Ironic how you, like so many right-wing fire-breathers, see nothing strange about attacking my point of view and confirming it at the same time. You imply strongly that the left are not "real Americans." I was born in America, so I am a real American, entitled to protections of the constitution by any common-sense reading. But you have declared, by virtue of my statements about the military, that I am a false American. What are the rights of false Americans, if any? If a band of 19-year-old soldiers were in the future ordered to "disappear" some false Americans, what would they do?

I consider myself a more true American than you, since I believe in its constitutional traditions and principles, and try to defend them. You plainly don't believe in those principles or the right of dissent, having already revoked my citizenship, and you don't even feel a need to conceal your non-belief. Comforting to have you here speaking for the Military.

I realize the US military is aware of the challenges it faces. Officers have had quiet internal discussions about principled dissent, and what to do if plainly unsound or illegal orders start coming from the White House. But in the end, it's asking too much of the military as an institution to expect them to defend the constitution when the political system has gone off track. So far they haven't been doing so well anyhow. According to the constitution, treaties entered into by the USA have the force of law; and the US is a signatory to the Geneva Conventions; so if the military really "respect[ed] the constitution above personalities" they would have refused to carry out torture even when the president's lawyers cleared it and Rumsfeld said to do it. Not a promising start. As military officers are well aware, go-with-the-flow is often the easier choice than a principled stand that could instantly wreck a 20-year career.

Part of the problem is that the constitution is under generalized assault by the right wing, and does not command the respect it once did. Attorney general nominee Mukasey just stated on the record that the President can disregard the law, including the constitution itself, if he believes he is protecting America. Mukasey said this idea was in the constitution, though plainly it's not. His view is about to be ratified by the "opposition" party by way of their confirmation of Mukasey as Attorney General, the nation's highest "law enforcer". Ask anyone inside the beltway -- the president is now above the law. I am not making this up -- it's all on the record, even described in some detail in Slate.

Doesn't the president need to "protect America" from false Americans like me? From people who hate America (Beck)? From liberals = traitors (Coulter)? Do the human rights of dissidents in America have any basis any more, besides mere habit? Ya, just laugh it off, it's not serious ...

The day does not proceed instantly from light to dark. There is a twilight, during which things get darker by degrees right before your eyes. America is in that twilight. If you don't like hearing that, why not shoot the messenger. No wait, just kidding !! Ha ha. I didn't mean that.