Preaching to the choir

I just saw a commercial that really ticked me off. Didn't catch who paid for it. It was urging Nancy Pelosi to pass the Senate's Terror Surveillance Bill. The crux of the commercial was that evil, almost-terrorist-herself Nancy Pelosi is helping terrorists by not jumping at the first chance to force this bill through and make everyone vote yes, yes, yes! The ominously-voiced narrator claimed that evil, almost-terrorist-herself Nancy Pelosi is making America unsafe from terrorists. She's killing us!

That's the familiar scare tactic that we've been hearing for years now. The evil, almost-terrorist-themselves Democrats are allowing terrorists to run free throughout the country! They must be stopped before we all die. What can they do to stop helping terrorists? Pass any and every piece of legislation related to "national security" that is offered by the administration. Don't read the legislation too closely or ask any questions. Don't offer any changes or additions. And for heaven's sake, don't do any critical thinking about whether the legislation is necessary or antithetical to our core American values! Just pass the damn thing!

But let's think critically about what this ad is suggesting. The ad is suggesting that Nancy Pelosi is making the US unsafe by not passing legislation that authorizes the government to spy on telephone calls and e-mails (including those involving US citizens). By not being quick to allow the FBI to spy on us, Nancy Pelosi is letting the terrorists win!

Seriously? I'm calling Bullshit on that. I don't actually believe that I'm any less safe because this bill hasn't passed. Even if I would be safer, I'm still not convinced that compromising our principles is worth that tiny little extra bit of security. But either way, I'm really sick of this administration's constant drumbeat of anyone who opposes, or even questions, our tactics is against us. Nancy Pelosi is not the enemy for not immediately bowing and scraping to the will of one of the most unpopular presidents ever. I am not the enemy for not wanting my government to think it can spy on my international phone calls and e-mails. The enemies are the guys who fly our planes into our buildings. Nancy Pelosi and I are most definitely not on their side just because we question your methods. So stop airing commercials implying that we're almost terrorists ourselves.