A meditation on the next four years...

Reprinted with kind permission from Growleroo.

"...the patriot act has already paved the way for widespread suspension of civil and human rights for anyone who challenges the state (it's like the arrowcross all over again), it's only a short step there before emergency powers get granted to the chancellor... uhhh, president.... enabling him to suspend larger and more significant parts of the constitution / democratic process / etc. it's the classic dictatorship model - pursue an aggressive foreign policy while instigating an atmosphere of paranoia and externally-induced instability at home, move to counter this 'external threat within' by gradually stripping the populace of their rights while heightening the impression that only the imcumbent can protect them, then move to consolidate power by declaring a state of emergency and suspending the democratic process. all the while pursuing an agenda, through use of moral and religious doctrine, of vilification and persecution of a minority (in this case it seems to be both middle eastern minorities and the gay community), to keep the populace scared and vulnerable and in need of a strong leader to counter these supposed threats to both their country and their way of life. hitler, stalin, palpatine, whoever - it's history repeating itself, and it bloody scares me."

I think we're going through a collective Dark Night of the Soul.