Defending our principles

Well, “Real Teen” has again displayed his ignorance of how things are done in America. He has picked up the story of a new law in Ohio that requires defense attorneys to complete and sign questionnaires that ask if they have supported organizations on a federal list of terrorists. RT screeches, in a quivering rage, that

The ACLU is damn-near determined to defend terrorists in the court of law.

Here’s a clue for you, RT: Everyone is entitled to defense in our legal system. Everyone. It doesn’t matter what the defendant is accused of, what ethnicity or nationality he is, nor what the right-wing bloggers think of the defendant. Any one accused of a crime in this country gets a defense. Period. No exceptions, ever. The state of Ohio is trying to interfere in that process, and that is quite simply wrong.

I would suggest to RT and his ilk that they should stop wetting themselves over terrorism. Is it something we should be concerned about, and work to improve our ability to defend ourselves against? Of course. But “Real Teen” and others on the ultra right believe that the threat of terrorism is so terrifying that we must abandon the principles upon which the country and American society was built, including the principle that those accused of crimes are entitled to a defense in court. They’re wrong about this. If our way of life is worth defending, then the principles we live by should be upheld more strongly than ever.