The Show of Over-Patriotism Astounds Me

by D8TA 113 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  D8TA

  While you watch your Britney Spears videos...your freedom is being taken away.

  While you cheer for your NBA team and drink that beer...your freedom is being taken away.

  While you watch CNN/MSNBC/FOXNews reports about Laci Peterson and shuttle disasters....your freedom is being taken away.

  While you see one of the greatest misdirections about "condition ORANGE" blinking on your sets....your freedom is being taken away.

  While you hoot-n-holler for going to war with Saddam Hussien...your freedom is being taken away.

  While you turn on your computer to surf the internet...your freedom is being taken away.

  While you worry about what sports car to buy...your freedom is being taken away.

  While you sit in your home with the heat on, enjoying 3 sqaures a day...your freedom is being taken away.

  While you worry about your next job promotion...your freedom is being taken away.

  While you are being suckered by the greatest sham from the U.S. government...your freedom is being taken away.

  It's amazing, that very few here realize what the Patriot Act and Dept. of Homeland Defense represents....and what is now in place. For the rest who don't know...you have my pity. But when the steam roller comes, and it obliterates your sense of reality in your lifetime or your children's lifetime...I'll be the guy who sits with a smile and says, "I told you so".

  Amazing...from people who broke free from the WTBTS and still don't see what has transpired since 9-11. Willing to fight to the last, in complete blindness, and still think that America you live in....is the same one prior to 9-11. And I'm not talkint about a nation holding grief and sorrow...nor unity...I'm talking about the nation who let their freedoms go for a false sense of security. The nation who is calling Iraq the greatest threat, when it was their own government who is beginning a rule of tyranny.

  Hope it was all worth it.

  And give it some time, for those who will now lambast me on this, for I will come back someday and say....

  I told you so.
• 

  Realist

  i agree with your heading.

  do you have any info on the Patriot Act and Dept. of Homeland Defense?
• 

  freedom96

  Do you really think things are going to change much from the way they are now?

  Though I am not suggesting that there is no other place to have a good life, there is no where else that I would want to live.

  The fact is we have many freedoms that most don't on this planet.
• 

  reporter

  I might think exactly the same way, but I'm not going to steamroll these beliefs upon other Americans. I've learned from leaving the WTBTS as well -- not to be pushy. I'll lay out anything I've found out, listen to all sides, and continue to look for more evidence. Even if I thought I had all the evidence in the world that America is going to hell in the freedom-robbing handbasket, and all the conspiracy theories were fact, I am still going to consider the contrarian views, and those who support the current war and terrorism prevention efforts.
• 

  Mulan

  Thanks D8TA. I should have known you would bring some sense here. I couldn't agree more. I just wish I knew more.
• 

  D8TA

  Patriot Act:

  http://www.redding.com/news/state/past/20021222topstate072.shtml

  http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1105-275026.html

  http://twincities.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/2002/12/23/focus2.html

  http://www.stanford.edu/~jimkr/digital_dilemmas/patriot_act/for.html

  http://www.efn.org/~lcbordc/mediaonbordcs.htm

  http://abcnews.go.com/sections/scitech/TechTV/techtv_civilliberties011104.html

  http://www.thebyteshow.com/HomeLandSecurityAndSubpoenas.html

  http://www.sacbee.com/content/politics/nation/story/5644607p-6619850c.html

  http://news.tbo.com/news/MGA23TESL5D.html

  and few to start off with and here is what you may be looking for...

  http://www.cit.cornell.edu/oit/PatriotAct/present.html

  Oh yes, good little citizens of the U.S., this won't affect you. Naw. In fact, you are good law abiding citizens, aren't ya?

  Well, like I say...give it some time. I'm willing to bet...oooooh...in a few weeks, a poster from this board will be sharing their experience as to how "good law abiding citizens" became a target because of this act.

  Now...as to the Dept. of Homeland Defense...I already broke my "go find it yourself rule". It's out there, read...hey...even from so-called "legitimate sources". I don't think I need to spin and opinion on all of this...it works it's own magic.

  Should anybody "believe" that their government...their sacred honest U.S. government...won't abuse this?

  They will.

  Could be the Bush administration...could not. Could start happening soon...may start within your children's generation. The door is now open, and I say there will be abuse.

  What has transpired since the enactment of this law and this department (and the upcoming laws and departments), will be no simple matter of dissolving with words or ballots. I predict much unrest in the U.S., not from fundamental religous or political groups...nope....from John & Jane Q. Public. And thank god for this law and department, because when they start raising their voices...viola...they can be labled "terrorists".
• 

  seawolf

  Now the Patriot Act II is coming......

  Discussion on it here: http://yro.slashdot.org/yro/03/02/07/2217253.shtml?tid=103

  http://www.rense.com/general34/doj.htm

  Dr. David Cole, Georgetown University Law professor and author of Terrorism and the Constitution, reviewed the draft legislation at the request of the Center, and said that the legislation "raises a lot of serious concerns. It's troubling that they have gotten this far along and they've been telling people there is nothing in the works." This proposed law, he added, "would radically expand law enforcement and intelligence gathering authorities, reduce or eliminate judicial oversight over surveillance, authorize secret arrests, create a DNA database based on unchecked executive 'suspicion,' create new death penalties, and even seek to take American citizenship away from persons who belong to or support disfavored political groups."

  Edited by - seawolf on 8 February 2003 20:47:10
• 

  reporter

  Having said the above, I think these quotes are appropriate:

  The man who trades freedom for security does not deserve nor will he ever receive either.

  The U. S. Constitution doesn't guarantee happiness, only the pursuit of it. You have to catch up with it yourself.

  -Benjamin Franklin.
• 

  Aztec

  D8TA, I agree with you completely. I feel like I am banging my head against a wall when I get into these debates though.

  ~Aztec
• 

  Grunt

  Why would you smile???

  What would you do to stop another attack form happening with a more powerful weapon???

  What are your answers to this situation??? Should we cut off Israel, who is dealing with the same problem from the same people??? Should we get all of our forces out of the part of the world that the "would be Martyrs" who send the real "martyrs" with the bombs out tell us to stay out of??? If we were spineless enough and did both of those things do you think they would really stop???

  I don't know the answer. I do know that an enemy that is willing to kill his own people and even family members would be willing to give weapons to the people that have shown themselves eager to deliver his weapons. I wouldn't wait to see a mushroom cloud over New Orleans, Boston or London to decide to stop the sources. I'd do it now. I'm glad we are.

  When and if more innocent people die, or more of my rights are taken in an effort to prevent such deaths, then I won't be smiling. I'm not now. It is a sad situation that I don't see a good ending to. It is like the Middle East tangle is being exported. I think we can stop most of it. I hope so.

  I don't like the new laws. I hope they are repealed. I think they were a reaction and will be undone when the crisis is past. Having the near miss on the terroist's computer and other lost opportunities affected us a lot. I will vote for their undoing given the chance. Meanwhile, I don't think the American government is trying to take away my freedom. I think they are doing their best to keep track of all the people we have within our borders who would like to see more secretaries jumping out of windows.

  Grunt