I love America. I love the principals it was founded upon. I love the opportunities it has afforded me. And I have a deep and abiding respect and love for its peoples.
But I fear for the America I love so dearly. In the last few months we have seen the government of this great land turn its back on the foundations of this country, but this isn’t the first time that an administration has grossly over-stepped its authority. No, the thing that worries me – that makes me scared for our futures – is the lack of moral outrage on the part of the citizens of the United States.
Before someone trots out terrorism as a justification for all trespass to the Constitution, I’ll quote a famous American:
They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759
Our current administration has taken great liberties with our Bill of Rights. Just his week it appears that they have abridged the freedom of the press (First Amendment) and without warrants or probable cause violated our rights to be secure in our homes and papers (Fourth Amendment).
Terror suspects – or even just those who have the mis-fortune of being mistaken for a terror suspect – are commonly denied due process of law (Fifth Amendment). Detainees at U.S. run facilities around the globe have been shown to suffer cruel and unusal punishment (Eighth Amendment).
And yet inspite the continued erosion of our basic rights, Americans do not seem shocked by our government’s acts. We have let this administration distract us with a host of other issues: illegal immigration, gay marriage, and a war we did not need. But in the end, we are faced with the continued pattern of trampling the Constitution by the government of the United States of America. Where is the outrage?
I love this country, but I wonder about its inhabitants, and fear for it’s future.
While I think illegal immigration is a real issue, the rest of your points are entirely on target. Those of us who are angry about how our government is being run are far too few in number. President Bush, and those who work for him, have only succeeded in their destruction of our essential rights because of a Congress that has abdicated its responsibilities since September 11, 2001. They’ve rubber-stamped virtually every single bad idea the administration has brought forward. I’m not sure what it will take to motivate people to bounce some incumbents out of office, but that the only way we as voters can let them know we aren’t to be trifled with.
While I think illegal immigration is a real issue, the rest of your points are entirely on target. Those of us who are angry about how our government is being run are far too few in number. President Bush, and those who work for him, have only succeeded in their destruction of our essential rights because of a Congress that has abdicated its responsibilities since September 11, 2001. They’ve rubber-stamped virtually every single bad idea the administration has brought forward. I’m not sure what it will take to motivate people to bounce some incumbents out of office, but that the only way we as voters can let them know we aren’t to be trifled with.
Hey there. You needn’t worry about the future of this country, since the GOP is about to lose its ass in the upcoming elections. Just look at this: A CNN poll released Wednesday shows Democrats with a 13-point advantage over Republicans among registered voters asked their preferences in this year’s midterm elections. Among all Americans, the poll found 50 percent leaning toward Democrats, 37 leaning toward the Republicans and 3 percent intending to vote for non-majority candidates. And Bush’s approval among Americans is the lowest its been for any president since Nixon. So whatever idiotic changes the GOP has put in place in recent years are certain to be overturned when level-headed Dems regain the majority in Washington.
Hey there. You needn’t worry about the future of this country, since the GOP is about to lose its ass in the upcoming elections. Just look at this: A CNN poll released Wednesday shows Democrats with a 13-point advantage over Republicans among registered voters asked their preferences in this year’s midterm elections. Among all Americans, the poll found 50 percent leaning toward Democrats, 37 leaning toward the Republicans and 3 percent intending to vote for non-majority candidates. And Bush’s approval among Americans is the lowest its been for any president since Nixon. So whatever idiotic changes the GOP has put in place in recent years are certain to be overturned when level-headed Dems regain the majority in Washington.
Level-headed and Democrats, in the same sentence? Not sure I’d normally agree with that one, but given how the crowd currently running the country has done, it’s probably fair this time.
If it were October 2006 instead of May 2006, I’d agree with you on how these midterm elections will turn out. With so much time between now and November, the Democrats could still screw it up. Talking too much about all the investigations they’re going to do when they take over is one way (*cough* Nancy Pelosi *cough*).
If instead, the Democrats hammer on how incompetent and corrupt the opposition is (and get an assist from the courts with some high-profile indictments in August or September), perhaps they win one house of Congress. I would prefer they win the Senate, so they can reject bad nominations straight up, but that’s going to be really hard.
Level-headed and Democrats, in the same sentence? Not sure I’d normally agree with that one, but given how the crowd currently running the country has done, it’s probably fair this time.
If it were October 2006 instead of May 2006, I’d agree with you on how these midterm elections will turn out. With so much time between now and November, the Democrats could still screw it up. Talking too much about all the investigations they’re going to do when they take over is one way (*cough* Nancy Pelosi *cough*).
If instead, the Democrats hammer on how incompetent and corrupt the opposition is (and get an assist from the courts with some high-profile indictments in August or September), perhaps they win one house of Congress. I would prefer they win the Senate, so they can reject bad nominations straight up, but that’s going to be really hard.
If you are indeed outraged, you now have a perfect opportunity to support organizations that exist to defend your civil rights, especially privacy. Take a good look at the Electronic Frontier Foundation ( http://www.eff.org ) and the American Civil Liberties Union ( http://www.aclu.org ) and see what you think.
If you are indeed outraged, you now have a perfect opportunity to support organizations that exist to defend your civil rights, especially privacy. Take a good look at the Electronic Frontier Foundation ( http://www.eff.org ) and the American Civil Liberties Union ( http://www.aclu.org ) and see what you think.
So get involved in your local elections. There are outraged people out there, you simply need to connect with them. Even working on a defeated campaign last year was awesome because of the excellent people I met, all of whom were working to make a difference.
So get involved in your local elections. There are outraged people out there, you simply need to connect with them. Even working on a defeated campaign last year was awesome because of the excellent people I met, all of whom were working to make a difference.