How fragile our Democracy

One of the things that has amazed me in the aftermath of 9-11 and the excesses of the Bush presidency is what a fragile thing our democracy is. After having survived more than 200 years, I had come to believe almost nothing would destroy it. Yet, Bush and his goons have nearly done so almost overnight, while the public stood by, with many applauding it.

And, it appears the same thing is happening in the UK. The government is lashing out at the evil "liberal press" for questioning its position on civil liberties, which are being rapidly eroded there, just as they are here.

Tonight marks the beginning of an agressive attack on the British press:

In an outspoken attack on "liberal media commentators" the home secretary, Charles Clarke, will tonight claim there is a "pernicious and even dangerous poison" infecting press coverage on the government's civil liberties record.

The lessons are pretty clear. A little fear mongering will get a would-be dictator a long way towards his goal in a democracy.