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Who gave your rights away?

Josey1Josey1 Member Posts: 9,598 ✭✭
edited November 2001 in General Discussion
Who gave your rights away?
c 2001 WorldNetDaily.com Many conservatives, liberals and libertarians are protesting the numerous invasions of your liberty that Congress and the Bush administration have imposed during the past two months. But without realizing it, many of the protestors brought these invasions on themselves. This is America? I do share their concerns, however. First, Congress rammed through an "anti-terrorism" bill that violates the civil liberties of all Americans, not just terrorists. The new law allows federal officials to search your home when you're not present and not even tell you your home has been searched. You could come home one day and find your computer, file cabinets and legal papers have disappeared. You'd naturally think it was a burglary, but the burglars would be government employees (shades of Watergate). Warrants can be issued in secret, and you may not be allowed to see a warrant - or contest it - covering a search of your property. This is America? Government officials can go into any company anywhere and search records of your purchases and credit history, discover the websites you've visited, or monitor your e-mail - without evidence of a crime and without telling you, and they can order the companies not to tell you about the search. Then the Bush administration, apparently invoking the divine right of kings, decided that people can be tried and executed by secret courts (using secret evidence not available for you to refute), that government agents can eavesdrop on attorney-client conversations, and that federal agents can conduct searches without judicial oversight. This is America? And understand that the so-called "War on Terrorism" is only two months old. This is just the beginning. What's still to come? In previous wars, citizens were imprisoned for speaking out against the government, newspapers were closed for protesting the war, private publications were censored, and people of foreign ancestry were put in concentration camps. We have a lot to look forward to. Don't be deceived! The press implies that the new civil-liberties invasions will apply only to terrorists. Not true. They apply to you, because anyone can be suspected of being a terrorist - including you. In fact, the new definition of "suspected terrorist" includes people speaking out against government policies. And if law-enforcement officials are to decide whose civil liberties will be denied, one of them may become convinced you're connected to the terrorists in some way, try you in a secret court, sentence you, imprison you and even execute you - with no opportunity for you to appeal the verdict or your sentence. This is America? An administration official told The Washington Post "The U.S. Constitution doesn't protect anyone hiding and planning acts of violence." But what he meant was, "The U.S. Constitution doesn't protect anyone we suspect of hiding and planning acts of violence." They don't know who's actually guilty until after a civil, public trial - conducted with all the traditional rules of evidence. What they have arrogated to themselves is the power to decide whether or not you will be protected by the Constitution. This is America? If you're not frightened by this, you're simply not paying attention. Won't be limited to a few people Have you been told that some of these invasions apply only to aliens - or some other small group of people? Don't be reassured. When has any invasion of liberty not been expanded to cover all people eventually? The clearly unconstitutional RICO laws were supposed to apply only to organized crime - but hardly a single Mafia kingpin has been prosecuted using RICO, while abortion protestors and stockbrokers have been jailed by these laws. The clearly unconstitutional asset-forfeiture laws were only to nab big-time drug dealers, but all across America the property of innocent people has been seized. It's only a matter of time until every new oppression applies to all Americans. Why this happened I said that many of those protesting these invasions brought this on themselves. How? It's very simple. Attorney General John Ashcroft justified the unconstitutional police-state tactics by saying, "I think it's important to understand that we are at war now." And there you have it. As Randolph Bourne said, "War is the health of the state." Once you grant the government war-making powers, you grant the politicians the power to do anything they want. After all, you can't put your own personal liberty ahead of the good of the Fatherland, can you? Congress didn't declare war. There were none of the usual pre-war negotiations to try to avoid going to war. We're not even at war with any specific nation. But just utter the magic word "war" and all your rights can be stolen from you. So if you hollered for war, you hollered to have your rights taken away from you. Who gave your rights away? You did - if you supported the idea that the politicians should be free to do anything they want to satisfy a national lust for revenge. Isn't it time to start taking back your liberty? http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=25456

Comments

  • salzosalzo Member Posts: 6,396 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Great article. As the author points out, we gave up our rights a long time ago(Rico, assett forfeiture). The constitution has been a document that is only payed lip service. As long as a politician says that he does not think certain actions are unconstitutional, the general public will not see their actions as unconstitutional.The public will always be behind something that is done for "safety" reasons. And then when the action becomes an infringement on the rights of law abiding citizens, the public remains ignorant to what is going on. The politicians recognize this phenomenon, and realize all they have to do to get around the constitution is to claim safety concerns, start by going after bad guys, and eventually everyone else.
  • BlueTicBlueTic Member Posts: 4,072
    edited November -1
    Everybody says we have to stop this, HOW?, WHEN? WHERE? WHO? Can an individual make a stand and be assured that the people will back him up after the propoganda machine has ground him under? Can a group of people do the same? Is the time now for a newer version of the Tea party? There are so many guestions to be answered and yet can you even ask the questions - here - NO! Do not for one minute tell me that I am to blame when I am constricted by the same foul stench of todays political games. Oh - am I supposed to type out a meeting time for all interested rebels? Hey guys - lets get together and brainstorm this problem! (can you spell conspiracy and stupidity). What else is being checked in todays mail - Sorry your letter was opened Mr. Part-time internet gundealer, but we had to check for anthrax you know. You can't even say Oh there's a problem today without someone in the crowd yelling out "PARANOID"!!!!Do not blame me sir lest ye give a light at the end of this tunnel, so I may walk that way. If I choose darkness then I would be to blame.
    IF YOU DON'T LIKE MY RIGHTS - GET OUT OF MY COUNTRY (this includes politicians)
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