The Big Irony

I find it a little odd that the very people in positions of leadership in this country who spout off about patriotism and how great democracy is for everyone, are the very same people who would drop due process like a hot potato when our country was still mourning the loss of 3000 of our own citizens, and the symbols of our economic prosperity. The constitution, the very document that separates free people from those who live in dictatorships has been disregarded in the most secret and underhanded way. Because not only does the President expect Americans to forfeit the inalienable rights that the Constitution provides, he expects those of us who are leery of such an exchange, freedom for security, to remain silent while this transformation from democracy to police state takes place. And he wouldn't have told us about it at all if those loudmouth folks at the NY Times hadn't made the mistake of thinking that a free press still existed in this country.

The fourth amendment says this:

' Amendment IV.
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. '

Most Americans might find it frightening to know that the executive Branch of the country so disregarded these sentences. Most might find it unnerving to think that someone from Homeland Security had picked through their e-mails. They might feel that some privacy had been violated. And while some of us feel like we have nothing to hide, I personally don't visit porn sites or frequent chat rooms, I have refrained from reading Arabic newspapers because I don't particularly want the FBI showing up at my place of employment. I would dearly love to have the chance to read both sides of the story, I think it would benefit most Americans to have some sort of conversation with those folks of different cultures and religions, especially since we have been bombing the life out of them for the past three years, but my fear of my own government exceeds my need for understanding. And since the hope for peace has been equated with treason, I feel safer staying within the boundaries that the Administration has set for us, you can say whatever you like, but don't hang out with any Arabs, and don't check out any books from your local library that are written in Arabic or Farsi. Not like I could read them anyways, but I often felt a little uncomfortable when my Muslim American co-workers would ask me to join them for drinks.

At one point I wanted to start a dialog between Americans and Arabs. I thought it would be a good idea for every American to have an Arab pen-pal, I thought that understanding could be the first step towards peace. And of course, I thought that this idea should begin with me. I had almost hit the send button, but my fear of being put on some list stopped me from sending the e-mail. The fear of my own fellow Americans out weighed my fear of terrorism, the frail centuries old parchment of the Constitution has no protection for me, or for anyone who might believe that freedom such as it is in this country, might be any good for another nation.

The laws broken by the Bush Administration are surely impeachable. The President is sworn to uphold the Constitution, and this President secretly and deliberately violated his oath of office. The Americans who truly believe in the Constitution and the ways of democracy are obligated to call for hearings.

The terrorists have truly won, they made us voluntarily renounce our freedom.

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