Freedom and Security

     Benjamin Franklin, in 1755, wrote, “Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.” These powerful words resonate deafeningly 254 years later as we find ourselves at the discretion of Legislature alarmingly paralleled to that which Franklin was writing of. We remain, as if by choice, completely oblivious to the fact that the USA Patriot Act—you know, that wonderful, surreptitious document which was passed without a hint of scrutiny—practically nullified the First Amendment Rights, which are guaranteed to Citizens in the Constitution of the United States, on the grounds of what are known as “suspected terrorist activities.” In fact, it is well known and documented that the National Security Agency conducted illegal operations that included warrantless searches, neglect of habeas corpus as well as the entire Constitution, and even went so far as to torture suspected terrorists, United States Citizens included, for information regarding terrorist organizations these alleged “terrorists” may or may not have known. The worst part of all is we, the U.S. Citizens, seem totally uninterested in repealing this bill that cracks the very foundation on which our Government was built: the Constitution of the United States. Instead, the center of focus has gone through a paradigm shift from unwavering scrutiny of the Government, as the Founders believed, to blatant disregard of Government, as modernization of society takes a subliminal turn for the worse.

   Propaganda, introduced to the general public by corporate conglomerations monopolizing practically all media outlets, makes it virtually impossible to sift through the mound of monetarily-influenced, biased news to find facts about these issues. Thanks to deregulation, corporations are in a virtual free-for-all with regards to mergers and takeovers. Ever wonder why different news stations in the United States cover the same stories at the same time; taking commercial breaks at almost the same time; playing the same commercials geared toward the same groups of people? We have become so numb by the massive influx of Everything Inc. that we will stand by and convert to slaves of an economic system bound for a state of perpetual disenfranchisement rather than take responsibility and exercise our Civic duties as Citizens to influence public policy for the common good; the public good—not for the good of only a select few. Wealth and Power of that magnitude always has and inevitably always will journey to the threshold of despotism. The United States is proudly holding the keys with hand on the doorknob; turning. The door opens and…