YOU ARE NOT ENTITLED TO KNOW
YOU ARE NOT ENTITLED TO KNOW
By Michael Butler
In the early 1970’s John Philips (Mommas & Papas) wrote a musical about secrets and how dangerous they were to civilization. Michael Bennett (Chorus Line) was going to direct and I was going to produce. It came to naught as John became very difficult. Michael quit and I followed. It was never produced; a shame as it was very pertinent to today. I have never forgotten that play. John has passed on but his words were prescient.
Today we are beset more than ever with a culture of secrecy. Secrecy about the affairs of our government; Secrecy way beyond the needs for our security.
It is not so in the case of secrecy for our affairs. There the government is taking the liberty to spy on anyone they wish without any restraint. Judicial supervision is pushed aside and ignored by the Executive. All in the name of our security.
The previous administration, yes the Clinton government, has re-classified thousands of documents in the name of security. The Freedom of Information Act is increasingly being emasculated. It was proving too easy for us to get clarity on the actions of our politicians.
Recently there have been a number of exposes, which have embarrassed this administration. Some examples are: the exposure of lies using false intel about Iraq which made the case for attacking that country; firing of CIA official Mary McCarthy for speaking to the press; the “Plamegate Affair†of outing a protected undercover CIA operative.
What has been done about these matters? The Intel fabrications are stuck for two years in the Republican dominated committee. Not that the minority Democratic side garner any accolades for their pursuit of the truth. The McCarthy affair is an outcome of the witch-hunting activities of the newly appointed Bush Gaulitier, Porter Goss. Plamegate marches on and perhaps we will see shortly the indictment of Carl Rove, the principle Bush strategist whose secrecies have driven him from the White House. This is, so far, the only investigation, which seems to have a chance of clarity due to the surprise appointment of an unexpectedly independent Special Prosecutor.
So, should we be concerned? Well, just beginning to wend its way through the Congress is a bill, which will put the British Secrets Act to shame. It will terrorize and silence in the future, such whistleblowers that have outed so many treasonous acts in the past.
The un-regulation of the media by the FCC has merged and consolidated our so-called Free Press into fewer large corporations subservient to government. We now are about having a bill to shut down important sources of independent information, because You Are Not Entitled to Know.
If there ever was a time to contact one’s elected representatives in Congress, that time is now!
This entry was posted on Monday, May 1st, 2006 at 9:20 PM and filed under Articles. Follow comments here with the RSS 2.0 feed. Post a comment or leave a trackback.
7 Responses to “YOU ARE NOT ENTITLED TO KNOW”
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Michael, Your writing is getting better all the time. It is a pleasure to read you. The truth is what it’s all about, not left or right
Posted on 01-May-06 at 10:57 pm | PermalinkThe internet, the real free press, does not need to make it l or r.
Saw Aaron’s film at his home last week; amazing and he’s getting worldwide feedback in big numbers. He’s taking it to Cannes with his showman skills. Should be wonderful
Saludos, Pedro
Re: The Bush Administration
It will be difficult to find a more deficient presidential tenure as this one. It is a benchmark of lies, incompetence with a paucity of good judgement. But only an administration such as preceded it could allow it to happen. We really need to get rid of parties. And soon.
Posted on 02-May-06 at 3:23 am | PermalinkAs long as there are church and state creating divisiveness, as long as people are ruled by others as compared to being responsible and self-reliant as a nation, as individuals, as long as there are illuminati ala ‘The Rubicon”, we face the end of life as we know it; the extinction of our brief human lives, before their time.
I applaud those brave souls endeavoring to change the system from within, even Ted Kennedy has a bright spin these days; and John Hall(musician, “Just Give Me the warm Power of the Sun”) is running for Congress(NY State), bless his heart. But these are mere droplets of light & purity in the ocean of our times, and will it take disaster upon disaster to wake us up and unite we the people?? But let us not overlook tiny good actions, thinking they are of no benefit; even tiny drops of water, in the end, will fill a huge vessel.
It is mental ministrations; bring it back to the heart of the matter: as a culture, as a global community, we have forgotten the power of love. Look not to the distinctions that divide us, but to the commonalities that unite us. All sentient beings have their time and then there is the return, again and again until we have truly liberated one another.
On a higher octave, we are truly in the age of Aquarius, with Oranus reclaiming the love for Gaia. We are being taught, by the actions and reactions around us, that we must develop a sense of universal responsibility.
All the spiritual teachers of humanity have told us the same thing, that the purpose of life on earth is toachieve union with our fundamental, enlightened nature. It says in the Upanishads:
Posted on 02-May-06 at 5:00 am | PermalinkThere is the path of wisdom, and the path of ignorance. They are far apart and lead to dirfferent ends…Abiding in the midst of ignorance, thinking themselves wise and learned, fools go aimlessly hither and tither like the blind led by the blind. What lies beyond life shines not to those who are childish, or careless, or deluded by wealth.
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I love your writings
I really think you should write a book
peace
Posted on 02-May-06 at 8:18 am | Permalinkmichael
I agree with Michael Ramirez, you should write a book, you have so much to say and I learn so much from you, all love x
Posted on 06-May-06 at 6:43 am | PermalinkSecrets….Bush and those who are of the Skull & Bones, the Masons, the secret societis are all for the one world order, our constituional rights are virtually non existant, you are guilty until you can spend $5M+ to get a fair trial. The police can invade your home on “probable cause” the discretion of the law officer, the media blasts us with fear about the evil axis of power, and criminals on the street are everywere..so that we vote for more police and investigation looking for terrist every where all the while they make laws to remove our constitutional right to privacy & freedom.
Is it possible that the Federal reserve is the biggest secret of all? Why was John Kennedy murdered? Remember he and the family tried to do away with the Fed Reserve red seal (6/1963-12/63) currency vs green seal currency. Federal Reserve is not really Federal, but private & they print money out of thin air and loan it to us with intrest,…..a private business owned by world bankers, does that make sence? They control our entire USA economy and destiny….try buying Federal reserve stock…who owns it?
Whats going on in our government, either Democrat or Republican. Looks like a bunch of King & Queens to meand we are their slaves, to the secrets they hide from us.
Posted on 08-May-06 at 9:49 pm | PermalinkMurtha and Thinkprogress Report on the Bush Administration Culture Of Secrecy…
Revelations of massacre made available after Memorial DayThe Thnikprogess.org article Murtha on Haditha: ‘I Know There Was a Cover-up … The Chain of Command Tried to Stifle the Story’ reports on the Bu ……
Posted on 01-Jun-06 at 11:20 am | Permalink