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Let me try it this way:

I can no longer live in the state of California - I left in 1988 - because of guns that I own. Plus, after 1994, the type of guns that I like to shoot can no longer be imported into the US - that's an infringement on the 2nd Amendment.

What type of gun would that be?

If I speak against the Federal Government's "War on Terror" in public, the attorney general of the US has said - and the so-called "Patriot Act" states - that I might be considered a terrorist. So there goes freedom of speech, the 1st Amendment.

Have you even spoken out in public? Isn't FR.com considered a public forum? I think you might be over exaggerating on this one. If what you say is true, then everyone on FR.com has 'breached' the patriot act in some form or another.

The government, both federal and other, have shown how much they like to confiscate property - simply because you *might* be committing a crime. And it's damned hard to get it back - plus it will cost you a lot of money. Go to www.fear.org (Forfeiture Endangers Americans' Rights) if you want to see stats. That's the 5th Amendment.

Might be committing a crime? Sounds a bit nutty to me. Admittedly, I am not that familiar with the 5th amendment. But, if you haven't comitted a crime, isn't your fear unwarranted?

The federal government in many, many ways has taken away the rights of the individual states. Just one recent case is when Bush signed the Education bill a few weeks ago. That's the 10th Amendment.

And yet, the Philadelphia school district is now run by a private company. We have a sh!t-load of charter schools here in Michigan. I fail to see how holding school districts accountable takes away a State's rights.

Using Echelon, Carnivore, and God only knows what other tools, the government surveils our phone calls, email, etc. That's the 4th Amendment.

And you have undeniable proof they are listening and monitoring you?

People are being locked up without access to an attorney and without even being accused of a crime, especially since 9/11. There are people now behind bars that have been there for months - even years - who have never been charged with a crime. That's the 6th Amendment.

And they are not American citizens. This is a catch-22 because no matter what the gov't does, it can't win. Detain questionable people and possibly prevent further terrorist strikes, or, release them and be the scapegoat when an attack occurs. If these were Mexican illegals who were being held, would you still feel the same?

I would be very interested in hearing what your solutions are to the above 'loses' of freedom.