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Other Columns by David Horowitz
The Worst Defense By David Horowitz July 10, 2006 Page 3 of 3 In a democracy, the opposition supports the legitimate rule of the majority. That is the principle on which our country is built. Not that they agree with the majority, but that they support its authority. In war, this becomes a matter of survival. This is a principle that liberals betray whenever they attack this war as illegitimate or as built on lies (all the while claiming that they are defending American democracy in the process). Fifty years ago, as the post-World War II era began, American leaders of both parties, recognizing that the world is a dangerous place and that as a powerful and prosperous nation America would have many enemies in it, agreed to support a bi-partisan foreign policy. Its purpose was to confront our enemies with a united front. This policy was in place for more than fifty years. Our nation's strength and security were based on an agreement that politics would stop at the water's edge. It was a guarantee of safety for three hundred million Americans. This policy -- and the security it afforded us -- was betrayed by leaders of the Democratic Party within three months of the fall of Baghdad when, vying for their party's presidential nomination, they launched a political war against the nation's commander-in-chief, calling him a liar who was sending American youth needlessly to their deaths. It was reprise of the hate America left's chant during the Vietnam war "Hey, hey, LBJ, how many kids did you kill today?" Only this time it was coming not from the political fringe but from the leadership of the Democratic Party itself.
Liberals are not defending our constitutional liberties when they betray the contract on which those liberties are based. This contract holds us to submitting our political differences to the due process of elections. Sabotage of the war effort -- which is what the New York Times has been engaged in -- is not criticism; it is sabotage. The violation of American security laws like the Espionage Act is just as much a declaration of war on our democracy as publishing information illegally provided, even if current law doesn't cover such acts. It is not too late to reverse these trends and prevent a further rending of the body politic and a further erosion of our national security. The launching the North Korean missiles and the foiling of the terror plot in New York can serve as a warning and a wake-up call. Reasonable people can disagree about the extent to which disaffected citizens should be monitored by law enforcement and counter-terrorism agencies. But the way to resolve these differences is not by breaking the law, revealing national secrets and sabotaging the war effort. The way to deal with them is by public argument. The way to resolve them is through the electoral process. I am sure the New York Times and the Democratic Party understand these truths. Unfortunately, I am less confident, despite the events of these weeks that they will act on them. -------------------- Note -- The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, views, and/or philosophy of GOPUSA.
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