The Trial of Reason

So, according to an article on CNN.com, some are beginning to speculate that the series of probes into CIA interrogation practices are a subtle hint that many of the top leaders during the Bush era, including Bush himself, may be going to trial. I'll be honest in saying that I have my doubts, since those leaders not only still have support in large numbers (literally millions), but also because those supporters and their corresponding legislators will be pouring forth complaints that such a trial would be "unpatriotic". As though you could literally skip through the streets throwing shit on everyone, but as long as you were chanting "America! America! Hooray America!" it would be alright.

The issue of patriotism in America is probably one of my favorite conundrums of our political spectrum. What am I exactly referring to? Please, correct me if I'm wrong:

Given: Our forefathers/mothers were subjects of a great empire, who grew sore of no representation in the power of the land.

Given: Our forefathers/mothers, after questioning the legitimacy of British Rule, did proceed to rebel against them.

Given: After freeing themselves, our forefathers/mothers did eventually set up a form of government that would considered quite radical alongside all of the despotisms and monarchies of the day.

Given: This system, being republican in nature, and thereby a form of pseudo-democracy, was created expecting there would be differences of opinion.

Given: This system would require the active voting population to be constantly aware of those in power, and be prepared to organize and strip them of their positions, if necessary.

Summary: Our forefathers/mothers bled and died freeing the seed of our country from an oppressive empire, and after doing so set up a system of representation that required active awareness on the part of the voting public.

Question: Why do so many of the American public refuse to challenge the actions and words of their representatives?

Question: Why do so many of the American public see questioning the policies of the government to be unpatriotic?

(The questions presume a Bush Era setting, but please feel free to apply them to any administration.)

Obviously, when the nation is under threat, there's due reason to band together, and we're never going to get anywhere if we live in a constant state of paranoia. But this does not excuse that sheer dishonesty and immorality of Bush Era policy. The country by and large rallied behind the president in the face of a highly organized, but well hidden enemy, and in return for this trust, that presidency of the time took away civil liberties, mislead the public frequently, set up torture programs, invaded the wrong country, and altogether instilled more terror into this polis than those three planes ever did!

Should Bush, Darth Cheney, and their cronies be taken to court?

By their collars.