Keith Burgess-Jackson, J.D., Ph.D.

Two things stand out about this New York Times editorial opinion. First, the editorial board of the Times is living in a pre-9-11 world. It views terrorism as a matter of law enforcement: There are bad people out there; they should be apprehended, tried (with the full panoply of constitutional rights), and, if convicted, punished in accordance with law. There is no indication in this opinion that we are living in extraordinary times or that extraordinary measures are appropriate. This is odd, because, if I remember correctly, one of the attacks of 9-11 occurred in New York City. One would think that the board members would have noticed how that incident differed from the run-of-the-mill murder or kidnapping or burglary. Second, the board is still suffering from Bush Derangement Syndrome. I'm not making a joke. The board finds it impossible to comment on public affairs without (1) bringing former president Bush into the discussion and (2) blaming him for whatever ills the board thinks exist. Will the board ever stop blaming former president Bush? Will we ever "move on"? Will the country ever "belong" to our current president? Don't hold your breath.