(no subject)
Jul. 3rd, 2002 03:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
legalmooseHear, hear!
This article from the Washington Post, above, goes through many of the reasons why closing off memorials and siphoning people through tunnels into our major civic buildings and memorials is just not acceptable. The idea that we now have to scurry around our public buildings, making them (maybe) remarkably safe, but also (definitely) remarkably ugly is just so repugnant to me.
To not be able to ascend the hill to the Washington Mounment, or to walk up the steps in the Capitol building are such profound losses. Not to be able to avail ourselves of public spaces merely because we are worried about some nebulous threat that may or may not occur is sad.
And that Congress wrangles over changes to the intelligence gathering process is equally frustrating. I know that the body is meant to be deliberative, and was not designed to be able to take quick action, but there are such things as looking out for the common good over the interests of looking out for your own committee or sub-committee's jurisdictional issues.
Then again, it seems that the administration merely wishes to make themselves look as if they are doing something, anything, even if (especially if?) these things run counter to what our country is supposed to represent, a free and open society where things are decided in the light of day and the voting public has input into the process. I know it doesn't work quite that way, but does that mean we have to run to secret tribunerals, to detain american citizens in flagrant violation of the constitution, and, in the end, to destroy our public spaces, all in the name of supposed security
This article from the Washington Post, above, goes through many of the reasons why closing off memorials and siphoning people through tunnels into our major civic buildings and memorials is just not acceptable. The idea that we now have to scurry around our public buildings, making them (maybe) remarkably safe, but also (definitely) remarkably ugly is just so repugnant to me.
To not be able to ascend the hill to the Washington Mounment, or to walk up the steps in the Capitol building are such profound losses. Not to be able to avail ourselves of public spaces merely because we are worried about some nebulous threat that may or may not occur is sad.
And that Congress wrangles over changes to the intelligence gathering process is equally frustrating. I know that the body is meant to be deliberative, and was not designed to be able to take quick action, but there are such things as looking out for the common good over the interests of looking out for your own committee or sub-committee's jurisdictional issues.
Then again, it seems that the administration merely wishes to make themselves look as if they are doing something, anything, even if (especially if?) these things run counter to what our country is supposed to represent, a free and open society where things are decided in the light of day and the voting public has input into the process. I know it doesn't work quite that way, but does that mean we have to run to secret tribunerals, to detain american citizens in flagrant violation of the constitution, and, in the end, to destroy our public spaces, all in the name of supposed security
