The "Rule of Law" and Different Realities

In reading an article in the New Yorker which focussed on Richard Cheney's legal advisor a Mr. Addington it was noted how few of the current Republican Adminstration are lawyers and how the role of "Law" in their actions is "different". From the article and other things I've read it seems clear to me that when one comes into power with a "radical ideology" it leads to trying to shape things to fit that perspective.

The current administration perspective on terrorism and related issues focuses heavily upon the purported need to adjust regulations to recognize that "terrorists" are not a state. Through this distinction these people are seen as not having the rights that countries and their citizens have.

In looking at this and similar perspectives it seems clear to me that we have totally different realities that makes talking with each other very difficult. For these people terrorism is something that has come upon us totally unjustifiably and unrelated to anything that we've done. For me terrorism is has evolved due to a variety of causes which in part relate to how the United States has dealt with the rest of the world.

For me the United States does good things, but also does horrific things in the world. To those "on the right" the United States is - good - good - good.

It's hard to talk with each other when our basic premises are so different! We still need to find ways to reach others to help them see more of our perspectives on such issues.

It is important!

More later!!!!

Thanks!