"Once again, that doesn't bother me. Right or wrong, that's how I feel. Nothing is secure, was it ever?"
Our Founding Fathers placed the highest value on freedom and liberty...They were ready to sacrifice all, in order to maintain those values...I'll be honest with you..I find people of that selfish point of view to be a bigger threat than anything else we are facing as a nation today. People are very aware of the war on terror..They are aware, and they realize that there are people in this world that are out to do us harm, so they are vigilant of it. They don't realize though, that there is also a threat from within...In your own words "Once again, that doesn't bother me. Right or wrong, that's how I feel." Right or wrong that's how you feel, and notice the "once again" part, it implies that there are many issues just like this that you hold similar opinions on...Have you no sense of truth and justice? You admit yourself that you don't care about right or wrong, all you seem to care about is how you feel, and what you want. How I praise my Lord that our Founding Fathers did not share your attitude, we'd be sitting in a country on level to France, or worse... This country does not exist today because of selfish views of a few..It exists because of the blood, sweat, and tears of so many that understood the true beauty she held..They understood that you couldn't just go anywhere and be free, they understood the value of capitalist society, and the treasure it holds for those who are not afraid to do some hardwork.. But most of all they knew that there was no better game on Earth, and that for the better of her being, their lives were worth the sacrifice. They understood that it was a government to represent a nation, not to control it, and they gave all for that ideal. That's why everyone came from far and wide, ready and willing to do most anything to become an American, or secure the opportunity that their child would gain its precious birthright. They willing went to their deaths either through backbreaking labor, to secure a better place for their family..Or they went by the hand of a bullet, bomb or bayonet dying to protect the gift they had received, and wished to protect for their children. Fact is, our nation is what it is today because so many have held her in such high regard that they fought and died for her. They laid their lives at her feet to secure her and keep her strong.. Nearly every move made by our Founding Fathers was made to secure the populace from tyranny, because they knew what it was to live less than free. When I hear people say "Oh, they weren't around for the information age, they didn't know about email." I laugh. I laugh at them. 'Secure in their person, papers, houses, and effects.' I'm sure anyone here with experience of going through a probate procedure knows what an effect is..An effect is anything belonging to the person...Anything. Only one with a questionable comprehension level, or one with a questionable agenda would try to interpret it any differently.... Our Fathers gave us the greatest gift on Earth, to be free of an oppressive government, and thrive according to our own merit. I'm not going to give it up just because one isn't wise enough appreciate it, or because one wishes to terrorize me enough to give it up. It isn't going to happen. I love my nation..and I love my God..and I love the gifts I have been given.. I will not let anyone convince me that I should spit on them with impunity, or cheapen them in anyway.. I will stand and rise to the occasion anytime, anywhere, any place. I love my nation..I am not trying to "change" her, I'm not trying to question her, and I'm not trying to give her away to the highest bidder, or the first person that says boo... I will defend her until there is no longer warm breath flowing through my lips...So, if the problem is that you really are "afraid" of terror, come hide behind my skirt, and I will keep you safe. Though I don't agree with your opinions, I will do my all to protect you, because that's what Americans do. But don't ask me to give up my liberty for your safety, because it isn't going to happen. I'm just sorry so many in this country don't understand what we have.. You admitted yourself freely that you aren't bothered by right and wrong, and that you only care about how you feel... Why don't you just stand back, and let the people who do care handle the matter? If you have no sense of right and wrong, and only care for your own feelings, you have no business in this fight. The stakes are just too high. I think it's great you don't have anything to hide, and guess what?? I don't either...But that does not give the government the right to do whatever they want unchecked.. To do so would be to throw away everything this nation has stood for since its conception..
Badray, JTN... Just trying out the feature you told me about. Do you get copies of this too?
Wear your burka in good health.
Yeah, I got it. And you said what you said very well.
conservativehoney - Well said Excellent post.
Disturbing that there ARE some who are either too selfish or too cowardly to require that the Executive branch just FOLLOW THE LAW established by the 1978 FISA that REQUIRES that ANY wiretaps made by a government agency be approved by the secret court set up to handle these situations.
pbrown - I don't think anyone is arguing that the president should not be allowed to listen in on suspected terrorists, within and without America, as long as he does it WITHIN THE LAW. Since the Administration apparently failed to ask for a warrant, even retroactively, a law may have been broken. In addition, since the FISA court was not consulted we simply DO NOT KNOW whether or not the NSA used this new authority to spy on our own citizens since we have no record of those wiretaps.
I agree that the Executive Branch(law enforcement) should have all the tools available to them to fight the war on terror, but not at the cost of Judicial and/or Congressional oversight (checks and balances). The Founders created three co-equal branches of government that are responsible for regulating (checking and balancing) each other. Without this regulation, dangerous abuses of power can and will result.
This is Government 101, folks. Doesn't anyone remember this stuff from school?
And just so you all know, I don't value my life, or any of yours for that matter, over the freedoms we have been blessed with by our Creator and outlined by the Founders.
God, I love it when I hear talk like that.
(I would agree that paragraphs make a long post easier to read and a post as good as yours deserves to be read.)
Why some people think that you are willing to surrender is beyond me. You know that there are some things worth fighting and dying for, just as many have known that came before us.
I was visiting my mother at the nursing home a few hours ago and tonight's activity (in the Alzheimer's unit where she is) was a sing-along. Nothing has moved me so much in a long time. The songs varied from the old fun songs from the 40s and 50s to religious and patriotic ones. These dear old folks who can barely shuffle from one place to another, if they can stand or walk at all and don't know day from night and can't recognize their own children, belted out these songs with joy and pride.
When we sang "My Country, tis of thee" and "Battle Hymm of the Republic" and others, their mostly feeble voices got stronger and louder. Their chests puffed up with pride. Their heads were held a little higher.
And it struck me, the words weren't "My country, tis of thee, soft land of security. It was sweet land of LIBERTY. The statue in NY Harbor isn't the Statue of Safety, it's the Statue of LIBERTY. And it's the Bill of Rights, not the Bill of Good Ideas Except When We're Scared.
Liberty. Liberty is what we have always cherished and erected monuments to. Liberty is what we sing about and what countless men and women have given their lives for. Liberty for their children and their neighbors and their neighbor's children. Liberty is what made this country great. Taking risks. Being bold. Going without a safety net. Making our own way. Sweet land of liberty. Liberty is sweet. It should be savored and protected, never squandered or given up lightly.
Fighting for liberty is what made us safe, not demanding that government keep us safe. Somewhere along the way, we've lost that spirit and it's not very becoming.