While our system certainly isn't perfect, and injustices occur as a result, this cynical, bitter over-generalization is nonsense, plain and simple. We have the greatest country in the world and more rights than any other people have ever known.

Joe, I coudn't help but to laugh at your comment. You're lumped in with all the people who think everyone in this country deserves mercy and should receive every right they can possibly afford. When people violate laws they will be punished. The only thing that really impressed me was how you slyly mentioned the acts that had been committed as if they were part of some other news event. You somehow see "rights" as this thing that people should have regardless as to what they have done.

*** "Ask the hapless Middle Easterner who gets shot, imprisoned or tortured simply because he is mistaken for an insurgent in a battle zone about "guaranteed" rights as administered by America." ***

That "hepless" Middle Eatserner is in trouble because he is in a battle zone. And it is the fault of his countrymen, not us, that he may be imprisoned for it. If his fellow countrymen decided to fight like real men - regular armies with uniforms - rather than like terrorist insurgents , then we would know who is who.

The other option to random imprisonment and maybe uncomfortable interrogation techniques? Think Hiroshime, Tokyo, Dresden or Nagasaki.

Joe - that's a pretty cynical attitude but I am trying to understand your point of view. I believe we do have rights but with every right comes a responsiblity. We have a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness but we also have a responsibility to ensure those same rights for all of our citizens. We don't have a right to special privilages - and that concept stands for the wealthy and the poor and everyone in between. We have the right to work for what we gain but we don't have the right exploit others to get that gain. OK, I'll stop but I think the key is to expect certain rights but understand the responsibilities that are attached.

Joe, you exhibit great hubris by implying the constitution of the United States applies all around the world, or at least anywhere we have interests.

The constitution does not guaranty the right to be free of the consequences of your actions; the man who has sex with a girl (whether of legal age or not) should accept the consequences of those actions.

OJ is still managing to escape the full consequences of his actions concerning his ex-wife. A civil jury found him to be the likely cause of her and her friend's death, but he still walks free and the US will pay off the national debt before he pays the judgement against him.

The demagogue in a compound has no right to reign over 3 13 year olds as their husband and use them as his sex slaves.

The constitution is there to protect the rights referred to in the Declaration of Independence as "inalienable." They are not guaranteed by that piece of paper, they were bought by blood from 1775 to 1781, and have been protected by blood from 1812 to the present, despite the best efforts of liberal judges and the ACLU.

"We have the greatest country in the world and more rights than any other people have ever known."
Many people who have traveled to other countries would disagree with that statement.
I would say that the greatest country in the world doesn't fight stupid wars it doesn't have to. They definitely don't torture (sometimes innocent) people.
There are a lot of good things about the US. But we shouldn't be so arrogant that we think that our way is always the best.

Mr. Taylor's letter shows that WE, the citizens, of the United States have not done our part to defend OUR 'guaranteed' rights.

America is unique by being virtually the only nation on earth where the right to be governed is retained by the governed, and not allocated to the governed by the government. WE allow the Government to seat Senators and Congressmen to legislate laws for OUR benefit. WE allow a President to be seated to execute those laws. WE allow judges to represent OUR interests in determining whether the laws passed by OUR representatives meet all the criteria of OUR Constitution.

When WE allow anyone in any branch of Government, to disregard OUR wishes, WE are at fault. It is up to US to see that WE are properly represented by those whom WE allow to govern.

When problems arise, it is up to US to see that the 'Fourth Branch of Government', the Press, is notified and that they fully report those problems. Watchful citizens coupled with a free and diligent Press will keep our public servants from exceeding the limits of their office.

If we do nothing, WE are to blame.

Morgan, I agree with you. Mr. Taylor perspective is that the glass is half empty. Justice is certainly not perfect but we can continue to make it better.

unfortunate, but too true.

Morgan, I came from a free country and it was equally as good if not better than this country that preaches freedom and democracy and in reality has taken it away -- too many Americans are brainwashed they are the only first world country in the world. Wake up and get educated. Denmark is the happiest country in the world = not this country This country has become a bully and dictator

Folks: there is some truth,as to justice has become
what one can afford. Especially when one compares the actions of law, as applied to those of our nation, that are not as financialy astute as others
may be. Such as cases involving, wealthy and famous
people.

I like the use of this word when he talks about a man who miscalculates the age of his girlfriend. Are you serious??? How is it possible to miscalculate the age of your girlfriend? If you know her year of birth, it is pretty simple math. Is the writer a little bitter because he his girlfriend lied about her age and now he is on the sex offender list?

Oj had nothing to do with race he was aquitted because he had enough money and prestige to buy off lawyers he got away with murder.

So what else is new?

Timj,
I don't know who you have been talking to, but the people I know that have traveled and lived in / to Germany, France, Italy, England, etc. All come back saying the same thing, America has it's problems, but it still the best country in the world to live and be free.

The author-
It is funny how he wants to give "NON" citizens the rights of the US Citizen. Sorry Joe, the constitution if for the United States Citizens "ONLY".

Like many have said before, there are problems, but the main ones Joe rights about is simply wrong. The people he mentioned (Knownly or not) violated the laws of our land and as such suffered the consequences of the violation.

O.J. is another story.

to Lost in DC - Won't you at least admit that the ACLU is, in fact, there to protect civil liberties for their clients - even if you feel that in doing so your rights have been taken away or abused. I think those of you who speak negatively about the ACLU believe that the majority must rule in all cases. I know the ACLU has represented people I would totally disagree with (e.g. neo-Nazis) but I would defend their right to do so. Even if you don't agree with them and the clients they often represent don't you support their right to do so?

This country became the worst country in the world under BushCheney because we preach human rights and due process of law and then flagrantly throw both principles out. Guantanamo is the greatest betrayal in history of this supposedly enlightened country's values. Down with Amerika. Let's get back to America!

I had the opportunity to live outside the USA for a while. The people of those countries loved their country, were proud of their country, thought that their country was the best, and they should.

These people understood that their country wasn't perfect but they thought that it was the best country in the world anyway, and they should.

These countries aren't currently involved in a war and aren't torturing people who want them dead, (although, in one of the countries they were still holding some of their own citizens in jail for passing out communist propaganda over 15 years earlier). They do not have sex offender registries to abuse.

Sounds like they are better than us. So why is it that a good percentage of them would give their left arm to come to the USA?

I have an idea, let's trade the hate-America first people like Joe in Sandy for those good citizens of other countries who would love to come and be productive legal citizens of this great (albeit imperfect) country.

I feel sorry for people who cannot have pride in their own country and can only look at what they percieve is wrong.

War is Hell!

As usual, those who have escaped the gross injustices of society will always agree and declare that this is the greatest country in the world. It only takes one injustice to have your eyes open that we live under an illusion of freedom and inalienable rights.

I think a more accurate statement would be that we have the greatest system of government in the world that has been infiltrated by corruption. In other words our system is only as good as the people who are authorized to exercise judgement, and therefore I fear for this country.

If Mr Taylor is looking at the glass half full then I would suggest that some are looking at the world through rose colored glasses. I believe in calling it like it is while having an optimistic hope that it can be changed for the better. But to naively sit back and ignore where this country is heading because those injustices you read about everyday haven't effected you and yours yet is delusional.

Shall we stand silently by while others have their rights infringed upon because we are comfortable for the moment while the checks and balances have been stripped from the system.

Confused:
I speak from personal experience, not from what I've heard from others.
I have lived in Germany and Switzerland. I have traveled to dozens of other countries. Each country has problems, but many of the countries I have visited/lived in I prefer to the US. National pride is fine, but too often it gets turned into arrogance, and we actually believe the US is grand and all other countries are crap. And that's too bad.
By the way, for those out there who'll tell me, "If it's so good, why aren't you living there?" I say the following:
My family is in the US. My friends are in the US. I look forward to a job that will take me back to Europe, at least for a few years, but right now my job situation doesn't make it likely.
Of course, for many people, the fact that Americanese is spoken here automatically makes it the greatest country. Others feel restrained by the fact that they can't drive their gas-guzzlers in Europe. I don't mind learning a foreign language, and I prefer clean air to big vehicles.

"So why is it that a good percentage of them would give their left arm to come to the USA?"
Most of them I've met (in Western Europe) wouldn't give a dime to come here.
In fact, I met a lot of people there, but only one or two Europeans wanted to come to the US.

"Oh Please" -- So are you saying that Guantanamo was worse than the prisoner of war camps maintained by the US in World War II? In which thousands of German POWs died?

Worse than the internment camps for Japanese-Americans?

Worse than Woodrow Wilson's Espionage and Sedition Acts, where people were thrown in jail for criticizing the President?

Worse than FDR's National Recovery Administration, where people were thrown in jail for not charging enough for hemming pants?

The advantage of liberalism, as liberals see it, is that they're not bound by history, and as a result Have The Power To Begin The World Anew from a blank slate.

The greatest disadvantage is that they have no sense of history, and as a result believe some really indefensible things.

Pride should come from accomplishment. The geography of your birth is NOT an accomplishment.

Even though I don't entirely agree with the letter writer (I was the anonymous 3:32 poster (rough night)) I do agree that our Constitutional rights are often less than we'd like to think they are.

No, my real problem with the letter-writer is that he sees all the boogeymen in the typically leftist places - George W Bush and his supposed "illegal war." He doesn't care that college professors are often drummed out of their jobs or denied tenure when they express conservatives views, or that education majors at many colleges, including Washington State, are told they can't get teaching certificates unless they sign on to certain political views. For many, free speech has become "Free speech, unless it's something we decide to claim is racist."

What issues do you support or oppose? Are you willing to express your political views at your workplace without fear of retaliation? Are you willing to go to work with a pro-life or anti-illegal immigration bumper sticker on your car?

Free speech was all well and good 200 years when most of us were farmers or otherwise worked for ourselves. But when we all work for someone else?

Most countries have things in their history of which to be proud and of which to regret. Some people choose to look at the good and work to change the bad, but others (like the letter writer) choose to look at the bad and discount the very much good that is there.

Let me ask you a question, if it were a democrat (remember, they had the same intelligence) in office during the war on terror, would you still be against it? I think not.

Are you still going to blame President Bush for the war after 8 years of a democrat president and we are still there? I think so.

Anonymous 11:04 - I'll accept your claims if you'll agree that it is just as volitile to show up at my ward meeting house with a Barack Obama bumber sticker.

*** "I know the ACLU has represented people I would totally disagree with (e.g. neo-Nazis) but I would defend their right to do so." ***

Yea, people always go back to the neo-Nazi thing in Skokie. When was that, like back in the 70s?

Whatever the ACLU might have done in the past, the fact is that they have now thrown out all principles to embrace leftism.

They rolled over, for example, on campus speech codes - which is far more important, in my book, than some skinhead rally. I have no desire to be a skinhead, but I would like to express my views on illegal immigration or alleged racism.

lamonte, I have no tolerance for the ACLU. If they said humans need oxygen to survive I’d struggle to believe it.

Their founder, Roger Baldwin, said the following, “I have been to Europe several times, mostly in connection with international radical activities…and have traveled in the United States to areas of conflict over workers rights to strike and organize. My chief aversion is the system of greed, private profit, privilege and violence which makes up the control of the world today, and which has brought it to the tragic crisis of unprecedented hunger and unemployment…Therefore, I am for Socialism, disarmament and ultimately, for the abolishing of the State itself…I seek the social ownership of property, the abolition of the propertied class and sole control of those who produce wealth. Communism is the goal.”

Social ownership of all property is not in keeping with US rights.

The ACLU purged the communists from their board in 1940, but only because the Soviets signed a non-aggression pact with Hitler. In 1967 they rescinded the resolution removing one of the communists.

The ACLU creed? If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report, or praiseworthy, we seek to destroy these things.

to Anonymoous 11:38 - You said "Whatever the ACLU might have done in the past, the fact is they have thrown out all principles to embrace leftism."

Hmmm. Well, let's take a brief look. Since you asked.

In Florida in 2007 they represented a religious group who was being dinied their right to protest ther gay lifestyle

In Oregon in 2007 they represented a small religious school that was protesting a requirement to participate in athletic events on the Sabbath

In West Virginia in 2007, they represented a young Mormon student who wanted to defer his state sponsored scholarship to college until after he served a mission for his church. The state allowed for deferrments for military, medical and family reasons but wanted to deny him the scholarship if he left for a mission

In Wisconsin in 2007 they represented a pharmicist who refused to sell prescriptions that violated his religious scruples. The court sided with the pharmacist under the condition that the drugs could be obtained at another safe location.

These are just the religious cases and there are coutless others. I think if you dig a bit you can easily find them representing both sides of the picture.

Lost in DC - I'll put up with your hyperbolic rant but I won't have you desecrating an Article of Faith just to make a political point. You should know better than that.

"Lost in DC" seems to have the same black and white thinking that often comes through on these boards. The thinking that goes you are with us 100% of the time or you are against us. They refuse to acknowledge the many times that the ACLU has defended both churches and right wing bundits rights to speach. Are you aware the ACLU won a case for Shane Hannity back in his school days when he had his show pulled from his schools radio station. For some reason Hannity does not ever want to talk about that during his rages against the ACLU. They have also defended the LDS church on more then one occassion. I think the ACLU was right to do so in both these cases, but I maybe a little to grey in my thinking.

I haven't always agreed with your posts, but I have always felt that you are willing to say what you mean. Thanks for your 12:36 p.m. post!!!

You only have rights that your contempories are willing to grant to you at this time and place. God given, constutitional, natural and all other kinds of rights only exists in the light of the above.

The Iraqi war was about OIL and had nothing to do with 911, terrorism or any of the other phoney reasons given by the Bush government.

America for me is a great place to live. Don't know if it's the best but I'm sure that its not the worst.

What?
There are STILL those who refuse to believe Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11?

Well, conservatives have never been known for their insight and common sense. All they know is power, power, power.

Americans don't have guaranteed rights.

Our rights come from our creator, and the Constitution created the government that is supposed to PROTECT those rights.

Its amazing what people just don't know, but given government indoctrination centers, aka public schools, its no suprise that most people are totally clueless

Basically what Joe in Sandy is claiming is that we have a corrupt form of government that is flouting the Rule of Law. By voicing his pessimistic mindset and saying that we aren't guaranteed rights in the Constitution, he is ignoring what is actually written. First, the Constitution of the United States DOES guarantee rights -- they are right there in black and white for anyone to read. Second, I'd like to see some examples that help back up this claim that there are no rights, as the ones provided did not do this.

So really the issue shouldn't be "how much money can you pay to buy justice" but rather, how can we return the focus of our leaders back to the constitution.

Our culture has gone way too authoritarian.

You even have religions that are sworn to be subject to kings, rulers, magistrates ...

And of course we all know nobody would ever THINK of abusing their authority - don't we?

lamonte, there was no desecration of an A of F intended; if that was your interpretation, I am sorry, but I will not rescind my statement or modify my opinion about the ACLU. We have been warned about such outfits. "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light." 2 Cor. 11:14. I will also expand on an oft quoted comment about Satan telling 9 truths (representing various religious groups) to get you to accept 1 lie (gay marriarge, abortion, homosexuality taught in kindergarten, etc. etc. etc). In my eyes, the ACLU is evil incarnate, despite occassionally and out-of-character standing for something right.

Evil incarnate? Well I'm glad they are around. Its those little things that we all hate (such as pornographers, hate mongers etc..) where legislation starts that will ultimately end what we have today: a free country. So I hope the ACLU is around for a long time to come... someone has to defend what we all hate, otherwise we would be back to lynching people in the streets. Thank GOD for a righteous organization like the ACLU.

According to Timj only two people he met in Europe want to come to the USA. According to the Department of Homeland Security Yearbook of Immigration Statistics, 1,357,013 immigrated to the USA in the last decade, 74,294 from Germany. Come on Timj, you can do better than this. Please, move to Europe, no move to Germany, they have such an excellent human rights record.

I'm glad they have not yet achieved the goal of their founder, and that is the overthrow of the US government and the installation of communism. that is from their founder. 9 truths to get you to bite on the one big lie. The ACLU is as righteous as Osama Bin Laden.

Way to make my point about black and white thinking "lost in DC." I could not have made the point as clear myself. It must be a very simple world you live in where everthing is spelled out in black and white for you. It almost sounds nice, if it was not so harmful.

There were two founders of the ACLU, and one of them did like what the communists were doing back in the day. But that doesn't change the mission statement of the ACLU, nor does it want to overthrow the US government. A little bit of research can go a long ways lost in DC. What kind of research are you doing? Wouldn't today's ACLU leadership be of more importance?

Don't you need an army to overthrow a country, even a little one like...Granada? You can't just do it with a book or two. There's guns and artillery and bandages and officers and stuff. The ACLU got any of that? I guess it doesn't matter as long as somebody in DC can warn us, right? And what's "communism", anyway?

One reason we are in trouble here is because we're overstocked with people who will justify and rationalize anything that's happening, and call it patriotism. That's exactly what happened to Germany. Too many people who were willing to jump up and endorse any kind of foolishness they were fed by whomever happened to be at the wheel. If we're going to be great, we've got to start thinking instead of just paroting what we hear from those we've put in charge.