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I feel we must do what we need to do to protect our citizens, but with an eye towards the possiblility that these changes may be misused in the future by some who are not so morally clear.

What do you mean? That you trust the powers-that-be to abuse their constitutional authority this time, but you worry about it on other occassions when you might disagree with the ends? Is this an ends justify the means test?

I don't trust any of them. No one should step beyond consitutitonal parameters. I don't know a single thing about whether or not what the government is telling us about this guy is true, and a jury has yet to pass on his guilt based upon evidence presented in court. Until that time, he has the right to be formally apprised of the charges against him in a timely manner as required by law. If the government cannot do that, the guy should be released.

It amazes me that so many people who distrust the government on so many issues are willing to simply accept whatever the government says when it comes to incarcerating its citizens before a jury (that is, the People) has determined guilt.

That you trust the powers-that-be to abuse their constitutional authority this time

No, I'm trusting them NOT to abuse their constitutional authority this time. I'm giving Pres. Bush the benefit of the doubt because I believe he has the moral clarity not to abuse his position of power. I hope I'm right, but I may be proved wrong. In the case of the latter I WILL be voting for a different candidiate next time. But these are not ordinary times. On Sept. 11, 2001 we woke to the fact that war was declared against our nation. We were attacked on our homeland by people who are using our laws and freedoms to play against us. During wartimes our nation has temporarily suspended certain liberties and laws previously and these were returned to us post-war. Why automatically assume that Pres. Bush would remove our rights permanently? Oddly enough I haven't seen to many people mention the angle that problems me with the removal of civil liberties, and that is the fact that this war has no foreseeable timetable.

And I don't distrust the government, it's the people that are in the government at various times that I distrust.