OU_Sooners75
2/23/2014, 03:32 PM
Let me know what you think. (be gentle this is the first draft of the paper. So I know there are going to be mistakes made.
According to Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, if the government is failing to fulfill its full purpose, then the people have the right to get rid of the government and elect others to fill the spots." We do not need to wait for the regular elections. We can demand referendums!
Many Americans feel our nation is under attack by our very own government. Others feel our government is not protecting our Constitutional rights as citizens. We all understand the difficulties we face as a nation from those that wish to do harm to our values and principles. But does this give our government the right to forego our Constitutional rights? Does our government, from Congress to the President, really have the right to infringe on these rights?
The United States Constitution is the law in this country. Many of our elected officials seem to have forgotten this. Since 9/11/2001, we have lost a lot of our rights as United States Citizens.
The Patriot Act has done a lot to erode the freedoms we have through the Bill of Rights and other amendments of the U.S. Constitution.
The First Amendment of the US Constitution states:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
We all know, or should at least understand, that the First Amendment is one of the greatest rights we have in this country. But how is it being eroded?
The Patriot Act broadly expands the definition of terrorism. In doing so, any domestic group that engages in nonviolent civil disobedience can be labeled as terrorists. The government can now prosecute record keepers, such as librarians, if they reveal that the government has requested information on their clients or members in the course of an investigation. It has become a crime for these individuals to safeguard personal information and privacy, or to even tell you that you are under investigation.
Government agencies can now monitor the First Amendment protected activities of religion and political institutions. They can even infiltrate these organizations or groups with no suspicion of criminal activity. This is a return to domestic spying on law abiding religious and political groups.
You may now be subject to government investigation simply because of the political, activist, or advocacy groups you are involved in, or the statements you make within these groups.
Did you know there is a U.S. Department of Justice directive that actively encourages federal, state, and local officials to resist and/or limit access to government information through Freedom of Information Act requests?
Did you also know that the government has conducted immigration hearings in secret, behind closed doors? Once upon a time, these hearings were conducted while open to the public. Hundreds, if not thousands, of immigrants have already been deported in secret.
The last five paragraphs were just for the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution alone. Are you interested in knowing more?
The Fourth Amendment to the US Constitution states:
“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”
Law Enforcement authorities may now conduct secret searches and wiretaps in your home or office without showing “probable cause.” They need only to show that intelligence gathering is a significant purpose of their intrusion even if the primary goal is ordinary law enforcement. They may also monitor where and to whom you send and receive e-mail, or where you go on the Internet, recording every e-mail address and website you have been in contact with.
Law Enforcement may now demand any personal records held by any source including your doctor, employer, accountant, or library. All they have to do is claim that it is related to an investigation into terrorism. The record keepers may not reveal that your records were provided to the government.
Judicial oversight of secret searches, have been effectively minimized. The Patriot Act directs judges to consent to secret searches based only on the government’s assertion that a significant purpose of an investigation is gathering information related to terrorism, as the government defines it.
We have gone through just two rights that have been eroded. These rights are at the core of our principle and culture. Yet we are allowing our government to an unfettered amount of control over our rights.
Are you still not ready to say, “Enough is enough?”
The Fifth Amendment states:
“No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.”
Americans can now be jailed without formal charge and without the right to confront the witness or evidence against them. American citizens are now being held in military jails without charge and without a clear path of appeal for their indefinite confinement.
Hundreds of Arab, Muslim, and South Asian men were rounded up in the “Ashcroft raids" following September 11, 2001, and held for weeks without charges all were cleared of terrorism charges.
The Sixth Amendment states:
“In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defense.”
Since the Patriot Act was enacted, Hundreds of US Residents have been detained for months at a time, and denied access to the advice and advocacy of an attorney. The government may now monitor conversations between attorney and clients in federal jails.
The Bush Administration filed papers in court that arguing an American citizen held in a military jail without charge should be denied access to legal counsel because such access would interfere with the process of his interrogation.
The U.S. government may now jail its residents and citizens indefinitely without charge and without a public trial.
The Patriot Act doesn't stop there. There are more rights being infringed upon than those three amendments. So are you still not ready to say, “Enough is enough?” There are two more amendments I am going to share, and how the government has effectively taken them away from you.
The Eighth Amendment states:
“Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.”
The U.S. government has taken into custody individuals they identify as ‘material witnesses,’ transported them across the country, and held them for months in solitary confinement without charge or contact with their family.
According to the Justice Department’s own Inspector General, immigrant men rounded up in the “Ashcroft raids" following September 11, 2001 and held in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, NY were subject to a pattern of “physical and verbal abuse.”
The Fourteenth Amendment states:
“All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”
Over 82,000 men from Arab, Muslim, and South Asian countries registered with the government under the Special Registration program. Over 13,000 are now in deportation proceedings. None have been charged with terrorism or any other crime.
As you can see, the Patriot Act, even if with good intentions, has eroded and infringed on the rights of Americans. Yet, the government has tried to erode more than what has been listed above.
The Second Amendment states:
“A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a Free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”
Far too long has Americans been fighting the battle to keep the right to bear arms. If certain politicians had their way, the American Citizens would not have the right to own a gun, or knife, or any other tool that can be used to help protect themselves.
The Supreme Court has ruled on this matter quite a few times. Congress cannot take this right from the people, as long as they are law abiding citizens. However, this right is not an unlimited right.
The US Supreme court has ruled, “The right is not unlimited. It is not a right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever and for whatever purpose." See District of Columbia vs. Heller (2008).
While the second amendment right is something outside the scope of terrorism in general, it is a battle that American Conservatives are fighting on a regular basis.
These are just the rights being eroded or attacked by our very own government. There are more things wrong with this country. We have a government that is out of control when it comes to spending. Instead of fixing the actual problems, the government throws money at it, in hopes that that would cure the problem.
We also have a President that is out of control. The President is not a dictator. He is not a person that should have his cake and eat it too. He is a person that is elected by the People of the United States, to be the leader. He is supposed to uphold and defend the constitution, not trample all over it.
We have had a series of Presidents that felt trampling on our rights is the best policy. We have been struck by a series of Presidents that think they can give Executive Order on anything and everything that will not get past Congress.
We currently have a President that has weakened our image globally. No longer is the United States a respected or feared country. We are now a mocked country that even the Mullahs of Iran laugh at. We are a country that has the Afghanistan President testing us. We have been weakened by the very person we have placed in the Oval Office with our votes.
Our nation, our rights as citizens are under attack by our own government, the government that is supposed to work for the people, not against the people. Yes, terrorist attacks have scared people, but at what point does Americans come together and say, “Enough is enough, ‘We the People’ are taking back our government, and you’re fired?”
That time is now, America. I do not care if you are Democrat or Republican. I do not care if you are liberal or conservative. It is time to come together as a nation and demand accountability from our government. It is time to come together as a nation and get our nation back in order. It is time that we, as a nation, fires every single elected official and start fresh.
Every day Americans are expected to accept responsibility. We are expected to not spend more money than we have. We are expected to live within our means. So why is it hard for our government to live by the same expectations and standards?
Most Americans are hard workers. And for those that have their hands out wanting the government to take care of them. Be careful what you wish for. Do you honestly think that the government won’t expect something in return? They want your vote and obedience. They want you to not say a word when they tell you your rights are now forfeited.
If you are a democrat, a republican, a liberal, a conservative, or if you are in the middle, it is time that we take this nation to the heights that it has never seen before. It is time to take America back!
I am saying, “Enough is Enough!
According to Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, if the government is failing to fulfill its full purpose, then the people have the right to get rid of the government and elect others to fill the spots." We do not need to wait for the regular elections. We can demand referendums!
Many Americans feel our nation is under attack by our very own government. Others feel our government is not protecting our Constitutional rights as citizens. We all understand the difficulties we face as a nation from those that wish to do harm to our values and principles. But does this give our government the right to forego our Constitutional rights? Does our government, from Congress to the President, really have the right to infringe on these rights?
The United States Constitution is the law in this country. Many of our elected officials seem to have forgotten this. Since 9/11/2001, we have lost a lot of our rights as United States Citizens.
The Patriot Act has done a lot to erode the freedoms we have through the Bill of Rights and other amendments of the U.S. Constitution.
The First Amendment of the US Constitution states:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
We all know, or should at least understand, that the First Amendment is one of the greatest rights we have in this country. But how is it being eroded?
The Patriot Act broadly expands the definition of terrorism. In doing so, any domestic group that engages in nonviolent civil disobedience can be labeled as terrorists. The government can now prosecute record keepers, such as librarians, if they reveal that the government has requested information on their clients or members in the course of an investigation. It has become a crime for these individuals to safeguard personal information and privacy, or to even tell you that you are under investigation.
Government agencies can now monitor the First Amendment protected activities of religion and political institutions. They can even infiltrate these organizations or groups with no suspicion of criminal activity. This is a return to domestic spying on law abiding religious and political groups.
You may now be subject to government investigation simply because of the political, activist, or advocacy groups you are involved in, or the statements you make within these groups.
Did you know there is a U.S. Department of Justice directive that actively encourages federal, state, and local officials to resist and/or limit access to government information through Freedom of Information Act requests?
Did you also know that the government has conducted immigration hearings in secret, behind closed doors? Once upon a time, these hearings were conducted while open to the public. Hundreds, if not thousands, of immigrants have already been deported in secret.
The last five paragraphs were just for the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution alone. Are you interested in knowing more?
The Fourth Amendment to the US Constitution states:
“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”
Law Enforcement authorities may now conduct secret searches and wiretaps in your home or office without showing “probable cause.” They need only to show that intelligence gathering is a significant purpose of their intrusion even if the primary goal is ordinary law enforcement. They may also monitor where and to whom you send and receive e-mail, or where you go on the Internet, recording every e-mail address and website you have been in contact with.
Law Enforcement may now demand any personal records held by any source including your doctor, employer, accountant, or library. All they have to do is claim that it is related to an investigation into terrorism. The record keepers may not reveal that your records were provided to the government.
Judicial oversight of secret searches, have been effectively minimized. The Patriot Act directs judges to consent to secret searches based only on the government’s assertion that a significant purpose of an investigation is gathering information related to terrorism, as the government defines it.
We have gone through just two rights that have been eroded. These rights are at the core of our principle and culture. Yet we are allowing our government to an unfettered amount of control over our rights.
Are you still not ready to say, “Enough is enough?”
The Fifth Amendment states:
“No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.”
Americans can now be jailed without formal charge and without the right to confront the witness or evidence against them. American citizens are now being held in military jails without charge and without a clear path of appeal for their indefinite confinement.
Hundreds of Arab, Muslim, and South Asian men were rounded up in the “Ashcroft raids" following September 11, 2001, and held for weeks without charges all were cleared of terrorism charges.
The Sixth Amendment states:
“In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defense.”
Since the Patriot Act was enacted, Hundreds of US Residents have been detained for months at a time, and denied access to the advice and advocacy of an attorney. The government may now monitor conversations between attorney and clients in federal jails.
The Bush Administration filed papers in court that arguing an American citizen held in a military jail without charge should be denied access to legal counsel because such access would interfere with the process of his interrogation.
The U.S. government may now jail its residents and citizens indefinitely without charge and without a public trial.
The Patriot Act doesn't stop there. There are more rights being infringed upon than those three amendments. So are you still not ready to say, “Enough is enough?” There are two more amendments I am going to share, and how the government has effectively taken them away from you.
The Eighth Amendment states:
“Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.”
The U.S. government has taken into custody individuals they identify as ‘material witnesses,’ transported them across the country, and held them for months in solitary confinement without charge or contact with their family.
According to the Justice Department’s own Inspector General, immigrant men rounded up in the “Ashcroft raids" following September 11, 2001 and held in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, NY were subject to a pattern of “physical and verbal abuse.”
The Fourteenth Amendment states:
“All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”
Over 82,000 men from Arab, Muslim, and South Asian countries registered with the government under the Special Registration program. Over 13,000 are now in deportation proceedings. None have been charged with terrorism or any other crime.
As you can see, the Patriot Act, even if with good intentions, has eroded and infringed on the rights of Americans. Yet, the government has tried to erode more than what has been listed above.
The Second Amendment states:
“A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a Free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”
Far too long has Americans been fighting the battle to keep the right to bear arms. If certain politicians had their way, the American Citizens would not have the right to own a gun, or knife, or any other tool that can be used to help protect themselves.
The Supreme Court has ruled on this matter quite a few times. Congress cannot take this right from the people, as long as they are law abiding citizens. However, this right is not an unlimited right.
The US Supreme court has ruled, “The right is not unlimited. It is not a right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever and for whatever purpose." See District of Columbia vs. Heller (2008).
While the second amendment right is something outside the scope of terrorism in general, it is a battle that American Conservatives are fighting on a regular basis.
These are just the rights being eroded or attacked by our very own government. There are more things wrong with this country. We have a government that is out of control when it comes to spending. Instead of fixing the actual problems, the government throws money at it, in hopes that that would cure the problem.
We also have a President that is out of control. The President is not a dictator. He is not a person that should have his cake and eat it too. He is a person that is elected by the People of the United States, to be the leader. He is supposed to uphold and defend the constitution, not trample all over it.
We have had a series of Presidents that felt trampling on our rights is the best policy. We have been struck by a series of Presidents that think they can give Executive Order on anything and everything that will not get past Congress.
We currently have a President that has weakened our image globally. No longer is the United States a respected or feared country. We are now a mocked country that even the Mullahs of Iran laugh at. We are a country that has the Afghanistan President testing us. We have been weakened by the very person we have placed in the Oval Office with our votes.
Our nation, our rights as citizens are under attack by our own government, the government that is supposed to work for the people, not against the people. Yes, terrorist attacks have scared people, but at what point does Americans come together and say, “Enough is enough, ‘We the People’ are taking back our government, and you’re fired?”
That time is now, America. I do not care if you are Democrat or Republican. I do not care if you are liberal or conservative. It is time to come together as a nation and demand accountability from our government. It is time to come together as a nation and get our nation back in order. It is time that we, as a nation, fires every single elected official and start fresh.
Every day Americans are expected to accept responsibility. We are expected to not spend more money than we have. We are expected to live within our means. So why is it hard for our government to live by the same expectations and standards?
Most Americans are hard workers. And for those that have their hands out wanting the government to take care of them. Be careful what you wish for. Do you honestly think that the government won’t expect something in return? They want your vote and obedience. They want you to not say a word when they tell you your rights are now forfeited.
If you are a democrat, a republican, a liberal, a conservative, or if you are in the middle, it is time that we take this nation to the heights that it has never seen before. It is time to take America back!
I am saying, “Enough is Enough!