Chief Joseph and the "Rule of Law"

"Let me be a free man, free to travel, free to stop,free to work,free to trade where I choose,free to choose my own teachers,free to follow the religion of my fathers,free to talk, think and react for myself....and I will obey every law or submit to the penalty"...Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce.

Note that the wisdom of this great Native American icon most closely parallels the basic tenets of our US Constitution. Of particular interest is that last statement "I will obey every law...." This is of particular importance at this juncture in American history...specifically in regard to the current administration.

The Republican Party has always stressed the RULE OF LAW; the advocate it’s principles for all foreign countries and are, of course,insisting on it’s practice in recently conquered Iraq. The sad FACT, though, is that present day Republicans have a huge problem....they are unable to practice what they preach!

At every possible turn the Reps and the Bush administration violates written law. They waged war illegally, violated the human rights of Iraqis,wrote their labor contracts,took over their oil interests,imprisoned them without due cause,tortured them, and poisoned their land with depleted uranium poison. Back home they’ve bypassed pollution laws,turned over ports to foreign powers and illegally wiretapped American citizens. The list goes on and on and on.

Beware those who preach morality. Chief Joseph made logical statements of desire, Republicans make statements of insistance...and then just do as they please.