2003-04-23 - 12:18 p.m.
A couple of interesting issues today...
First, news that somewhere between 100,000 and 1,000,000 Shiite Muslims gathered in Iraq for a religious service (apparently a closing of a mourning period or some such, I'm not really sure). This number of folks gathering has "caught US Intelligence Services by suprise" and "Casts doubt on the US's ability to prevent the formation of an Islamic government".
You know, the kind that *openly* supports Terrorists like those who took down the towers. The kind that declares the United States to be "The Great Satan". The kind that took and held Americans hostage for 400+ days (leading to the Arms for hostages deal, and the entire Contragate investigation).
Somehow, I don't feel any more secure in the world today than I did before we invaded. It looks like a classic case of Winning the War, but Losing the Peace.
I asked two months ago for a single example of a functional Democracy/Representative government being implemented by an external invasion...and I'm still waiting for one of the Hawks to come up with one. Colin-g? foxphotog ? Where are y'all?
Secondly, I tripped across an interesting analysis of the effects of the recent Supreme Court ruling in the Sonny Bono Copyright extension act (the one where the Supremes said "Sure, go ahead, protect Mickey Mouse for all eternity in exchange for massive campaign contributions...go to town!") as it might affect the 2nd Amendment and gun ownership laws. Michael Dore points out that there are just two sections of the Constitution where there is a prefatory clause, and the Courts just basically said one doesn't matter.
So, if the "To promote the Progress of Science and useful arts..." didn't restrict Congress's right to do Copyrights...does "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State..." have any power to allow Congress to restrict gun ownership?
If not, it means that *every* gun law is potentially out the window. Now I feel even less safe.
Wonderful...
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