Subject: A government of law ... or a government of men???? (fwd)
Date: Mon, 16 Feb 1998 133508 -0600 (CST)
From: "Roy L. Beavers" <rbeavers@llion.org>
To: emfguru@hotmail.com
--------------------------------------------------
Hi everybody:
Sometime back I said that I had something to say about the
Clinton/Lewinsky affair. As it happens, I recently submitted the
following to station KUMR (National Public Radio, U. of Missouri-Rolla).
Rather than rewrite it ... I'll offer you the chance to see exactly
the same editorial.... It makes the point that I feel is being lost
in all of the salacious reporting that has consumed the fascination and
attention of most Americans......
Cheerio....
Roy Beavers (EMFguru)
rbeavers@llion.org..............http://www.feb.se/EMF-L/EMF-L.html
................................It is better to light a single candle ...
than to curse the darkness...............................................
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 12 Feb 1998 11:10:33 -0600 (CST)
From: "Roy L. Beavers"
To: KUMR@umr.edu
Subject: A government of law ... or a government of men????
Hi!
I have often enjoyed Jo Beth Brady's pleasant editorials ... without
being moved to respond. Today's commentary, however, demands a reply.
She commiserates about the fact that Linda Tripp "betrayed" her
friendship with Monica Lewinsky by surreptitiously taping their
conversations and then turning the tapes over to the Special Prosecutor
who is investigating the President.
Whoa!!! Let's back up and look again at the issue that is "on the
nation's table" in this matter ... and then Judge Ms. Tripp's behavior in
relation to that issue.
When the U.S. Supreme Court last year ruled that Paula Jones had the right
to pursue her case against a sitting President, the court was in fact
saying (once again) that "no one is above the law -- not even the
President." The court was reminding us (once again) ... that ours is
a system of law, not of men!!
I can't think of any single precept within our constitutional system that
is more important ... to the preservation of our freedom and liberty.
That precept is probably the strongest single bastion we have that will
protect us from ever falling heir to a dictatorship......
The Supreme Court's ruling in the Paula Jones case meant that she _is
entitled_ to ALL the constitutional rights, including the right to obtain
a deposition _under oath_ (if not demand his presence as a witness in
court) from the President.
It is also an important precept of our law that such sworn (under oath)
depositions shall carry the force of legal penalty or "sanction" if they
are not given entirely truthfully. In other words, like any other citizen
(including Jo Beth Brady), Paula Jones is entitled to have the full truth
appear on her behalf in court! No one -- not even the President -- is
justified _in any circumstances_ in denying her that right ... by lying
about the facts.
So, the truthfulness of the President (and Monica Lewinsky because of her
alleged activities with the President) is the issue that Linda Tripp was
confronting when she began to hear from her friend, Monica, about these
alleged activities.
Remember, Linda Tripp did not start taping her friend's conversations
until AFTER she began to realize that _she, herself, could become an
accomplice_ to the fact that such activities had occurred. She went to
legitimate professional help for advice and was told that it would be just
her word against Monica's if she ever had to testify ... unless she had
something more to back up what she would say. So she started the taping.
I think she did the only thing she could have done to protect herself ...
and that Jo Beth's attack upon her is out of order.....
We should all be thankful that in the Clinton case our "system of law
over a system of men" seems to be working the way it should. The Supreme
Court did its duty. The Special Prosecutor is doing his duty (in spite
of the predictable attacks from the White House). The judges in Little
Rock and in Washington, D.C., and the Grand Jury are all doing their duty.
The only institution that I fault in this instance for failure to do "its
duty" ... is the press (the "media"). The press is simply not doing a
very good job of 'educating' the American public about the full
implications and importance of this matter ... if we are to maintain our
system of government by law, not men.
At bottom, President Clinton's worst offense in this matter (if the
allegations are true) is the same offense that brought down President
Nixon -- abuse of power.
It appears that he MAY have abused his power: (1) as Governor, when he
attempted to exploit the subservient status of Paula Jones, (2) his
exploitation of his young intern, Monica Lewinsky, (3) his lying (under
oath) in the Paula Jones deposition -- not to mention that he may have
lied to the American people, (4) his attempts to influence others in the
participation in a cover-up of all the facts.
No, Jo Beth ... Linda Tripp is not the villain in this affair. Neither is
Ken Starr, though the "kill the messenger" propaganda campaign being waged
by the White House may cause a few to think so. (Note how readily "the
press" has taken up that irrelevant trail!)
And, Yes, Jo Beth ... there is a hero! The hero is our system of
government by law, not men! That system is working ... and I am not
surprised. I was in the middle of the Washington scene during the
Nixon years. We heard, then, the same kinds of charges that we are now
hearing from the Clinton's: a "conspiracy" by political enemies (then,
it was "left wing"); traitorous behavior by "insiders" (then, it was John
Dean, today, it is Linda Tripp); and _strong_ "look 'em in the eye"
public denials on T.V. by the President.
It all is beginning to fall into the same familiar pattern. Then, as now,
the President's friends raised all sorts of "straw men" diversions to
focus the public away from the real issue -- not unlike Jo Beth's
commiserating over "poor" Monica's betrayal by a friend who taped her
conversations.....
I, for one, am thankful that we are governed by laws ... and not by men.
I hate to see anyone try to destroy that ... merely because
_this time_ it is a 'popular' President who is the target......
Cordially,
Roy Beavers (EMFguru)
rbeavers@llion.org..............http://www.feb.se/EMF-L/EMF-L.html
................................It is better to light a single candle ...
than to curse the darkness...............................................
Archive provided courtesy of WaveGuide, http://www.wave-guide.org
Reprinted with permission of Roy Beavers, http://www.feb.se/EMF-L/EMF-L.html