2 of 7

Write now Article Tools

Not only is it better to be skeptical of the government and constantly question its actions, it is our duty and responsibility as citizens. To blindly trust our elected officials to act in our best interests is foolish and dangerous. Much like leaving children unattended, government left to its own devices will push and test the limits of its power unless it is subjected to the oversight and guidance of those whom it concerns most - the American people. Tyranny is but a short step away from blind trust.

The very idea that we should be willing to sacrifice any of our hard-won civil liberties "temporarily" for the sake of homeland security until the terrorist threat has been defeated is unthinkable. First off, let us examine the concept of "temporarily". When and how is the terrorist threat going to be decisively eliminated? Is there, as we first thought during the aftermath of 9/11, a single enemy that we can point out, hunt down, and destroy? I believe that we are still looking for Osama bin Laden, the first such chosen culprit. We have removed former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein from power and watched him beheaded, but what has that changed?

The war on terror is like the war on drugs; a never-ending battle against a faceless enemy which is sure to win popular support and permissive funding. It feeds on the fears and insecurities of an uninformed public to advance the power and influence of the executive branch and its corporate interests.

"We cannot fight for freedom abroad by surrendering it at home." (1) This country was founded on the ideals of personal liberty and freedom from government interference and surveillance. How can we expect to further the cause of democracy by violating its basic tenets and our own constitution as convenient? We are a nation of idealists but we forget that equality and freedom are not innate qualities granted by god but instead living concepts we have to constantly examine and fight for when necessary.

The first of these living concepts is the 1st amendment of the Bill of Rights of our Constitution, which states:

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."

Protected free speech is considered quaintly obsolete in this the most secretive of administrations since Hoover. Free speech areas have become a

• 1
• 2
• 3
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about Losing trust in the American government: From Watergate to today?
We want to hear your view. Write now!