Armey seen through rose-colored glasses
In his recent column, Declan McCullagh asserts that privacy has lost "a useful ally." Approvingly quoting House Minority Leader Dick Armey, McCullagh tells us: "The private sector never has the ability to coerce you into doing something." Finally, McCullagh throws in this provocative quote: "If you want a short list of congressional heroes in the civil liberties community after Sept. 11, Rep. Armey would be near the top."
What planet has Declan McCullagh been living on lately? With this kind of dreck written in support of civil liberties, it won't be long before we're all living in chains. I was going to call my local American Civil Liberties Union chapter to chat with them about Armey's heroic defense of civil liberties, but I was afraid they would all die laughing--and at this time we need all the ACLU lawyers we can get. (Note to McCullagh: Armey got a 19 percent grade from the ACLU for the 106th Congress, and a heroically awful 6 percent for the 105th Congress. You can find that on their Web site.)
As for his so-called defense of our right to privacy, I suggest that McCullagh read a little legal history. The right to privacy wouldn't be spoken about in the same terms in the USA without Roe v. Wade, a court decision that Armey is rabidly thirsting to overturn. In fact, Armey is all about getting the federal government into the business of inspecting wombs and checking on sexual preferences.
I could go on, but you'd have to give me more column space! I suggest that over at News.com, somebody should buy McCullagh some new glasses, because with his techno-optimistic rose-colored ones, he apparently can't see a darn thing.
Myles Sussman
Pasadena, Calif.