It has a warm, cozy sound to it - until you remind yourself who is
saying it. At a time when many are wondering what makes someone a "good
American," let us keep in mind that there is something distinctly
un-American about trusting the government. When the Federalists outlawed
criticism of the government with the Sedition Act in 1798, Vice President
Thomas Jefferson wrote the Kentucky Resolutions, in which he said,
"Confidence is everywhere the parent of despotism - free government is
founded in jealousy [that is, distrust]; it is jealousy and not confidence
which prescribes limited constitutions, to bind down those whom we are
obliged to trust with power."
It should be obvious that this war on terrorism, as defined by the Bush
administration, would dissolve the chains required "to bind down those whom
we are obliged to trust with power."
But, it will be said, we were viciously assaulted on September 11 and that
may not be the last of it. Something must be done.
That's true. But there is no more dangerous time than when one feels one
must do something - anything - because "something must be done."
We rights absolutists are sometimes criticized for embracing the motto "Let
justice be done though the heavens fall." Now it is those who would erode
our rights who embrace that motto.
Sheldon Richman is a senior fellow at The Future of Freedom Foundation in Fairfax, Va., author of Tethered Citizens: Why We Must Abolish the Welfare State, and editor of Ideas on Liberty magazine.
Also by Sheldon Richman
The Multiracial Activist - Count Me Out
The Multiracial Activist - Elian's Fate: It's Not America's Decision
The Multiracial Activist - Reno's Disgrace
The Multiracial Activist - Of, By, And For The People?
The Multiracial Activist - Preventing Holocausts
The Multiracial Activist - Terrorism and the Drug War
The Multiracial Activist - An Unkeepable Promise
The Multiracial Activist - An Astounding Remark
The Abolitionist Examiner - The Key To Race: Depoliticize It
Book: Your Money or Your Life
Book: Separating School and State
Copyright © 2002 The Future of Freedom Foundation. All rights reserved.
 Add as favourites (38) |  Quote this article on your site | Views: 1878
Only registered users can write comments.
Please login or register. Powered by AkoComment Tweaked Special Edition v.1.4.6
AkoComment © Copyright 2004 by Arthur Konze - www.mamboportal.com
All right reserved |
Be first to comment this article
