The problem here is right at the root of the overall problem with the Government/MediaPlex we live with and live under.

The institutions being called on to Come Forth -- ABC News, the news media in general, the FBI, Department of Justice, the military, etc. -- all have a reputation of lying, of not being forthcoming, of deception, of political propaganda and so forth.

All of them.

And at this point, it is nearly impossible to sort the truth from their constant lies and deceptions and propaganda, if truth there be. There is little or no incentive for them to suddenly change their way of doing business and explain fully and forthrightly what the hell's been going on. So, in all likelihood, they're not going to do it. Period.

Caution and skepticism about anything they say is absolutely warranted and required. The truth may exist in some of what will come forth, but it will -- if experience is any guide -- be almost completely shrouded by layers and layers of lies and propaganda, by smears, by contempt for law, for the People, and for the Constitution itself.

But the story we can winkle out up to this point in time is appalling in the extreme: Some elements of the US Government itself, whether an individual or a conspiracy, took the radical action of securing and distributing a biowarfare agent -- anthrax -- from US Government supplies of this weapon, to selected media and Congressional targets. Five people died, more than a dozen were sickened. Most of them were postal workers. Congress was evicted from its offices while decontamination proceeded. A highly coercive and authoritarian Patriot Act was passed by a terrified congress. Big Media, by and large, fell in line behind a highly coercive and threatening Bushevik regime, leading soon enough to the invasion and occupation of Iraq -- which was enthusiastically embraced by the Big Media.

Whether planned or "accidental", these events served to immeasurably enhance the powers of the executive. And these events came from within the Government itself.

We may never have enough truthful information to blame individuals for it. But the facts as we have them now (that the attack came from within the government, using government created bioweapons, and the result was some death and injury, great terror, and an enormous, unprecedented expansion of Executive power and authority) are enough to bring into serious question the motives and operations of the entire complex of interests we now want to Come Forth.

Our system is broken. And it is very dangerous.

After reading another article about the anthrax case on the Frederick News Post website I decided to call the newspaper and thank them for the great coverage they have provided. The woman I first spoke with transferred me to the city editor because she said they have been getting a lot of heat for their stories and that he'd be pleased to hear my comments. When I spoke with him he thanked me and told me that they had gotten a lot of criticism for their stories. I told him their paper was running rings around the national press by reporting on background information about the only person to accuse Ivin's of being a nut case and that people on the internet were linking to their stories. I hope everyone will register at the Frederick News and start leaving comments on their stories so that they know that they are making a difference and will continue to report.

I still can't help but notice that everyone's pussyfooting around with the assumption that suspected terrorists have rights.

Think of how much time we would have saved if we simply performed a little simulated drowning on Hatfill in the first place. We'd already have his confession and no one would need lose any sleep over finding the 'real killer'

"your point is weak. I heard a report on NPR over the weekend that Ivins' siblings had no kind or sympathetic words for their brother (if I remember right, one said that he was glad he was dead), so it's not just the social worker saying this guy had problems". -- csturgeo

One social worker and ostracized by family members. Well then, case solved! Ivins is a mass-murderer! Let’s not beat a dead horse.

Poor Taste

Glenn, what poor taste to so thoroughly trash the social worker who asked for some protection because she felt in danger. Damn. You could have made your point in another way.

I'm really surprised that some people think that "good taste" (whatever that means) is more important than knowing all the relevant facts.

Bruce Ivins is being publicly convicted -- has already been convicted -- of one of the most heinous and notorious crimes of the last decade. He's also being depicted as a psychopath based on the claims of one person, who is being depicted as some sort of psychological authority. How can her own unstable history, raising real questions about her professional credibility, be something that people want to keep concealed?

As for the lame--dare I say MSM--excuse of "It's in the public record," well, a lot of us including myself have information in the public record that we wouldn't want printed in a widely-read blog.

I'm sure that's true. But if you become the chief accuser in the most significant news story in the country, then your entitlement to keep such facts concealed is obviously diminished.

Also, your point is weak. I heard a report on NPR over the weekend that Ivins' siblings had no kind or sympathetic words for their brother (if I remember right, one said that he was glad he was dead), so it's not just the social worker saying this guy had problems.

The brother who has been widely quoted as criticizing Ivins is someone who hasn't seen or talked to him since 1985. How persuasive do you find that?

Meanwhile, everyone who actually knows him -- with virtual unanimity -- says he displayed no such behaviors. Again, if it turns out he did this, I won't be surprised -- but there should be all the facts available for making those assessments.