Bush could learn something from RENT

Interesting news story: US Investigates Bush Spying Leak (BBC)

The US justice department has opened an inquiry into how information about President George Bush's secret spying programme was leaked, officials say.

It is interesting on several levels. The Administration is indignant that someone let the cat out of the bag about his people spying on Americans. That is like stealing cookies from the cookie jar, and when you get caught, saying "Umm... you should never have come into the kitchen!" Take some responsibility. You shouldnt' be stealing cookies. What is the greater crime - to violate civil liberties by spying on Americans, or to let the media know that this violation is occurring by their representative leader?

Bush calls the report irresponsibile. I call throwing the US Constitution in the trash irresponsible.

Bush says that, through the report, enemies of the US have learned things they shouldn't have. I say the US government is learning things they shouldn't have.

You can justify absolutely anything for homeland security - torture and detainee abuse, spying on ordinary U.S. citizens, spending billions and billions and billions of dollars, destroying the infrastucture of other nations which may or may not be a threat, killing tens of thousands of people both innocent and guilty. What's ironic is, at least in my opinion, we are not any safer after any of these actions. Secure the borders. Give appropriate funding and expertise/mentoring to developing nations so their people are less impoverished. Establish trade justice so the poor are not shut out of our markets. It is an endless list of unpursued ways to bring security and hope to our country.

I suppose it's strange to quote the musical-movie Rent on this, but there is a line where they say the opposite of war is not peace; it's creation. Amen to that. Create some hope, some job opportunities, some affordable housing... create a way out of the rage mentality.

Beware because I loved Rent and am going to blog about 10 more times on it. I should develop a blogging series like a sermon series. Hmmm!! I like that idea.