Is It Treason Yet?

GOP USA ^ | 12-09-05 | Joe Mariani - Commentary

[smoothsailing]

Is It Treason Yet?

By Joe Mariani

December 9, 2005

Treason is defined, in part, as "giving aid and comfort" to the enemies of the United States, according to the Constitution (Article III, Section 3) (web site) and the United States Code (Title 18, Part I, Chapter 115, Section 2381). (web site) Yet the Constitution also states, in the First Amendment, (web site) that "Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech." How do we distinguish between free speech and treason? Where do we draw the line? The answer may be found using that least-used resource: common sense.

I would submit that the elected leaders of this country have more responsibility than the rest of us to ensure that they give no aid and comfort to the enemy in time of war. With American troops risking their lives in daily battle on behalf of the nation, critical words from those in leadership positions carry greater weight than in peacetime, both with the enemy and with our own troops.

Yet the leaders of the Democratic Party consistently attack the war in Iraq with lies, from distorting the history of our confrontation with Saddam Hussein, (web site) to prevaricating about their own statements which led us to war, (web site) to defaming the character of every member of the Bush administration in turn. Worst of all, however, is the slander they spread about our troops.

The Chairman of the Democratic party, Howard Dean, said during a radio interview on 6 December (web site) that the "idea that we're going to win the war in Iraq is an idea which is just plain wrong." Does this statement not give "aid and comfort" to the enemy? The leader of a major political party, to which nearly half of all Americans belong, is telling the terrorists and insurgents in Iraq that they will win; that they will beat the United States.

Dean also said that, "this is the same situation we had in Vietnam," and in a certain sense, he's right. The beaten, demoralized North Vietnamese leadership was given new hope by certain American politicians and the press, to the point where they struggled on until America's liberals turned public opinion against the war. America was forced to withdraw from Vietnam in disgrace, having never lost a battle, by people just like Howard Dean. With his defeatist statements, Dean is giving our enemies the aid and comfort they need to keep fighting. How many Americans will die because of Dean's irresponsible remarks, made only to seek political advantage? Tell me why that's not treason.

Senator John Kerry (D-MA), the Democratic Party's most recent Presidential candidate, appeared on CBS' "Face the Nation" on 4 December (web site) to deface the American military. Speaking to interviewer Bob Schieffer, Kerry said that "there is no reason, Bob, that young American soldiers need to be going into the homes of Iraqis in the dead of night, terrorizing kids and children, you know, women, breaking sort of the customs of the -- of -- the historical customs, religious customs." (And some people accuse GW Bush of being incoherent?) .

Does a United States Senator and former Presidential candidate accusing American soldiers of terrorizing women and children in the dead of night not give aid and comfort to the enemy? Just as he did during Vietnam, (web site) John Kerry is falsely accusing American troops of committing atrocities as a matter of normal course in an attempt to undermine support for the war among Americans. As a consequence -- intended or not -- he is yet again handing America's enemies an immense propaganda victory. How many potential terrorists will have their hatred of Americans fueled by Kerry's matter-of-fact statement that American soldiers are terrorising women and children in their homes at night, breaking cultural and religious taboos? Tell me why that's not treason.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) fully supports and endorses the recent statements of Representative John Murtha (D-PA), the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee. Murtha has made a big splash among the anti-war faction by calling for an immediate -- within six months -- pullout from Iraq. On 1 December, Murtha told a group of leading Pennsylvania citizens (web site) that America would be forced to abandon Iraq within a year because the troops are "broken, worn out" and "living hand to mouth." Murtha is hailed as a hero in the media for suddenly changing his mind about the war in Iraq, but called it "unwinnable" and stated that "we cannot prevail... with the policy we have today," while urging President Bush to send even more troops in May 2004. (web site)

What a burst of enthusiasm Murtha's words must have engendered among our enemies! How much hope will they take from his proclamation that they are, in fact, winning the war? Despite fantastic losses, and despite earning the enmity of the Iraqi people, the terrorists and Saddam supporters in Iraq can now believe that if they just find the strength to hold on a little longer, they can push the hated United States out of Iraq. How many of the enemy will fight rather than surrender, because Pelosi and Murtha have told them they're winning? How does that not give the enemy aid and comfort? Is that not treason?

Not all Democrats follow the defeatist, destructive path of their leaders. But those ARE their leaders -- the Chairman of their party, their most recent Presidential candidate, their party leader in the House of Representatives. Some Democrat politicians have repudiated the statements of Dean, Kerry, Pelosi, Murtha and the rest... not because those remarks were vile, untrue and treasonous, but because the Democrats are afraid such openly anti-American statements might "harm efforts to win control of Congress next year," according to the Washington Post. (web site) The only way they can regain power is to hide their true feelings, and they know it. Treason, it seems, is still considered malapropos by some Democrats.

But not all.

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Joe Mariani is a computer consultant born and raised in New Jersey. He now lives in Pennsylvania, where the gun laws are less restrictive and taxes are lower. Joe always thought of himself as politically neutral until he saw how far left the left had really gone after 9/11. His essays and links to articles are available at http://www.guardianwatchblog.com/

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Note -- The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, views, and/or philosophy of GOPUSA.

NOTE: All (website) notations can be accessed by going to the GOP USA link at the top of this article-smoothsailing

[smoothsailing]

I've been reluctant to use the word treason, but I just don't what else to call it anymore.

[writer33]

Let me help you: It's treason.

[F16Fighter]

In this current world of "dark is light and light is dark," to the Democrats it's considered "patriotism."

[Moolah]

It's not cut and dried treason or someone would be filing charges against the slimeball.

[COEXERJ145]

I'm waiting for the inevitable thread hijacking attempt.

[RocketJsqurl]

Not treason but sedition

[writer33]

No, it's close enough for horsehoes and handgrendaes though.

[writer33]

Hi Jack! Hi Jack!

[SunStar]

How do we distinguish between free speech and treason? Where do we draw the line?

Thomas Jefferson knew the difference. And he would have shot dead some of these people for their treasonous behavior.

[Strategerist]

It's not by the general standards of this country.
There have been fewer than 40 treason prosectutions in the history of the country. Not a single Confederate was ever prosecuted for treason.

And it generally requires active action (you'd have to have a Congressman secretly forwarding intel from some classified briefing directly to Zawahiri or something) not merely criticizing a war or the actions of US troops.

People need to give up on the fantasy of prosecuting any Democrats for treason. It's sort of silly and just looks nutty. You can criticize them all you want of course.

[Roscoe Karns]

Here's how to deal with them

Mark my words, folks, if the Democrats keep this up it's going to blow up in their
face, bigtime.

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Tim, we should follow the lead of Congressman John Murtha, the man who many
of us simply refer to as "the Hawk", who has put forth a plan to make America
safer, to make our military stronger and who will do or say anything to take down
a sitting president in a time of war. A war that is unwinnable, I might add, and for
which the president doesn't have a plan for victory.

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Yes, Karl, I'm watching her on TV right now and I've just about had enough.
Take her out. Now.

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((((Hummmmmmmmmmmmmmm)))

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Boom.

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That was mighty fine work, Karl, mighty fine! Ha ha- but now it looks as though
Ol' Mullah Dean is shooting off his big nasty mouth again...

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The very idea that we're going to win the war in Iraq is as wrong as apple pie...

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You know what to do , Karl.

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((((Hummmmmmmmmmmmmm))))

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I mean, don't you just hate apple pie?

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It's not working! Hmmm... that's it with the broccoli. What to do? What to do?

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Get me Dick Cheney!

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Yes! Dick Cheney!.........................Dick, do you read me? It's me, Karl!

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Karl? You're coming in a little fuzzy. Hold on a minute... Now where did I put
that contraption? Oh yes, I remember...

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Ok, Karl, you're coming in loud and clear. What seems to be the problem? Yes.
Yes. Uh huh. I see. Alright, Karl, Routine 21, on three! One, two...

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((((Hummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm))))

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At the Copa ,Hey! Copacabana!
The hottest spot north of Havana!

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((((Hummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!)))

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I'm too sexy for my shirt- too sexy for my shirt
So sexy it hurts

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((((Hummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!)))

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Good work! Both of you!

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Nice working with you again, Dick. Dick?................... Where'd he go?

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To infinity and beyoooooooond!!

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Greetings friend and conversationalists, all across the fruited plain. Well, well,
well, has El Rushbo ever got a See I Told Ya So for you...

[Cicero]

Yes, it's treason. There's no doubt that they are encouraging the enemy and leading him to believe that if he just blows up enough Iraqi civilians and kills enough American troops, that will bring him a victory.

It's also treason to leak important secrets to the press. And it's treason to publish them. And it's treason to go abroad and attack your country as evil and spread lies about it.

Clinton committed treason when he organized antiwar rallies in London on the taxpayer's dollar, after dodging the draft. Kerry committed treason when he went to Paris to encourage the North Vietnamese in time of war. And now they are all committing treason again. Selling their country for political power.

One reason we were surprised by 9/11 was because clinton had committed treason by selling top nuclear and ICBM missile secrets to China for cash, and he didn't want the FBI investigating him. So he gave orders that the FBI should not talk to the CIA or to military intelligence.

[writer33]

I know it's not treason. It's just fun to think it is. It is closer to sedition.

[Strategerist]

Yep, what people are talking about really is sedition, not treason.

Fortunately, the Sedition Act of 1818 was repealed in 1921.

[x1stcav]

Sh!t! Where have you been? The Demonrats went teasonous back in the 60's.

The problem is, the evil spawn of Saul Alinsky have been very clever in defining the terms of the debate and, this, coupled with liguini-spined Pubbies, and, aided and abetted by a leftist, activist legacy media, has resulted in a situation where normal Patriots, who would ordinarily have gone out and shot these vermin, have been ennervated into inaction.

When do we start to take 'action'?

[writer33]

Good stuff, RK. Thanks for posting. A really good way to deal with them.

[writer33]

Sh!t! Where have you been? The Demonrats went teasonous back in the 60's.

Smoothsailing was too busy with important stuff like bongs to deal with politics in the sixties. Don't be silly, x1stcav.

:) HA!

[Strategerist]

Thomas Jefferson knew the difference. And he would have shot dead some of these people for their treasonous behavior.

Jefferson was a staunch opponent of the Sedition Act of 1798.

Aaron Burr literally tried to set up his own Empire carved out of the US, was indeed tried for treason under Jefferson, and was acquited.

[Vn_survivor_67-68]

"Kerry said that "there is no reason, Bob, that young American soldiers need to be going into the homes of Iraqis in the dead of night, terrorizing kids and children, you know, women,"

quite an accusation, coming from a guy who shot a fleeing 16 year old in the back.....and negligently set up the circumstances that resulted in the death of at least one child in a sampan

[smoothsailing]

I've known Kerry as a traitor for over 30 years now, since I came home from Vietnam.

The others are more recent in comparison, and for awhile I thought they were lightweights in comparison or even Kerry-wannabe's, but I can no longer look at them as mere fools or political opportunists.

I guess, Chris, it was my long memory and white hot disgust for Kerry that made me reluctant to lump them all together.

But no more.