Those who give up their liberty for more security neither deserve liberty or more security.
Benjamin Franklin was credited with uttering those words. Franklin was one of the founding fathers of the United States.
Franklin earned the title of “The First American” for his early and indefatigable campaigning for colonial unity; as an author and spokesman in London for several colonies, then as the first United States Ambassador to France, he exemplified the emerging American nation.[2] Franklin was foundational in defining the American ethos as a marriage of the practical values of thrift, hard work, education, community spirit, self-governing institutions, and opposition to authoritarianism both political and religious, with the scientific and tolerant values of the Enlightenment.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin
After the events of September 11th 2001, Americans anxious to be safe from the onslaught which was unleashed by Osama Bin Laden and his Al Qaeda network were more than willing to give their Government unbridled latitude to do what was necessary to keep them safe.
The problem with that is that Government cannot be trusted with power, wherever Governments is allowed power the result is tyranny. That is the reason the American system of checks and balances seemed like such a good idea.
The American system of checks and balances appeared to do a credible job of preventing tyranny until now. Americans being a free-spirited people, decided to do what they feel necessary to prevent their Governments from being tyranical.
How do they do this you ask? Look no further than the present debate raging about guns. Many Americans will tell you that the second Amendment to the Constitution gives them the right to bear arms and it does.
Politicians and Police Agencies looking to limit the types of guns, and many argue all guns, in the hands of the citizenry, will have to scale the high wall of the second Amendment.
Some Political leaders argue that no person needs an assault rifle to defend his home or to hunt, these statements,though somewhat legitimate, really bears the hallmark of naivete.
Many Americans do not hold onto their guns for hunting or homestead defense, they seriously believe that they need to have adequate defense against their own Government.
Many people find this concept laughable, they criticize and ridicule these views as absurd, antiquated and out of the mainstream,.….…. but are they?
As new information begin to surface about the Obama Administration’s drone program, Americans are being made painfully aware that their Government which told them that they were using drones to kill terrorists overseas, before they could kill them over here, are also now telling them” we will use drones to kill you if we suspect you of terrorist activity”.Did you get that? .….….…. The whole concept was to keep Americans safe right?
Well, no more, this is no longer about using drones to kill Americans overseas who are suspected of being involved in terrorism but killing Americans on American soil without due process.
Most Police Agencies across America are clamoring for Drones to aid in what they characterize as their efforts to fight crime. No one bothers to ask these cops what the hell they need drones for?
They argue that it will be intelligence driven, of course we all know that American Intelligence is infallible[sic] just ask the Iraqis.
Some United States Senators who signed the Patriot Act during the Administration of George W Bush America’s 43rd President, admitted they did not read it.
Some simply signed the Bill, frenzied to protect America from another attack but some Democrats signed out of fear of being labeled soft. No Democratic Senator would risk the wrath of the Bush/Cheney propaganda cliché, “either you are with us or you are against us”.
America is now like a cat playing with a ball of yarn, it started out quite innocently, kitten tugging at the end of the yarn, but the longer it plays with the yarn the more entangled it gets, until the kitten has no way of extricating itself from the entanglement.
Every President, Governor, Senator Congressman right down to the dog catcher, runs as a tough guy, they all trumpet the need to keep America safe (important), but they lack the vision to discern the unintended consequences of a Police State they are rapidly creating. They keep tightening the screws, eliminating their very own liberty in the elusive quest for safety and security.
Of course safety and security were always abstract and subjective, it’s similar to a dog chasing it’s tail, or a Hamster on a wheel on a never ending trek to nowhere.
If Americans ever wondered what a police state is, all they have to do is look around them, it is here.
There are now reports not yet confirmed by the lame stream media, that former California Cop Christopher Dorner 33 may be targeted with drones, Police did not deny the allegations when asked by members of the Press, except to say they will use all available tools at their disposal to bring the situation to a close.
Dorner is accused of committing three murders, he has not been convicted of anything in a court of law, not yet.
Many Americans have no idea what they are clamoring for when they unwittingly give power-hungry politicians the power to do what they please. The Government is no longer the servant of the people, when that happens it is time to be concerned.
As of June 2000, State and local governments in the United States operated 17,784 full-time law enforcement agencies — those that employed at least one full-time sworn officer with general arrest powers or the equivalent in part-time officers.http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov.
Yet every dog catcher running for office, talks about the need to hire more cops, schools are crumbling, kids are failing, over 2 million people are incarcerated some for minor infractions, yet they keep hiring more and more cops.
Have you ever asked yourselves why? Despite the billions and billions spent each year on Policing the vast majority of what police do does not necessarily benefit the public, try calling them when you really need help in certain communities.
The images above ought to tell it all, we are in deep trouble.