I know you are scared. There is another plot to kill more Americans announced yesterday. And, we have to be thankful for our government’s efforts to keep us safe. But, now that the fear meter has been heightened to its highest level since it was introduced, it is more important than ever that you keep your wits.
The last time something (or someone) threatened the United States on a national level, we–the American citizens–literally threw our freedoms out the door. Our legislators signed them away in the largely unread Patriot Act. And, we kept our mouths shut (and voted those people back into office)–hoping that those sweeping powers would not be abused.
Perhaps it made sense at the time. We did not know who or what we were fighting. We did not have any idea of how to go go about this task. We wanted to be safe–and someone to take care of us. But, we were wrong to do so. It is not acceptable to let our freedoms evaporate at the expense of that supposed safety.
Freedom of speech is important. The right to express your feelings and opinions and your dissent is the foundation for everything that is American. That fundamental belief is not so solid these days.
Freedom of religion is important, and the separation of Church and State is perhaps even more important. The first settlers came to this land to escape religious persecution, and now, almost 400 years later, we are doing the same thing that we ran to avoid. It is not acceptable to persecute or discriminate against someone who is not Christian. And, the handful of extremist Christians are lobbying for and passing legislation to cater to Fundamentalist Christianity (and certainly NOT to the majority of Christians).
Your privacy is important. It is not acceptable for our phone calls, mail, internet and other forms of communication to be intercepted without a court warrant. It is not acceptable for someone to search your home or you without a warrant. The court process was created to separate our free and civilized society from the dictatorships where the strongest and most powerful people make or break whatever rules they want.
Your freedom is important. It is NOT acceptable for any American Citizen to be imprisoned without being charged for a crime and without access to the legal system–UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.
The United States of America used to say, “Give me your tired. Your poor. Your huddled masses yearning to be free.” Our message today is very different. Our message to other countries is: You NEED Democracy, and we are the ones to give it to you. You need Capitalism and American products. You need our protection and the good graces of the United States, or else you will suffer.
So–let’s get back to the place of balance. If your politicians misrepresent your views–tell them. They need to know. If you overhear someone espousing values that do not represent what YOU think America is about–start a discussion. Ask them about their assumptions. TALK about the difference.
Lastly, we need you to Vote for your beliefs. If we are ever to return from our current brink to the a place of balance, we need less people to vote for the good of their political party, and more people to vote for the good of America.
