By saying "let's use it since we have it," you are literally saying there is a part of you that thinks it's alright.

I am literally saying what I am literally saying. I'm sorry that we're not going to get rid of the NSA anytime soon. I am deeply and genuinely sorry about that. But I didn't vote for it, and I excoriate everyone who did, and somehow got mocked for that too. Since being 'for' or 'against' the patriot act isn't what determines virtue, let's move on. I'm saying that since we're stuck with it, make it do something pro-social and find the Rogers and Mateens and whoever this new fucker is before they pick up a gun or get behind the wheel IN ADDITION to all the other fuckery that nobody is in favor of. Saying 'Use it while it's here until we can get rid of it' is not the exact same thing as saying 'Use this now and in perpetuity because I'm in favor of it.'

I think our friends and peers deserve more credit and respect than reducing their arguments to something so easily dismissable.

When someone else presents an alternative characterization of that opinion, or a cogent and coherent explanation of what drives 'sane' actors to violence, I'll be happy to listen. But right now it's a Monty Python sketch where we accept any and all reasons that could explain why someone is a murderer EXCEPT FOR THE ONE THEY GIVE.

Those two statements I made

No big brother merkel in my email

and

Use the current messed up, overreaching system for good in addition to the evil it already perpetrates'

are in no way contradictory. I can simultaneously believe that our governments have too much knowledge and power, and that they use the power that they do have irresponsibly/stupidly/inefficiently.

I don't know how to encourage government actors to behave in a just manner. It is literally beyond me to imagine such a thing. I love your ideology, but it's never going to happen. I know I'm normally the all ideology all the time and hang the consequences guy, but it's not going to happen.

I'm not advocating for a surveillance state. On the issue of 'Obama can read your DMs on camera in front of anybody at any time, yes or no?' I'm a firm 'no.'

I'm still waiting for a "swords into ploughshare" candidate.

Me too, let me know when you find one.

Just because a candidate doesn't share our worldviews on a certain subject, it doesn't mean our concerns are suddenly dismissable.

I didn't say that they were. But I get made fun of when I say that I consider that voting in favor of the patriot act an act of treason against the people of this country. Seems pretty easily dismissed to me.

It just means we have to figure out which candidate we think will best lead us in the direction we want to be going.

We had one. I donated to his campaign. I encouraged others to vote for him. It's a real shame it wasn't his turn.