Well, the rest of the world seems to have caught up with me in thinking that the phrase "Homeland Security" is sinister and not particularly American. Josh Marshall's Talking Points, and Mickey Kaus both make the case against the term very well. They however, concentrate on the Germano-fascist overtones to the word "homeland."

I agree totally, but I'll point out again that the name of the KGB "Committee for State Security" sure sounds a lot like "Department of Homeland Security." "Security" is one of those slippery words -- it doesn't take long before protecting the security of the homeland means making sure that people don't act in un-American ways. Paranoid? Ask the victims of the Hollywood Blacklist. Or ask Jose Padilla. Whoops, I guess you can't do that, since he's being held in military custody.