2003-11-13 05:01:00
Larry and Paula...
Here's some of my views on the Patriot Act.
Any of the thousands of laws and acts that are passed are a potential threat to some of our Freedoms. The theory behind each one is that they will bring more freedom than they will take away.
A law restricting theft will take away some freedoms from those who want to rob you or are under suspect, but it will give more freedom to these who wish to have the freedom to enjoy their possessions.
Overall laws governing theft give more freedom than they take away - therefore, they are in alignment with the Principle of freedom.
Let me see. What freedom am I losing under the Patriot Act?
Do I still have freedom of speech?
Yes. I can say anything I want.
Can I still criticize the President, Congress or whatever?
Definitely. There is more criticism of politicians than ever.
Does it increase my taxes and take away my freedom over the fruit of my labors?
No.
Does it interfere with my freedom of movement? No.
Can I still write whatever I want on the internet? Seems so.
Do I have freedom from surveillance? Answer: I never had it. As soon as I get in my car and drive to work there is about a 50/50 chance that I will pass some policeman who will look me over and see if I am wearing a seat belt, check out my license plate, check for a broken headlight, examine my driving habits and anything else that comes to his mind as an excuse to stop me and then check me out in detail.
There is about one chance in about 200 I could have a tax audit in any year.
There's one chance in about 1000 that some stalker is watching me with sinister motives.
In other words, we live in a sea of possible surveillance.
Since the Patriot Act was passed what is the increase in the possibility of surveillance concerning myself or an average citizen?
Some are making a big deal that they can find out which books we checked out of the library.
Actually I would be happy to provide a list of every book I check out if they would promise to just ignore me as I drive down the road.
Even so, this bothers some people, but has anything changed?
Not really. Before the Patriot Act they could still get a court order and discover your library record. Since the Patriot Act there has not been one recorded case of using the act to find out what any citizen has been reading.
Therefore, the danger (if you could call it that) of authorities checking into your reading habits is over one in 100,000,000 so far, much, much less than being stalked or being unjustly hauled into the station after being stopped by a traffic cop.
Am I under a danger of being observed through the internet, phone tapping, or by someone in a high tech van outside my home?
Answer: No one has ever been completely free from such things. But the danger for a U.S. citizen being subject to an increased danger in this matter is very small. For one thing it costs the government about $2000 to do any type of surveillance on any single person and continued surveillance would cost many thousands. Because of the cost alone they are forced to limit themselves to only check out the most dangerous among us.
So what are the chances that so authority would be checking me out? Let's see. I am more of a public figure than most. I've made a few enemies and a lot of people do not like what I think. For the average citizen, the possibility is probably less than one in a million. Mine is higher than that, but still pretty slim. And if someone is checking me out, so what? Am I loosing any freedom because of it?
Not really. I still have freedom to do anything that I could do before the Patriot Act.
Am I secure in my home so I don't have to worry about someone bursting in and taking me down to the station to question me?
Answer: No one in any country has ever been completely secure in this regard. There was the possibility of this happening before the Patriot act and there is the possibility afterwards. This possibility is about the same now as it was before the Patriot Act, especially if you are doing nothing that bears the marks of a terrorist.
Both before and after the Patriot Act they have had to get a court order to do this. The Patriot Act just makes it a little easier to get the court order on a potential terrorist. (I heard this from several legal experts on news programs)
If I had a web site on how to fly planes into a building then I may have cause to be a little nervous over the Act, but for an average U.S. citizen, basically nothing has changed.
Now the test of the Patriot Act as it applies to the principle of Freedom is this. Has it given is more freedom than it has taken away?
It was passed with the purpose of giving authorities power to prevent another 911. At the time it was passed many thought that another major terrorist act would definitely come in the next couple years. This has not happened and there is credible evidence that the Patriot Act has been a factor in preventing this. There is no way to prove this but one thing we do know for sure is that there has not yet been a repeat of 911 and this is evidence of itself that the processes in play are working and aiding in the principle of freedom. Consider this. If we had two or three more 911 disasters (or worse) we could face a potential collapse of civilization and the wholesale loss of freedom never before experienced. Such a loss of freedom would make the inconvenience of the Patriot Act seem like the problem of an itch on your nose by comparison.
The question now arises as to why so many are so panicked over the Patriot Act when the practical threat to our freedom as it plays out in real life is about a thousand times less than the threat to freedom from a traffic cop?
The answer is quite simple.
You've heard the story about boiling the frog by adding heat a little at a time. Because the heat is turned up gradually, he will not jump out. If you do turn it up suddenly he will escape.
Some mistakenly think the Patriot Act is a slow turning up the heat to boil us all in slavery.
But this is not how the comparison plays out for all the frogs are jumping out of the pot and protesting the imagined heat.
The fact is the Patriot Act has been openly presented to the people with all its possible dangers. This open presentation has alarmed many and made then feel like a frog that about to be thrown into scalding water. Hence many are alarmed and are attempting to escape even getting in the pot.
But the funny thing is if they do get in the pot they will find the temperature about the same as it was before.
On the other hand, consider the warming pot that people are in now. In this pot are many other dangers to our freedoms that are slowly warming up to a boiling point that could kill us, but the public pays little attention because thy are told that they will add to freedom not take away.
Here are some examples:
The tax increase will not effect you, but only the wealthy. The extra money to the coffers will help you.
Your own tax increase will not take away your freedom, but will add to your freedom. For instance you will be able to get free drugs.
This seatbelt law will make you safe. Don't worry that the cops will have one more excuse to pull you over.
Don't worry about these new laws restricting your business. Someone out there will benefit.
Taxing the internet is a good thing. Think of the freedom the government can buy for you with the money.
People abuse vitamins therefore they need to be regulated by law and dispersed with a prescription from a medical doctor only. This will keep you safe from yourself.
Laws controlling lumber companies will give you freedom to enjoy nature - provided that all the trees (and animals with them) have not burned down first.
Don't worry that Campaign Finance reform restricts your freedom of speech. We are socking it to the special interests.
Don't worry that you pay more for goods and services because of frivolous and excessive lawsuits and laws passed that benefit attorneys. Those attorneys are sticking it to the evil corporations. (evil corporations that give millions of people jobs)
We need to force the media to broadcast speech I like. This is true free speech.
If we were just nice to the people of the world then they would be nice to us and leave us alone.
I could go on, but these and many other threats to our freedom that are sold to us in the name of freedom is what us truly boiling the frog.
The Patriot Act is being watched carefully by many watchdogs and if there is ever excessive abuse we will most likely change the law, for the public is fully alerted.
On the other hand, there are many other threats to freedom to which the public is asleep and would be oblivious to be boiled in them as was the dumb frog.
Let us hope we can awaken to the true threats and jump out of the pot before we reach the point of no return.
I hate it when my foot falls asleep during the day because that means it's going to be up all night. Steven Wright
Copyright 2003 by J.J. Dewey, All Rights Reserved