by Simon D. Lewis

Created on: April 19, 2008

Freedom? The question is freedom from what? Freedom from the government putting you in chains and imprisoning you for smoking a joint? Or freedom from hunger, and the cold, or from not having shelter?

When the founders of this country wrote about freedom they were talking about freedom from oppressive government, not hunger. Unfortunately what we have today is a government that has assumed the caretaker role and serves as the oppressor as well. But it is a better oppressor than a caretaker. The poor still live harsh lives in tough conditions. And the rich at the very highest levels have hi-jacked the government for their own benefit.

What do we have to look forward to based on current trends? Our "freedom" is going to be completely quashed out. Already the government spies on us to an incredible degree. And its getting worse. Now federal agents are going to start collecting DNA from everyone they take into custody. This is insane. We have a constitution which prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures. Of course the government doesn't view this as a bar on its power. Evidently the Bush administration doesn't believe the 4th amendment applies to domestic anti-terrorism efforts. how do you define a terrorist?

Our laws against "terrorists" are being used against ordinary, everyday Americans, including some prominent ones, like the Governor of New York, who got caught because of post-9/11 laws requiring banks to spy on their customers. And you thought the woman at the bank counter who didn't want to cash your check was rude. Hey, the guys in the back are watching your every move and reporting you to the government. No matter, no one seems to get upset. No candidate for President stands up and says that's wrong-your bank shouldn't be spying on you. We abandoned our privacy rights and our individual liberties long ago, save for a sacred few-like the right to have an abortion. But the rest of them have been tossed.

We are learning of new rights violations almost daily but no one is starding up for our rights. The silence is deafening. Does this behavior remind you of everything? Think back to WWII and the denial by the Jews of what the Nazis were doing when they got reports (read Night by Elie Wiesel). They couldn't believe it was true. It just seemed like it couldn't be true. It was too hard to believe.
Watch out America. Stand up for your rights, before it is too late.

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