"For it has been said so truthfully," said Miller, "that it is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us the freedom of the press. It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech. It is the soldier, not the agitator, who has given us the freedom to protest."
Not exactly, Zel.
The soldier has also taken away freedom of speech in places like China, Chile, El Salvador, and a host of other places.
The soldier has, at times, fought for liberty, true enough.
But that liberty is only realized by people putting liberty in action, by uttering and penning and disseminating uncomfortable and upopular truths, and by assembling in places that many wish they would not. Civil liberties are meaningless unless they are used.
It's clear that Miller, Cheney, and Bush would rather the civil liberties not be used, but would like people to think they have them. But thinking you have them is like thinking you have an imaginary dollar- it won't buy you anything.
Civil liberties are really only a first step, but are implied by the broader intent of the United States founding principles: government is only legitimate with the informed consent of the government. Power ultimately rests with the people- not the soldiers Zel.
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