If one backs up a ways, they can see that on American soil we have had two incidents. One was, grievously and terribly, successful beyond belief.

And that incident was planned right in front of our very eyes. Over a period of a couple of years. By people who stood out in a crowd. How many folks want to learn to fly airliners after they have taken off? Why didn't that concern the political leadership after it became known?

Was it a well-planned, well-executed operation? Maybe more successful than well-planned. It could have been interrupted at many, many stages.

Foreign leaders warned us about it. Our own people warned us about it. And our administration was trying to cut the counter-terrorism budget up until it happened.

I can't help but think that if this or previous administrations had taken domestic terrorism seriously WTC would not have happened.

But it did. Even though with the laws, authority, and powers available before WTC it could have been prevented, we now have more repressive measures. None of which would have been necessary to prevent WTC.

Yep. I'm concerned. I don't like it when the government is designating someone an "enemy of the people" and holding them without charges for an indefinite period of time. What's to keep you from becoming an "enemy of the people"? Or me?

Every despotic regime in the world has elements in common.

First, "national security" is threatened.

Then anyone who questions how the current political regime is handling "national security" is called unpatriotic and disloyal.

Then people start being held without charges, despite constitutional guarantees.

If the gun lobby sees any restriction as leading to all restrictions, they should be scared to death here.

Arf