True Patriot Vs False Patriot

(Updated below)

I keep asking myself: why is there so many people who not only applaud, but actually crave, each and every step taken by our governments to increase their influence over our private lives, to increase their ability to spy, monitor, survey and control us?

And why is it those same people are the most fervent war hawks and supporters of absolute Authority?

We know well these people.

We see and hear them on the TV news hours or the news channels; we read their words in the newspapers; we hear them on the radio; we see and hear them on the floors of the Congress, the Senate, or the House of Commons, whether at the State/Provincial or Federal levels, or both; and we can usually read their words on those blogs who champion all things conservative, neoconservative, G.O.P., tory, Conservative Party and/or Christian.

Yes, we know these people well indeed. They are the boastful defenders of "family and moral values", the loud cheerleaders of war, the relentless defenders of hawkish foreign policies, the resolute "concerned" citizens against terrorism (especially of the radical Islamist kind), the devout and dutiful followers of Christianity, the promulgators and staunch supporters of Authority.

They call themselves "Patriots". "Warriors". "Watchdogs". "Soldiers". "Sentinels". And so on.

For them, supporting the war(s) is supporting the troops - no other way around it.

For them, law enforcement and security agencies can do no wrong.

For them, those elected officials and leaders belonging to the same philosophies as theirs can do no wrong.

For them, only through absolute and unquestioned Authority will our countries be kept safe.

It is indeed these people who crave for strong and manly leaders.

It is indeed these people who keep supporting every new law which erodes that much more our basic human rights, civil rights and civil liberties.

It is indeed these people who applaud each time our constitutions are rendered that much more moot.

All in the sacrosanct name of Security.

Why are these people like that?

Answer: fear.

That is why they keep boasting of their courage and resolve in the Global War on Terror(TM).

That is why they blindly support any initiative, however much an affront to our constitutions it may be, as long as it is with the objective of fighting terrorists and preventing another 9/11.

That is why some of them even wish for another 9/11 - it would prove them right.

That is why some of them even wish for an actual strong-man/dictator-President (or Prime Minister) - only then will he be allowed to do all that is necessary to protect our countries.

That is why they call for more wars, always seeing yet more moving shadows which must certainly seek to attack and harm - and yet they do not enlist, nor encourage those closest to them to enlist.

That is why "might makes right" constitutes a fundamental principle for them - especially as long as other people die in their stead.

And that is why they are the loudest self-proclaimed, chest-beating "Patriots".

Because they are cowards.

It is indeed only cowards who would applaud torture, the gutting of habeas corpus, the gutting of FISA, the increase of dictatorial-like powers given to leaders, the facilitation and encouragement of monitoring/surveillance powers on all citizens.

It is indeed only cowards who suck up to Authority, who are actual sycophants for Authoritarianism.

They not only live in fear of terrorism, they are too cowardly to speak truth to power.

Hence, they suck up to it and staunchly defend it, deriding those who do not do as they do as "loonies", "moonbats", "traitors", "surrender monkeys", and whatnot.

In short: they accuse others of being what they actually are.

They are like the weakling followers of the Big Bad Bully, siding with him regardless of what he does and always agreeing with him, hoping that in so doing the Bully will not think of bullying them as well. Why, the Bully might even come to like and appreciate them!

For they do not even have the basic courage to face the truth of themselves, that they are the true traitors to their countries, their constitutions and the founding democratic principles for which their own countries stand.

Yet, such is the lot of fearful cowards.

And they should be deeply ashamed of themselves. If not, it is up to the rest of us - the true Patriots, the true courageous citizens - to hold up a condemning mirror to their fear-ridden faces.

Day in and day out.

Because, all in all, only the real Patriot, the real courageous citizen, will stand up and be counted to excercize his or her power, as defined by our democratic principles, civil rights, civil liberties and constitutions.

Only the real Patriot, the real courageous citizen, will stand up for and defend said democratic principles, civil rights, civil liberties and constitutions.

Only the real Patriot, the real courageous citizen, will speak truth to Authority and hold it fully accountable.

Only the real Patriot, the real courageous citizen, will refuse to let fear rule his or her life - and in so doing, prevent the surrendering of our rights and freedoms to the false God of security.

Only the real Patriot, the real courageous citizen, will thus prevent the terrorists from winning.

And thus only the true brave and bold lives his or her life without fear of the shadows, of the night, of darkness.

How quite unlike this is from the false Patriots described above, who have been not only aiding and abetting the terrorists with their fearmongering and sycophantic support of Authoritarianism, but actually handed victory already to the terrorists in so doing.

Just like the typical treasonous, fear-driven cowards that they truly are.


Update: 08/24/2007 - I stumbled onto this old Diatribune diatribe by chance: more false patriots! As I like to say: Q.E.D.


(Cross-posted at DKos, at Suzie-Q, at NION and at Diatribune)