TV, Movies, History, Social Studies, Civics and law classes have trained us to believe that in the US, everyone is innocent until proven guilty.
Post 9/11, that’s no longer true.
As George Orwell wrote in 1984:
WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH
The Clinton/Bush/Obama Whitehouses may as well add:
Only terrorists demand civil rights.
Here’s what Thomas Drake, long-time NSA employee and reluctant whistleblower has to say about the Post-9/11 security state in the US:
“Security has effectively become the State religion; you don’t question it. And if you question it, then your loyalty is questioned.” . . . “Speaking truth of power is very dangerous in today’s world.” The journalist pointed out that investigative journalists are labeled as “terrorist helpers” for trying to reveal the truth, to which Drake said the government’s take is “you go after the messenger because the last thing you want to do is deal with the message.” The NSA, the government, “They object” to anyone who dares to “air dirty laundry” or show the skeletons in the closet. “Not only do they object to it, they decide to turn it into criminal activity.”
Drake added, “Most people don’t stand up to power because power wields a lot of power and power can do you in, or make life very difficult.”
