War is always a menace to liberty. This was recognized by the Founders of America, who did all they could to keep the power of making War in the hands of the representatives of the people. Reading the Federalist Papers we can see that this was always uppermost in their minds. We need not guess about this. It was uppermost in their minds because they knew that the fear of the "enemy" is always an excuse to take away the liberty of everyone. Nevertheless, wars happen. Wars sometimes have to be fought. From time to time, there is no choice other than to fight or to perish. But even in wars, the power to pursue them remains in the hands of the legislature.
But things have to be kept in perspective. To what degree do we willingly surrender rights because of being in a State of War? In WWII the survival of the Nation itself was at stake. If things had worked out differently, the United States may very well have found itself physically occupied by the Germans and Japanese. Our way of life, would have ended. Our country would have ceased to exist.
Abuses to Liberty were common. The Japanese, who were American Citizens, were shamefully interred in concentration camps. Two people, one of whom was an American Citizen, were shamefully tried by a military tribunal instead of the Civil Courts. The press was censored, although only in military matters. No doubt if I had lived during those days I would not have been overly worried about things we now know were completely unnecessary. After all, the fate of the Nation was in danger. Some of those previous abuses have been rectified. The Japanese have had an apology, and at least some financial payment for their suffering. And of course such things as Military censorship were completely justified. Even so, in the Middle of the War, the military censorship overall was ended. The disaster at Pearl Harbor was revealed as the disaster it was in 1944. The Public was kept informed over the temporary defeat during the Battle of Bulge, and so on.
Today, I find it disturbing that there are those who call, not for sacrificing convenience, which after all, has nothing to do with liberty or rights - But urge that we sacrifice our rights themselves, "In order to keep them."
Is the country in any danger of being taken over?
Is the country in any danger of being defeated?
Is there any chance at ALL that we can lose this war against us, declared on us by a few thousand religious fanatics?
There is none, not even a statistical chance. I who live near Ground Zero, who watched the towers fall, know that such attacks were only capable of succeeding because of the laxity of the administration in power. I cannot claim that this laxity is solely to be laid at their feet, but when all is said and done, this is water under the bridge. But if such an attack succeeded today, it would only be because of criminal negligence. So what then are the options of these religious fanatics? Why they might kill some of us. And the fact that they can kill some of us, in some mysterious way means that we should surrender our liberties and our rights; in fact everything that makes us a powerful and free nation, so that I can be safe from them? This is no different then demanding that I be safe from lighting, or some criminal who might take my life for the Twenty dollars in my pocket. Moreover this so called War is never going to cleanly end, Such talk, such requests, are to my way of thinking, not only cowardly and irrational, but self defeating. A glance at history shows that only free nations can survive over time. **** Germany lasted 12 years, and even the Soviet Union, lasted only seventy. And since the danger of terrorism will never end, it's a call for a permanent end to our rights. And does it really make a difference if the fanatics name is bin Laden or McVeigh, or Rudolph?
This so called war we are fighting is nothing more or less than fighting a criminal gang, and the methods used for fighting this criminal gang are Police methods. I may from time to time become nervous when I drive over a bridge or go through a tunnel or when I ride the subway. So what? Most of that fear is driven by an hysterical media. Life is full of dangers, and from a statistical point of view, the danger from being killed by some lunatic are far higher then being killed by some fanatic.
I am sick and tired of those who demand that I be so frightened, that I have no other option than to sink to the lowest common denominator of fear, and make everyone around me a suspect.
Absolutely, certain sacrifices to convenience are in order. If I have to wait to board a plane, or have my truck checked before a bridge, so be it. But to acquiesce in the dismantling of my rights in order to protect my rights. is the statement of someone who has never valued their rights, and doesn't understand the purpose of rights.
Dave
