Treason: who is committing it?

Yesterday I wore my Warrants Not good enough for us tshirt to work (couldn't resist it). Nobody commented negatively, several grinned or laughed, and a couple asked where they could buy one (Cafe Press, but they don't seem to carry the shirts any more, just the bumper stickers).

In the old building, I'd have gotten more nasty looks and possibly comments. (Ah, the groves of academe - not, I like to think, removed from the real world, only from the less thoughtful parts of it. But I digress.) Nonetheless, the always-turned-on wall o'tvs managed to annoy me every time I walked past (they're in the eating area and on the way to the rest rooms - hard to avoid). Now, granted that not every time I walked past were they talking about that decision - no, actually most of the time they were talking about JonBenet Ramsey, proving once again that there is nothing that fascinates this country - or at least our media - like a dead white girl. But the rest of the time they were, including an appearance by Bay Buchanan. (And isn't that typical? A four-second film clip of John Edwards, followed by Bay Buchanan saying whatever she felt like with a sycophantic CNN anchor nodding seriously. Balance. When exactly did CNN turn into Fox Lite, anyway?)

And the whole time it was the same old story: repeating the administration's line that the TSP is important and necessary and well-administered and that the only people who could possibly be against it are - you guessed it - traitors.

Or, if not your actual traitor, then cowards and weaklings and idiots and people who'd rather back down in front of the enemy than stand up for all that is good and true.

Well, I'm not taking that any more. I actually almost hoped to get a comment on the shirt, because I have a new response prepared.

"No, I believe you're wrong. In fact, I believe that if you take the trouble to actually investigate the matter, you'll find that you and your fellows are the traitors. Subverting the Constitution of the United States is treason; following it is not."

After all, one of the President's duties, as stated in Article II of the Constitution, is "take care that the laws be faithfully executed". Not issue little signing statements explaining why he doesn't think he needs to follow this or that law.

And then there's this:

Before he enter on the execution of his office, he shall take the following oath or affirmation:--"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

"Preserve, protect and defend" - not violate, subvert and ignore.

I would never argue that wiretapping isn't a useful tool against crime in general, not just terrorism. Nor would I argue that we shouldn't eavesdrop on foreigners' phone calls (with perhaps some exceptions as to which foreign states are or might be excluded, or sometimes excluded) - of course we need that ability.

But the TSP isn't legal. The President saying it's legal isn't enough. And it's not constitutional.

As I've said before, it's also not necessary that it be conducted illegally. Getting warrants is not that hard. It's not like the FISA court has been denying them to the administration - the administration hasn't been bothering to ask.

And that's subverting the Constitution.

And that, gentlemen, is treason. Real treason. Disagreeing with the president is not and never has been, despite what right-wing pundits and wannabe-pundits say. Theodore Roosevelt, a president himself, put it neatly: "To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public." [see the sidebar for the full quote]

I'm not going to remain silent any longer when this goes on. Sure, snapping back at the talking heads accomplishes nothing, but writing letters might. Contradicting people who say such things in public might. Remain silent accomplishes the wrong things, as 'silence gives assent'. Will I change anybody's mind? I don't know. If I get them to shut up, it's a step in the right direction.