[This is an important and provocative article. --DBM] http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2001/09/29/democracy/index.html Democracy held hostage We are fighting for freedom -- including the right to vigorously debate. But the war fever crowd wants us all to march in step. - - - - - - - - - - - - By David Talbot Sept. 29, 2001 | Truth is not the only early casualty of war. So is rational thought. War breeds hysteria and a rush to conformity. The herd, under attack, instinctively groups together and seeks assurance that everyone is trustworthy and loyal, everyone is primed for defense. That's what we're experiencing in our country in the weeks after the Sept. 11 terror attacks -- assaults so seemingly out of the blue, dramatically violent and diabolically orchestrated that they shook the nation's confidence to its core. Within hours after the terror offensive, before the shock had begun to fade, the country's political leaders and media elite rushed to assure us that the country was united and resolute. This was certainly true when it came to giving aid and comfort to the victims of the attacks. These were days of unprecedented national heroism and generosity. But as the weeks go by, it becomes increasingly clear that when it comes to the more vexing questions of why we were attacked and how we should respond, there is no national consensus yet -- nor even a clear consensus within the Bush administration. The country is undergoing a cram course in geopolitics, comparative religion and military strategy that is long overdue -- as well as a deeper soul-searching that is inevitable after this type of trauma. All of this brings with it a certain amount of intellectual and political friction, which is necessary and good for the country. As the better angels of the Bush administration have admonished us, the last thing America should do is let loose the usual round of ineffectual military fireworks -- a spasmodic reaction that might temporarily salve the wound to the nation's pride, but create even deeper troubles for us. What we need more than anything right now is careful deliberation and spirited debate. We need, in short, for our democracy to come fully alive. Unfortunately, the calls for herd-like conformity are on the rise. In the last week, self-appointed sheep dogs from across the political spectrum have begun yapping at our heels, pushing us to all think alike and move in the same direction. [...] ------------------------------------------------------------------------- POLITECH -- Declan McCullagh's politics and technology mailing list You may redistribute this message freely if you include this notice. Declan McCullagh's photographs are at http://www.mccullagh.org/ To subscribe to Politech: http://www.politechbot.com/info/subscribe.html This message is archived at http://www.politechbot.com/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
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