Are We a Nation of Cowards?
Anyone who is willing to give up their rights as provided by the Constitution of the United States, in the name of fear, is in my own opinion a coward. Being so afraid of another terrorist attack that one is willing to hand over what our forefathers fought and died to give us is unpatriotic and un-American.
Hiding behind a wall of weakness and fear while tossing over the wall the Constitution is not only a disgrace, it’s a failure of character and dedication to what makes our country great.
When did America become so frail and so insecure that it folds in the face of danger? That’s not American, that cowardice.
We boast and brag about being the strongest country on earth and yet when danger comes near we quickly turn over our most precious rights to anyone who says they will keep us from harm. The strongest country on earth becomes a damned bunch of little babies when we feel threatened. We quickly pay the ransom with our Constitutional rights in order to retrieve our sense of safety. No one seems to care what they sacrifice as long as they can feel safe. What a bunch of wimps.
As of March, 52% of Americans said they were comfortable with the warrant-less wiretaps that are occurring at the NSA. That says that 52% of Americans are not willing to fight for what someone else fought and died to give them. Cherished rights become yesterday’s privilege. Here take whatever you want if it keeps me safe. America, the land of the not so brave.
While Americans and others are fighting and dying in Iraq so that country can be free, other Americans here at home are surrendering to the government so they can feel safe from harm. It’s time to not only support our troops in war, it’s time to support their efforts right here at home by fighting to hold on to our rights and theirs. If we hand over their and our Constitutional rights, in the name of safety while they are over there fighting, then we have let them down. We must not allow our soldiers to come home to a nation of cowards.
Hiding behind a wall of weakness and fear while tossing over the wall the Constitution is not only a disgrace, it’s a failure of character and dedication to what makes our country great.
When did America become so frail and so insecure that it folds in the face of danger? That’s not American, that cowardice.
We boast and brag about being the strongest country on earth and yet when danger comes near we quickly turn over our most precious rights to anyone who says they will keep us from harm. The strongest country on earth becomes a damned bunch of little babies when we feel threatened. We quickly pay the ransom with our Constitutional rights in order to retrieve our sense of safety. No one seems to care what they sacrifice as long as they can feel safe. What a bunch of wimps.
As of March, 52% of Americans said they were comfortable with the warrant-less wiretaps that are occurring at the NSA. That says that 52% of Americans are not willing to fight for what someone else fought and died to give them. Cherished rights become yesterday’s privilege. Here take whatever you want if it keeps me safe. America, the land of the not so brave.
While Americans and others are fighting and dying in Iraq so that country can be free, other Americans here at home are surrendering to the government so they can feel safe from harm. It’s time to not only support our troops in war, it’s time to support their efforts right here at home by fighting to hold on to our rights and theirs. If we hand over their and our Constitutional rights, in the name of safety while they are over there fighting, then we have let them down. We must not allow our soldiers to come home to a nation of cowards.
posted by pissed off patricia at 4:54 AM
27 Comments:
Ben Franklin made a statement very similar to your opening sentence. He claimed that the populace deserved neither security or freedom if they were willing to give up personal freedoms for fear of attack.
Bravo for your stand for the troops. We need support the Warriors, not the war. The current administration has tried to separate anyone who opposes government policies, ie, the war, as being against the soldiers. Nothing is further from the truth. These men and women deserve support as they answer their countires call.
I read a soldier's letter home that they are not getting food or water and have had occasion to ask for same from Iraqi citizens. Wonder if NSA will tap into this comment and pass it along to HQ. Maybe we could start each telephone and e-mail with some sort of mantra like, "Bush sucks".
"The congressional and popular response to another round of major terrorist disasters in the U.S. could seriously threaten our civil liberties. Israel, Britain, France, Italy, and other democracies have demonstrated how willing citizens can be to yield up their rights in the face of a steady assault by terrorists."--Richard Clarke, Against All Enemies: Inside America's War on Terror, pp. 257-58).
Ours is an apathetic, passive country when it comes to the real issues. The average American is more concerned about TiVo-ing the next episode of Survivor than the possibility that the government could be spying on his television habits. Unfortunately, the government is also well aware of our priorities and takes advantage. When are we going to turn the TV volume down enough to notice that Big Brother has been tapping at our windows for years?
I think it tends towards the babyfication of society. While I believe we were put here to help each other, only one can really take the 1st step to help themselves. We have invested so much power into the position of the Presidency. We do not hold Congress to it's Constitutional mandates. I don't need a daddy figure, I need a President who thinks about how to solve our problems. Who will require Congress to do it's job. Not some warm and cuddly image that will "keep me safe".
I've come to the conclusion(after many years of a contrary opinion) that Presidential elections need to be public funded only. Surely we have much better people than the two that are presented to us every four years.
I tend towards the opinion that America has to suffer great tribulation for things to turn around. Speaking from experience, a empty belly gets one's attention real quick.
I wish the change could come in a more mature manner. I also wish my toddler could wipe his own ass. Like him, America needs to be trained.And also like him itsa gonna be messy.
Peace.
PoP, thanks for your clear thinking on this issue of "fear, fear," and more "fear" in our society today and the resultant loss of civil and individual rights. It's unbelievable to hear friends and family say, in effect, "if you don't have anything to hide you shouldn't care about the government listening in on folks." It's very difficult to get the point across that the government is bigger than any one person with tremendous power to destroy the very constitution it is sworn to protect in the face of all the fear factors. It seems to be a losing battle, but I keep on pressing, telling folks that the government is the only institution that can, and does, put people to death for their beliefs and actions and it starts with spying on any and all individuals deemed necessary to protect us. I remind them of the famous statement out of Vietnam when the Marine Captain, when asked about burning down a whole village, said, "I did it to save it." Sadly, we seem to be in the process of burning down the Constitution to save it?
Sadly, I think more Americans would choose Walmart's "everyday low prices" over the freedoms guaranteed in the Bill of Rights. Who needs political freedom when you can watch 100 channels and stuff your face with candy and popcorn?
I agree with CA. People can't be bothered to get informed. They are so busy trying to get, get, get, more, more, more. There is no strength of character or pride. Keeping up w/the Jones is more important than our freedoms and rights. I ask my self everyday if they even see what is going on in our world?
Oh but Pat, so long as they don't interrupt my stories or American Idol, they can have my rights!
I agree with so many here. We've become a nation of the decadent and the self-indulged....once that happens to any empire...it's on the wane.
We have been slowly losing our rights since the 70's. Do you remember libraries having to take childrens books off the shelves because the courts said so. What about any type of prayer, under the guise of church and state, and on and on.
I want to present something to think about! There is more than one type of terrorism, certainly threat of physical harm, but also psychological and economic terrorism is just as bad or can be!
Look at what we have spent on security since 9/11, hundreds of billions, and in reality we aren't more secure than on 9/10.
Israel is under attack every day of the week and they are armed to the teeth. But, for every real or imagined threat we have we spend billions trying to prevent it. Cripes all they have to do is put binladen on tv and we pump a few more billions into the system.
At the rate US companies leave our shores puts us just as at risk of bankrupting us than all other things. China and other countries own a lot of the US, and will at some point call in the chips, then what? We are in trouble and act like sheep!!!
My President said all I have to do for my part to support the war is, to go shopping.
I think you could have snipped this post down to the first and last sentence and still had as powerful a statement - that said, even more powerful with the stuff in the middle.
Here, here!
Nice post. I think it's more ignorance than it is cowardice. Ignorance breeds apathy. For example, I wonder how many people realize the implications of illegal wiretapping. So it's up to the rest of us, the informed. Organize and energize. Run for office. Change the paradigm.
Wonderfully said.
We seem to have misplaced our community feeling along with any concept of our liberties.
I second andante's comment. I barely recognized this place after 4 years overseas (98'-02').
One of your best pieces and also great comments...I am indeed speechless...and inspired.
a-frickin'-men ... rory could not agree with you more ... felt that way all along ... what better time than right after 911 than to say: fuck you all, we are not giving up the consitution, the bill of rights, or freedom ... in fact, we're gonna act even more frickin' free ... freedom is free mofo!!!!!!!
Well said!
Not only is it unpatriotic and foolish it is precisely the reaction certain someones want us to have... Fear=control control=power power=supremacy... What a sad use of the "equal" sign.
Very well said. To me, patriotism is not in fact slapping a yellow magnet on your car (a MAGNET of all things - some of these people cant even sacrifice some sticky stuff on their car and use a real sticker! Talk about fear of commitment)...instead it's defending the rights that the military is protecting.
You want to be patriotic? Tell the government to stay the fuck out of your personal life.
Right on, POP!!!
fantastic stuff. it is all happening in the uk too...for patriot act read 'prevention of terrorism bill'
The powers that be (our administration), does not have respect for its citizens. We the people are NOTHING to them. We only mean something when they need our votes or our money...beyond that we are statistics on a page. THEY stumble all over themselves trying to claw and grapple their way up the power ladder in DC...with nary a thought to health care, job loss, insurance zooming large...or lack of insurance...I could go on but... I think revolution is in the air...it happened in France and Russia to the elites...and nothing is impossible. We the people just have to collectively get mad as hell at the same time...and not take it anymore.
The Ben Franklin quote from the first commenter:
"Those Who Sacrifice Liberty For Security Deserve Neither"
Sumo said that revolution is in the air. I will not comment on that however, you'll notice that now more than ever, the push for more and more gun control, banning of weapons, etc. from the citizens. There's a reason the 2nd Amendment exists and it's specifically because the people NEED the ability to resist a tyrannical government. The first step toward making citizens into subjects is to disarm them. It happens all over the world, yet people here have their heads in the sand about it. An unarmed populace are sitting ducks, not only for the criminal element which exists in every society, but also for an oppressive government. People think the system of checks and balances only refers to the structure of our legislative bodies. But trust me, law-abiding citizens owning firearms is another piece of the checks and balances pie.
This Nation has become a weak and vulnerable Nation. Americans have become weak both mentally and physically. A nation sitting on their ass watching the T.V. instead of standing up to there government and demanding that our rights be re-established in America. Mild threats have America in fear. How weak is that? Get some balls America!
Bravo! I'm glad someone has said it. Wish more people would see it. Everytime Osama sticks his head out of a cave and says, "Boo," Americans tremble in fear.
I'm sorry I have lived to see the day when Americans have made this insignificant little man literally dictate policy for our country. For instance the warrantless wiretaps is okay bascially because we're afraid. We will forego long-standing legal precedent because of this insignificant creep who can only exist in some obscure cave. Get a grip America.
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