Agree completely on keeping it legal, for all the same reasons. We're also the same age. =) But my beef is with the new ability for indefinite detainment without being charged, with prisoners "disappearing" for indefinite periods of time. The Patriot Act, Gitmo and Abu Graib (sp) have re-defined the culture of law enforcement. Google what's been going on with Seattle's PD. Their conduct is close enough to a police state for me!
As an old hippy who ended up on Nixon's list of anti-war activists (and got pulled into secondary every time I came back into this country until 1983), I've watched the Darth Vader gear up of the last decade with a heavy heart and a feeling of impending doom. When a citizen of the US is sucked into the system and many days later is not charged and "may" be in a different state, it scares me. Not saying it doesn't appear he made some bad choices, but concerned in general about the erosion of our rights.