[Vision2020] W. Mark Felt, hero or heel?

[joanopyr at earthlink.net]

First Pat wrote:

"He [Mark Felt] took an oath to protect the  president and he went behind
everybodys back to break the law." 

To which Andreas replied: 

"No, Pat, Mark Felt didn't take an oath to protect the President. He took
an oath to protect the Constitution of the United States of America, which,
as you might remember, is the supreme law of the land that Nixon was
trampling all over. We happen to be a country of laws, not of men, and when
the President is committing crimes, he remains a citizen of the United
States. If things work correctly, he goes to prison. If things work
incorrectly, as they did, he's pardoned by his chosen successor."

I recall writing something akin to this three days ago, Andreas, but Pat
apparently had a banana in her ear.  FBI agents, CIA agents, soldiers, the
President, the Vice-President, the President's Cabinet Secretaries, and the
whole of Congress each take an oath to protect and defend the Constitution.
NOT THE PRESIDENT.  Why is this so hard to grasp?  Presidents come and go;
they are mere men.  Soldiers, spies, law enforcement and politicians do not
take an oath to protect and defend the transient occupant of the Oval
Office.  

Mark Felt did not promise to cover up for Nixon, come what may.  He
promised to defend the Constitution of the United States.  In helping to
provide the information that brought down the Nixon Administration, I
believe he succeeded.  I don't know enough about his actions against the
Weather Underground to comment on that.  The WU were domestic terrorists. 
They and their friends and family did (and do) have civil rights, however. 
If Felt violated those, then he deserved the punishment he received.  It's
worth noting, however, that Pat's great hero, Ronald Reagan, pardoned Felt
for his actions against the Weather Underground only one year after Felt's
conviction.  No fan of Reagan's -- just taking note.

Joan Opyr/Auntie Establishment
www.auntie-establishment.com