Give Me Liberty...

I have pondered these words (and the following statement) lately, and I wonder. Would I have the courage of Patrick Henry to choose death over tyranny? I think today most Americans would be willing to trade liberty for a couple gallons of gas for their SUV. OK, maybe that is an exaggeration, but there definitely is a trend to trade freedom for a false sense of security. Why do our lawmakers try to ban guns? They tell us it is for our own good. Less guns = less crime. Why, you don't want to return to the days of the Old West, do you? If no one had guns, our children would be safer.

And speaking of safety, the national ID card is being promoted in the interests of safety and national security. If all people in the U.S. were required to carry ID issued (or categorized) by the Federal Government, then it would be easier to spot the terrorists when they try to sneak in. By the way, did they stop putting that statement on your Social Security card that your SS number is NOT to be used for identification other than for SSI benefits? I guess the Patriot Act officially sounded the death knell for that assurance, since all banks are required to have a Federal ID number tied to every account. But remember, it keeps drug cartels and terrorists from laundering money.

And speaking of laundering money, did you know that you can't just walk around with large amounts of (gasp!) cash? If you get stopped with a large amount of money, there is a good chance you could have it seized by law enforcement. And what law are they enforcing? Well, that law that says that people that walk (or drive) around with large amounts of cash are probably criminals. Oh, but it is OK, because if you can prove you have a good reason for having so much cash, they may give it back to you in a couple of years after the hearing. Besides, you should have put all that cash in your bank account. Of course, if it was REALLY a lot of money ($10,000 or more), your bank would have been required to notify the IRS immediately that you deposited all that cash in your account. You know, that account that has your Federal ID number attached to it. Am I noticing a trend here?

Can you imagine if Patrick Henry were alive today and you tried to explain all this to him? I am sure he would find it quite ironic that Congress passed a bill called the Patriot Act that tramples on the very freedoms his generation fought to protect. Now, throw in Eminent Domain, government regulation of private property, and the infringement on the First Amendment regarding religious speech, and I would be willing to wager Mr. Henry would be dusting off his "assault musket" and be pushing for the reissue of the Declaration of Independence.