Jimmy Carter is a genius. He made a point with laserlike precision during the funeral of Coretta Scott King:
The funeral took on political overtones as former President Carter said of the Kings: “It was difficult for them then personally with the civil liberties of both husband and wife violated as they became the target of secret government wiretaps.”
Poor gormless Jay over at Stop The ACLU has a hissy fit because someone dared to criticize Emperor Dubya’s policies:
Leave it to the liberals to use the funeral of a Civil Rights leader to preach their Bush hatred. It isn’t even shocking how low they will go now. Absolutely shameful how the race baiters have no respect for the dead, and used this as a political platform.
Uh, excuse me, Jay, but Dr. and Mrs. King were embroiled in political matters their entire lives. They worked with, battled against, and were reviled by politicians of every stripe. They pushed and prodded and demanded that this country do one thing above all else: Live by the principles it claims to stand for. One of those principals is that this is a country ruled by laws, not men. George W. Bush spits in the face of that principle, and if someone takes a moment to remind him of his transgressions during the funeral of a civil rights pioneer, all the better. It is the civil rights of all Americans, after all, that Bush has decided to violate by breaking the law.
UPDATE 02/08/06: The rightwing blognutosphere is going apeshit about this. Romeocat at Cathouse Chat has the vapors over Carter’s words, and tries throwing some slime to see if it sticks:
Oh, please, Mr. Kotter Carter. Can you be more irrelevant? You have a history of calling evil good, and good, evil. You endores tyrants and petty dictators in their pretend “elections,” and set yourself against true freedom and democracy.
Of course, Romeocat can’t argue against the fact that Carter has his facts right… so scurrilous and utterly unsupported ad hominem attacks are dragged out for a diversion. How very petty—and typical of this kind of “argument”. Wouldn’t want to actually discuss the use of illegal wiretaps by Our Sainted President, now, would we?
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February 8, 2006 at 7:25 pm
Romeocat
Um, and of course, we wouldn’t want to discuss the illegal wiretaps authorized by Bobby Kennedy on MLK, either, would we, hmmmm?
February 8, 2006 at 7:30 pm
meatbrain
Sure we would. Start a post about it on your blog, and I’ll be happy to discuss the matter. Bluff called.
Of course, you’re throwing that out as yet another red herring, an attempt to divert the discussion from Emperor Bush’s illegal wiretaps. You’re still not willing to discuss those, are you?
February 8, 2006 at 7:45 pm
kender
February 8, 2006 at 7:48 pm
Ogre
Meathead joins the Democrats and Jimmy C in calling good evil and evil good. Bush’s wiretaps are very clearly not illegal, but Meathead’s utter hatred of Bush drives him to call them so. Bobby Kennedy’s wiretaps of MLK were very likely actually illegal—certainly more so than anything Bush has done—and he calls them okay because he supports Democrats and hates Bush, no matter what either does.
I don’t know how these people sleep at night. I wonder if he thinks the moon is made of green cheese and that the moon landing was filmed on a set in Hollywood, too.
February 8, 2006 at 8:27 pm
meatbrain
Fascinating, Kender! Which court rendered that decision, and when?
Or is this another example of the Because! Kender! Says! So! gambit?
Maybe a big cold wet dose of facts will wake you up, Kender. (You pay attention too, Ogre.) Doubtful, but miracles are known to happen…
TITLE 50 > CHAPTER 36 > SUBCHAPTER I > § 1809. Criminal sanctions
(a) Prohibited activities
A person is guilty of an offense if he intentionally—
(1) engages in electronic surveillance under color of law except as authorized by statute; or
(2) discloses or uses information obtained under color of law by electronic surveillance, knowing or having reason to know that the information was obtained through electronic surveillance not authorized by statute.
The Administration deliberately eavesdropped on American citizens without obtaining a warrant. FISA specifically prohibits eavesdropping on American citizens without obtaining a warrant (with specific exceptions that the Bush administration does not claim came into play). The wiretaps violate FISA. It’s that simple, boys.
February 8, 2006 at 8:31 pm
meatbrain
See above, Ogre. Try bringing some facts next time, instead of fact-free assertions.
Actually, I offered no opinion at all on the legality of the wiretaps directed against Martin Luther King. Has anyone mentioned to you that being a clumsily transparent liar is bad for your credibility, Ogre?
February 8, 2006 at 9:15 pm
Peter Porcupine
Does it matter to you that technically, the intercepted microwave transmissions are NOT wiretaps? In point of fact, a person with a good police scanner can listen in as Abdul gets next week’s instructions.
However, Kennedy DID order the FBI to perform illegal wiretaps of a land line phone which could not be intercepted in any other way.
We may be getting into deep water for you here, but the expectation of privacy are very different for the two.
February 8, 2006 at 9:21 pm
meatbrain
It matters whether the intercepts/wiretaps/call them what you like were conducted in accordance with US law. It matters whether the President of the United States obeys the law.
I know that’s hard to understand. I expect I may have to repeat it a few more times before it sinks in.
February 9, 2006 at 3:19 pm
Ogre
Well, it’s pretty pointless to point out facts to someone who clearly will never admit them, but here goes:
“except as authorized by statute”
February 9, 2006 at 3:54 pm
meatbrain
Okay, Ogre. Which statute authorizes the President to order wiretaps without getting a warrant from the FISC?