Oh man, I come back here after 4 months and what do I find...

I'm sorry that this angry, pissy guest commentator ran through and called names, raising hackles everywhere.

But that doesn't change how dangerous this new "USA Act" is. The FBI has made so damn many mistakes -- their history is very, very bad in being able to distinguish between dissent and terrorism, on both the left and the right.

None of you have anything in your lives that you would prefer the FBI didn't find as it went secretly through your homes? None of you, really? No stacks of porn, computer files that aren't anyone's business but yours? And that doesn't even mean they'll understand what they see. I was privileged to see a friend's old FBI files (thanks to the Freedom of Information Act) and they were a tissue of misunderstandings and rumors. Got anyone who doesn't like you, someone who might trash you behind your back?

They don't even have to tell you you're under suspicion. You could be under suspicion because you're acquainted with someone who they wonder might be a terrorist and you didn't even know it. And now you are Open Season. Not just "them." You.

I just sent off a letter to my senators, telling how disappointed I was in them that they voted for this mess. Guess it's worth sending a thank-you to Feingold for being the only one who even asked that they slow down.

Yes, we need to protect ourselves, and yes, we need to have better intelligence. But goddamn it, the terrorists are *on record* as saying they're trying to make us change our lives in exactly these kinds of ways!!

Don't even try to pull a line on me about "if you were a good enough American you'd know how much we need this." I am an excellent American. I have never been as proud of my country as when I see even people like Rush Limbaugh speak out in favor of keeping civil liberties.