02 June 2005
Patriot or traitor?
It was fascinating to observe the reactions of various parties when the Watergate whistleblower finally identified himself after all these years. Nixon's former speechwriter and erstwhile Republican presidential candidate of yesteryear, Pat Buchanan, called Mark Felt a traitor for blowing the whistle on the scandal. I'd venture to suggest many in the Republican party; especially those of the neo-con variety, share similar if not more virulent views of Felt.
That these people see Felt as a traitor rather than a true patriot is telling. You see, if you believe that a president is above the law of the land and all who serve him must do so devoid of their own conscience, morality, honour and duty to the nation, then Felt is a traitor. This belief seems to afflict Right wing Republicans more than anyone else. Now why is this the case?
I think that at the core of these people, they truly believe that they are destined to rule absolutely and are therefore answerable to nobody. So when someone like Felt demonstrates that he understands what the Constitution, president's office and government are really supposed to be, by blowing the whistle on high crimes, these Right wingers regard this as a subversion of their destiny.
This is the fundamental reason for neo-cons labelling those Americans who dare question Dubya's and his gang's actions, as anti-American and traitorous. And being so identified, anything goes in silencing those citizens who are in fact, the true patriots of America.
If one reads the US Constitution carefully, and understands the rationale underpinning the three-cornered structure of government; the executive (President), the legislature (Congress) and judiciary (Supreme Court), then you cannot but conclude that Felt is a patriot rather than a traitor.
Whereas those who subverted and circumvented the Constitution by stealing a presidency, lying to Congress and to the nation in order to prosecute an illegal war, and commit extra-judicial murder of prisoners, now occupy the highest offices in the land. They claim the cloak of patriotism for their shameful and disgraceful acts that violate the Constitution and the people's trust.
Now this is high treason.
That these people see Felt as a traitor rather than a true patriot is telling. You see, if you believe that a president is above the law of the land and all who serve him must do so devoid of their own conscience, morality, honour and duty to the nation, then Felt is a traitor. This belief seems to afflict Right wing Republicans more than anyone else. Now why is this the case?
I think that at the core of these people, they truly believe that they are destined to rule absolutely and are therefore answerable to nobody. So when someone like Felt demonstrates that he understands what the Constitution, president's office and government are really supposed to be, by blowing the whistle on high crimes, these Right wingers regard this as a subversion of their destiny.
This is the fundamental reason for neo-cons labelling those Americans who dare question Dubya's and his gang's actions, as anti-American and traitorous. And being so identified, anything goes in silencing those citizens who are in fact, the true patriots of America.
If one reads the US Constitution carefully, and understands the rationale underpinning the three-cornered structure of government; the executive (President), the legislature (Congress) and judiciary (Supreme Court), then you cannot but conclude that Felt is a patriot rather than a traitor.
Whereas those who subverted and circumvented the Constitution by stealing a presidency, lying to Congress and to the nation in order to prosecute an illegal war, and commit extra-judicial murder of prisoners, now occupy the highest offices in the land. They claim the cloak of patriotism for their shameful and disgraceful acts that violate the Constitution and the people's trust.
Now this is high treason.
