Pen-Elayne on the Web

No Fly Zone

If extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice, what would be the corresponding jingoistic quote for depriving a non-extremist of their liberty? Al-Muhajabah (link at sidebar) informs of a Toronto Star report on the detention and subsequent arrest of one of Canada's most moderate and respected clerics, "pulled off a plane Thursday and thrown in jail by U.S. immigration officials in Fort Lauderdale without any charges being laid...He has been declared a risk to national security." This is becoming an all-too-familiar pattern among the radical right cabal currently in charge of US policy. Eliminate moderate and sensible voices so the only ones left in the spotlight are fanatics and extremists like you. It's almost like they're trying to create the good-vs-evil, no-shades-of-gray worldview they've bought into so they can convince the populace it's really true and hope that leads to even more consolidation of powe-- geez, I feel like I'm ready for the tinfoil hat now. Hmm, unless, that's just how they want us to feel...