America is supposedly the “land of the free and home of the brave.” What happens when the land of the free isn’t so free anymore? The government is swiping our freedoms right from under our feet and we are oblivious to it. Everyone deserves the right to privacy. We cannot continue to let our country suffer like this.
The recently introduced Stop All Piracy Acts bill (SOPA) is one of the many ways the government is attempting to constrain our nation. The legislation, set aside by President Barack Obama and the Congress, was a thinly veiled attempt to censor everything we do on the Internet. The Protect IP Act (PIPA), a Senate companion bill, also set aside for now, was the first attempt at censorship. If you’re not concerned yet, how about being constantly watched and recorded? Yes, “Big Brother” is watching. A new street light currently in testing is equipped with surveillance cameras, government broadcasting, and it is interactive. For example, if you litter, the street light will bark at you. There are no private conversations - the government is always watching.
Even with all of these crackdowns, you would expect to have your body to yourself, right? Think again. The government wants to see you naked. If you have been to the airport lately, the “backscatter” scanners have been installed in dozens of airports around the country. These scanners capture pictures of you as you innocuously walk through. These pictures are so revealing – see naked - many news stations would not air the photos.
Government agents can attach GPS trackers to your car without you even knowing about it. The Government can listen to anything you say, and hold it against you as well. (Remind you of any Socialist or Communist regimes? Just spreading the fun around to everyone, aren’t they?) Anything you say, can and will be held against you. There are many more examples I could give of our freedoms being taken. I just don’t want to get that depressed at the moment. Check out just a little bit for yourself.
Do you feel safe in this country anymore? Do you feel free? I believe that the government should not have this much power and control over us. I also believe the Founders fought to prohibit just this type of government over-reach into the lives of United States citizens. Do you really believe that the government knows best? Is trying to censor us, really letting us be free? Current policies that infringe and outright destroy civil liberties provide all of us with a chilling vision of what a communist country looks like from the inside.
Holy War Over Health Care?
It appears that Barack Obama has chosen the Catholic Church for his pilot program in infringement on the First Amendment right to free exercise of religion. To hell with Church teachings; to hell with personal principles; to hell with the notion of right and wrong; and most importantly of all, to hell with the document that defends all our rights, the United States Constitution.
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney believes that the Administration struck an “appropriate balance” in crafting the policy. Appropriate balance for who exactly? The United States government was built upon a foundation that separated the Church and State. The Church cannot infringe upon the operation of the government. New rules within Obama’s health care reform law pose a massive infringement upon the teachings of an entire religious faith. Religious leaders from across the country are joining forces to fight against a stunningly brazen attack on religious freedom.
This issue is dividing people along well-defined schools of thought, with notable exceptions. Nancy Pelosi, a self-described devout follower of Catholicism, has decided to take a stand with the Obama Administration on this issue. Apparently, to Ms. Pelosi, church doctrine is similar to sagging skin; if it gets in the way, she trims it off and tosses it aside. And to prove how committed she is to the cause, Pelosi is more than willing to take up pew space at her church in San Francisco and defiantly continue to receive communion while courageously supporting a government edict that sanctions murder.
It appears that the war is just beginning.
Genetic Discrimination
Genetically Modified Organisms or GMO’s were recently discussed in my Science class. As I am known to do on occasion, I started thinking. My mind moved directly into human genetics and how science has rapidly progressed in this field of study. I know little about the scientific applications of studying genetics. I simply am curious about the ramifications of unintended consequences due to past – and continuing – study of human genes. I know that genetic discrimination has already reared its head. The fruits of human genetics are trickling down to everyday people, and with them come an array of new challenges. Expectant parents can now peek into the life of their unborn child, since it is possible to ascertain a fetus’s genetic makeup. As a consequence, some may choose to abort a fetus that may have a predisposition for disabilities or diseases.
Furthermore, as heredity is better understood, insurance companies also become better informed. There are clear benefits to unlocking secrets with genetics, but if those secrets end up with employers and insurance companies, there could be major problems. Insurance companies have been known to cancel or refuse coverage to those that have been found to have an inheritable disease. The more widespread genetic study becomes, the easier it is for insurance companies to access this information and plan accordingly. The bottom line is companies want to make a profit, and insuring sick people is not how they will do it.
Genetic screening is a powerful technique that can aid the fight against disease and accurately predict heredity. However, it must be used with extreme caution. New testing, combined with today’s technologies, makes it easy to discern a person’s inheritable structure. With this new and vast power, scientists need to recognize the enormous responsibility they now have.
The Missing Power of the Grand Jury
An intriguing post about the “4th Branch of the Government.” I really need to read more books other than the ones I read to my 2 year old.
Hat Tip to Dr_Drumright.
Posse Comitatus Act of 1878
How does this 130 year old piece of legislation have bearing on our current political situation? I’m glad you asked.
I found a great posting about the subject here, by one Tom King, at his blog – Just One Man’s Opinion. This Act supposedly prevents the U.S. Military from being involved in homeland law enforcement.
Read more and you will learn more…
Congress Trying To Eliminate Income Tax For Themselves?
Get a load of this little tidbit of information:
SEC. 938. INCOME FROM SOURCES WITHIN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
‘(a) General Rule- In the case of an individual who is a bona fide resident of the District of Columbia during the entire taxable year, gross income shall not include–
‘(1) income derived from sources within the District of Columbia, and
‘(2) income effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business by such individual within the District of Columbia.
Check here for the full text of the bill. Thanks a lot Mr. Gohmert.
The Second American Revolution?
Thomas Paine (sort of) tells it like it is should be. Are you ready?
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