Who said this?

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The administration's interest in all e-mail is a wholly unhealthy precedent, especially given this administration's track record on FBI files and IRS snooping. Every medium by which people communicate can be subject to exploitation by those with illegal intentions. Nevertheless, this is no reason to hand Big Brother the keys to unlock our e-mail diaries, open our ATM records, read our medical records, or translate our international communications.
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Give up? John Ashcroft, in 1997.
http://usinfo.state.gov/journals/itgic/109...7/ijge/gj-7.htm

THAT is the dictionary definition of irony.

But Ashcroft was talking about Clinton, who's evil. That's the difference.

It's not funny.

[quote]Originally posted by swimmer:
It's not funny.

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Almost everything is funny in its own way.

Clinton is no more evil than Bush, Cheney, Ashcroft, Norton, or Whitman.

Clinton got caught screwing someone-- these Bush folks are doing it to the entire country.

It's misguided, namby-pamby comments like those that probably cost Ashcroft his election in 2000.
But luckily, with the aide of his buddies down at the Big 'R' Ranch, he managed to see the error of his ways and land back on his feet.

My favorite paragraph:

[quote] "The protections of the Fourth Amendment are clear. The right to protection from unlawful searches is an indivisible American value. Two hundred years of court decisions have stood in defense of this fundamental right. The state's interest in effective crime-fighting should never vitiate the citizens' Bill of Rights."

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What was that guy on?

m10111: you are sooo right my brother, so right!!!!

[ January 02, 2003: Message edited by: Ump25 ]

Hitler, Saddam, Osama - these people are evil.

Bush and Clinton aren't evil. They're both politicians whose arrogance and quest for power can certainly be dangerous, but they're not evil.

There's a great deal of corruption in our political system...and systemic selfishness and short sightedness....but let's stay clear about what real evil is in this world.

Jeez, I even put the goofy-assed smiley face on my "evil" comment, and people still have their panties in a wad. All together now: I . . . WAS . . . JOKING!!!!!! Repeat that until you understand. Generally the smiley or tongue-sticking-out icon (there's probably a more technical name for it) is included to suggest that the poster's comments are not to be taken all that seriously. Many people, as it turns out, equate smiles with humor or good-natured ribbing. Think about that next time you see a smiley face behind a post. (The angry faces, just so we're all on the same page, mean the poster feels anger.)

[quote]Originally posted by William1865:
Jeez, I even put the goofy-assed smiley face on my "evil" comment, and people still have their panties in a wad. All together now: I . . . WAS . . . JOKING!!!!!! Repeat that until you understand. Generally the smiley or tongue-sticking-out icon (there's probably a more technical name for it) is included to suggest that the poster's comments are not to be taken all that seriously. Many people, as it turns out, equate smiles with humor or good-natured ribbing. Think about that next time you see a smiley face behind a post. (The angry faces, just so we're all on the same page, mean the poster feels anger.)

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You aren't for real, are you? You've got to be some dude just having fun here right? Please tell me you're not for real.

[quote]Originally posted by swimmer:


You aren't for real, are you? You've got to be some dude just having fun here right? Please tell me you're not for real.

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I just checked and I am, in fact, for real. But I'm also having fun here. Real fun, even. From a real person. I'm real. Isn't that a J-Lo song?

[quote]Originally posted by swimmer:
You aren't for real, are you? You've got to be some dude just having fun here right? Please tell me you're not for real.

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Where you been Swimmer? Obviously not perusing the Politics & Religion forum. William is unabashadly a for-real conservative, who has wit and humor in his posts. I don't post in P&R much, but I think I would love to know William and have him as a friend in real life, even though I don't agree with the all-republican, all-the-time, tow-the-party-line attitude. At least he has a sense of humor.

[quote]Originally posted by maxallen:


Where you been Swimmer? Obviously not perusing the Politics & Religion forum. William is unabashadly a for-real conservative, who has wit and humor in his posts. I don't post in P&R much, but I think I would love to know William and have him as a friend in real life, even though I don't agree with the all-republican, all-the-time, tow-the-party-line attitude. At least he has a sense of humor.

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Why thank you, Maxallen. I'm flattered. Really.

By the way - Twin? Have you stopped laughing? If not, I would get it checked out. That can't be healthy.

It's the nitrous oxide. I love that stuff.

[ January 02, 2003: Message edited by: Ump25 ]

[quote]Originally posted by Ump25:

Bryan, you forgot to lump umpires in there. We're all evil. Cold, heartless bastards we are, unfeeling and unsympathetic (or so we've been told).

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No, you're all just incompetent and/or blind.

[quote]Originally posted by William1865:


I just checked and I am, in fact, for real. But I'm also having fun here. Real fun, even. From a real person. I'm real. Isn't that a J-Lo song?

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Nah. You're fooling around.

[quote]Originally posted by bryan d.:
Hitler, Saddam, Osama - these people are evil.

Bush and Clinton ... can certainly be dangerous, but they're not evil.

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I love this clean "segregation" of evil that The War On Terrorism ™ has made possible.

All five of those men are evil, IMHO. Different degrees of course, but they've all killed wantonly too.

[quote]Originally posted by Bill W:


I love this clean "segregation" of evil that The War On Terrorism ™ has made possible.

All five of those men are evil, IMHO. Different degrees of course, but they've all killed wantonly too.

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I'd say they're all intelligent but insensitive...equally. None have shown the enlightenment to seek and address the fundamental causes of what make people feel the need to commit violence against each other.