Is it because he's black?

[Ms. Toad]

134. That is insulting.

The vast majority of us who oppose it now, opposed it when Bush did the same thing (and a FISA court rubber stamp, without the possibility for a review of the case or appeal of the constitutionality of the law makes it virtually indistinguishable as far as I'm concerned). And some of us, me among them, have a long history of opposing secret US government collection of data on its citizens. My own personal history (and I mean very personal) is 4 decades long, to the COINTELPRO days.

I don't care which party the president belongs to, I don't care what race the president is (or gender, or age, or whatever other characteristic you care to throw up as a smokescreen). Secret government collection of data on its citizens without individual probable cause is wrong. Period. It is a position I have maintained consistently for 4 decades - and I am sick and tired of being told I'm hypocritical or a racist merely because the president happens to be a Democrat or because the president happens to be black.

So I'm not falling for anything - and it is inexplicable to me how you can reconcile thinking something is so horrendous and evil when done by Bush, and hunky dory now.