On Fairies, Wiretaps, and Arabs

While reading an astounding story regarding Arabic translators in the United States military I was struck by a parallel. The United States is embroiled in a civil war in an Arabic nation. It is also in a struggle with a Sunni Arab terrorist group. One would think that having trained specialists that can translate Arabic would be important for those who claim this nation is in the struggle of the generations. Yet a staggering 58 Arabic translators have been fired from their jobs because they like to kiss boys, and they are boys. These dudes love to do naughty things in the darkened bedrooms of other dudes and for that they were summarily dismissed. The Pentagon has stated that they are only following the law as set by Congress. Whether you love Will and Grace, or think the Book of Leviticus is the direct law of God, one would think that you would make an exception for the good of the grand War On Terror. Alas no. Rules are rules.

Yet rules are made to be bent when authority wishes for them to bend. United States Federal Law states that the Federal Government cannot listen to a phone call when it originates or ends in the sovereign realm of America. If she wishes to do so the Federal Government must ask a court that says yes 99.999999999999% of the time. The President decided that the struggle against terrorism meant that the law needed to not only be bent, but broken completely. Some laws are bent, some are stubbornly adhered to, and some are broken by the President. It gives one the idea that the Administration is either lacking in competency, or they are criminally negligent.