Post by Padre Romero on Jan 14, 2008 19:51:36 GMT -5
as opposed to exactly what period of history?
African Americans have only had the right to vote for 140 years, Women have only had the right to vote for the past 80. The civil rights movement is only about 50-60 years old, and the gulf war was really the first time in my nation's history where you could openly protest a war without getting dismissed, tear-gassed, or shot at. heck, most unions have only been okay for 50 years or so. All these seem like much more egregious violations of civil liberties than the patriot act (not that this by any means exonerates it)
Twenty years ago, you couldn't be an elementary school teacher if you were even suspected of being a communist. Nowadays, you can openly declare that you're a gay wiccan communist and they won't give you the axe (actually, even better, they CAN'T give you the axe, by law...how cool is that?). If anything, we're on the upswing of the justice arc.
African Americans have only had the right to vote for 140 years, Women have only had the right to vote for the past 80. The civil rights movement is only about 50-60 years old, and the gulf war was really the first time in my nation's history where you could openly protest a war without getting dismissed, tear-gassed, or shot at. heck, most unions have only been okay for 50 years or so. All these seem like much more egregious violations of civil liberties than the patriot act (not that this by any means exonerates it)
Twenty years ago, you couldn't be an elementary school teacher if you were even suspected of being a communist. Nowadays, you can openly declare that you're a gay wiccan communist and they won't give you the axe (actually, even better, they CAN'T give you the axe, by law...how cool is that?). If anything, we're on the upswing of the justice arc.