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The Patriot Act and the numerous laws and policies that have followed in its wake represent a dangerous turn in U. S. government and society. I have long criticized these laws and worked for their repeal. The Cheney-Bush policies about torture, secrecy, wiretapping, etc., have made the U. S. an ever greater symbol of repression.
I read with interest a post by Michael Westmoreland-White concerning Obama's appointments to the Justice Department. MW-W is encouraged that these high-level lawyers will turn the tide on civil liberties. I hope and pray that he is right. Thanks, Michael, for your helpful analysis.
10°, Two Miles
8 hours ago
1 comment:
We can't know for certain what they will do until they are in office, of course. But they have certainly been among the strongest critics in the legal and political communities--and their nomination is making all the right people nervous.
So, I say we defend them and push for their confirmation and defend/praise Obama for nominating them. The, of course, after they are confirmed we keep up the pressure to see that they actually come through.
My understanding of how Christians should relate to government is neither being coopted (by any faction or ideology) and turned into ecclesial apologists, nor being apolitically passive, nor ONLY being oppositional. Rather, I think electing good people matters (otherwise we are only doing damage control), but no one who can GET elected will be perfect. So, we must remain an outside, prophetic voice. We praise when they do right and push them to do more--just as the prophets did.
I worked hard to get Obama elected--but I remain an outside critic. Too many Christians know only the choices of sycophant, unrelenting (often inaccurate) attacker, or apolitical/otherworldly.
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