Fear. It’s a powerful tool, and has often been misused throughout history, and especially in the recent history of the United States. It was used to prevent John Kerry from becoming president, used to obstruct the current administration, and now in an election season it’s used to move conservative voters by way of a manufactured controversy over the Cordoba House mosque. Protecting our freedoms, indeed.

It is a central pillar of my philosophy of life that if you live in fear the worst thing that can happen to you already has. While not wanting to get all fan-boy about things Frank Herbert did hit on a small “t” truth when he wrote that fear is the mind killer. This is why there are and have been acts of terror all through the history of our species. Using our ability to be afraid of the next horrible thing to influence the actions of people is something Sun Tzu and Machiavelli would both approve of. Fear makes your opponent do dumb things and ultimately makes them easier to defeat.

Which is why the current spasms of legislation in response to the attempted truck bombing in Time Square is so disappointing. We have a couple of proposals which under any other climate would be laughed out of Congress that are going to be taking up time over the next few weeks.

"Originally posted at Squarestate.net"

The first one is the risible plan by Sen. Joe Lieberman (Putz- CT) to allow the State Department to determine if you are associated with a terrorist group. They could provisionally strip you of your citizenship. You could challenge it in court, but only after the fact, not before the decision was made.

Fear breeds hatred and greed.

I’m not so sure this was a high-five moment for Obama and the Democrats. The November mid-terms will reveal the true cost of this legislation. Not to mention the vast shortcomings of the bill itself, and the fractured nation that is being left in the wake of this contentious debate. Can the soul of America get in on this new health care plan?

Members of my local teaching union are meeting with members of the school board today in an attempt to clarify the issues going on at our high school. Recently, a small article appeared in the local paper about what’s “going on” at our school, and this has sparked fear in my heart for a number of reasons. Chiefly, I fear that in this recent environment of domino effect school issues, our school might be one of the next to fall victim to the Obama and Duncan “plan” for schools.

I’m including the letter that I wrote (it will appear first) along with two other letters written by teachers here at the high school. Everything is “re-printed” with permission, and I have edited to preserve the anonymity of myself and my peers.

It’s review time! Debate on the “Health Care Bill” has gone on for over a year, and I thought we should review the Republican understanding of what’s in the bill. Even though I know this will piss off my Conservative readers, I think it’s necessary, because Republicans have deciphered much of what was in the bill in order to “keep us safe”.

Here’s the paradox in this whole healthcare reform situation. The fact that Democratic members of the House are scared to vote for it makes the bill seem all the more scary and left-wing even though it’s a Republican’s dream healthcare reform bill.

A look at the use of night raids in Afghanistan. Anand Gopal’s recent article “Afraid of the Dark” is used to enhance the exploration of night raids in Afghanistan and the “war on terror”

A dangerous movement in Western MA sets the foundation for expanding anti-choice activism into the bluest states….

Sheer hysteria or the illusion of hysteria dominates the conversation in the media right now. How much are we willing to give for the delusion of airport safety?