The Classified Constitution

We the [CLASSIFIED] of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish [CLASSIFIED], insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the [CLASSIFIED], and secure the Blessings of [CLASSIFIED] to ourselves and [CLASSIFIED], do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

The lead story in today's New York Times is chilling indeed. The Bushies are trying to cleanse our history through aggressive reclassification of documents already unclassified and stored in the National Archives.

The restoration of classified status to more than 55,000 previously declassified pages began in 1999, when the Central Intelligence Agency and five other agencies objected to what they saw as a hasty release of sensitive information after a 1995 declassification order signed by President Bill Clinton. It accelerated after the Bush administration took office and especially after the 2001 terrorist attacks, according to archives records.

You know the United States Constitution is likewise stored at the National Archives. What's to prevent its classification by King George Dubya?

Bill of Rights -- Amendment I
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of [CLASSIFIED], or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the [CLASSIFIED], or of the [CLASSIFIED]; or the right of the [CLASSIFIED], and to petition the Government for a [CLASSIFIED].

The Bush Administration shows such monarchical destain for our founding documents. Can you imagine how Bush & Co. would rework the Fourth Amendment? Or maybe just classify its details . . .

Hey, you think this is too fantastical? Think again.

"It means the potential of a weapon of mass destruction and a terrorist, massive, casualty-producing event somewhere in the Western world -- it may be in the United States of America -- that causes our population to question our own Constitution and to begin to militarize our country in order to avoid a repeat of another mass, casualty-producing event. Which in fact, then begins to unravel the fabric of our Constitution. Two steps, very, very important."
--Gen. Tommy Franks in Cigar Aficionado, 12/1/2003