Posted by
Roxanna M. on Wednesday, August 08, 2007 12:43:33 PM
Apparently, it has escaped the notice of one segment of the American population that a larger segment of the world’s population wants to destroy us. How else to describe the near immediate, knee-jerk reaction to any legislation that would in any way interfere with the terrorists’ desire to bring this country to its knees.
Over the weekend, President Bush signed into law the Protect America Act, which would expand our ability to listen in on foreign conversations as an aid in the global war on terror.
As surely as the sun sets in the west, a howl has gone up from the civil liberties crowd. According to the Center for National Security Studies, “The administration approach would allow the NSA warrant-less access to virtually all international communications of Americans with anyone outside the U.S., so long as the government declared that the surveillance was directed at anyone reasonably believed to be overseas.”
Who do they think they’re kidding. Number one, how much privacy can we have if every person calling to refinance my house knows how much I owe on it. Number two, do they really think that Uncle Sam is going to listen in on every single overseas call made? Has the government nothing better to do.
They love to quote Benjamin Franklin’s, “Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both.” Well, I can’t help but wonder what old Benny would say in the face of today’s threat. Rights are not absolute. Try yelling “FIRE” in a crowded place and see what happens. Look at all the restrictions that are placed on the Second Amendment.
If we cannot eradicate nor subjugate the terrorist threat, then we are facing a whole lot worse than a little infringement here and there. There will be no room for civil liberties in the society envisioned by these fanatics.
Don’t ever forget that on 9/11 we watched horrified as innocent people jumped to their deaths because what was behind them was more terrifying than what was in front of them.