MILITARY FILES OPEN FOR ALL

With more than a few retired military types here, it's probably a good
thing to pass along a rather nasty bit of info. Then we'll get on with
happier, sappier things.

(Civilians can skip to the boldface now.)

When we retire, we're asked to file our DD Form 214 with the clerk of
court's office. That way when we go to the great parade in the sky our
estates can quickly deal with any military benefits due.

Well, seems Florida has now opened the files to anyone who wants to look at
'em.

Worse, several people have reported "stolen identities" thanks to this
practice.

Thanks to retired chief Bill Poe and many others for the mail on this.

My tears had barely dried after Mike Tyson's latest court case when I was
reminded of a quote attributed to Dan Duva, boxing promoter.

After Tyson got out of jail, he again hooked up with Don King, who
personifies everything wrong with pro boxing.

Said Duva, "Why would anyone expect him to come out of jail smarter? He
went to prison for three years, not Princeton."

Attorney General John Ashcroft is taking a lot of hits lately, as in a
half-page editorial on the cover of last Sunday's "Commentary" section.

Civil libertarians and many citizens are concerned about his (over)
reaction to events following Sept. 11.

Further, his meddling in Oregon's assisted suicide law causes me great
concern. Apparently, I'm not alone.

The citizens of Oregon voted it in, only to see Ashcroft overturn it. Last
time I read the Constitution, there was a mention or two about state's
rights superceding the federal government's.

Ditto with his overturning of a California vote allowing medical use of
marijuana.

If you were to argue that Ashcroft is the weakest link in an otherwise
splendid cabinet, few could argue.

After all, he was appointed to his current post after losing an election to
a dead guy. That's not the ticket most CEOs look for when picking
department heads, let alone someone to hold down one of the most vital jobs
in America.

"Hey, Mr. President, why don't you nominate Ashcroft? He has plenty of free
time now."

"Thanks, Kenny Boy."

Anyway, there's a germane quote regarding military tribunals, preventative
detention, expanded police powers and lifting restriction on intelligence
agencies. It seems timely:

"The government will make use of these powers only insofar as they are
essential for carrying out vitally necessary measures.

"The number of cases in which an internal necessity exists for having
recourse to such a law is in itself a limited one."

Sounds like what we've heard recently in Washington.

But that was from an address in 1933 to the German Reichstag.

The speaker was Adolf Hitler.