Judge rules what we all knew, all along

This is in response to the general wingnut response to the recent ruling on the unconstitutionality of warrantless domestic wiretaps.

My only contribution to this debate is the realization that 1) if the government was only listening in on a few (relatively few) individuals, then they would get warrants, because they can, and because the paperwork wouldn't bury them, and 2) since they aren't getting warrants it means that they're wiretapping everyone.

I know that seems quite a stretch to make the logical leap from "only" listening in on a few international calls to listening in on everyone, but consider how vehemently they are attempting to keep any information about this completely out of the public's eye. If it was really true that only a few individuals were having their international calls monitored, then having that knowledge become public gives absolutely no new information to the enemy. Surely they have figured this out, by now, on their own. However, if you are really eavesdropping on everyone, you really don't want anyone to know, especially not the enemy. Er, make that: especially not the American people. I believe there are enough of us who haven't yet died for the principles of our nation who are willing to stand up to defend those principles.

The ideas in the Constitution (especially since they are so much more than ideas) are extremely important. They are definitely not easy, particularly since they provide rights to individuals whom you would rather see stomped into the ground. But the strength of the nation doesn't come from the defense of the small, easy things, it comes from the defense of the large, really hard things. Americans have fought and died to defend these ideas--these very large things--and I consider it the true mark of patriotism to continue defending these ideas in the face of deadly opposition.

Someone once said: "He who trades liberty for temporary security deserves neither." Look it up. And finally, our enemy considers it an honor to die for their principles (and they often do, quite willingly), why don't we?