David Dixon
Then they came for me,
and there was no one left to speak for me
.by Rev. Martin Niemoller (1937).
Do you think it is right to take away rights to protect the populace? Do you really trust our government not to hurt us, if they do take away our rights to protect the populace? Some of you would say it is OK to take some of our rights away. Some will say it is not a big deal. Just like now the government is “mining” our emails, phone calls, and text messages. I have heard a lot of people say: “What does it matter, I have nothing to hide”? That is true for most of us; we have nothing to hide at this point in our lives. I would have to agree that it may not matter, but you never know what they are looking for that could make you a victim of the mining, and could turn into abuse of authority.
If you are reading this thinking government would not abuse their authority, someone would stop them. I am sure people said that in history many times. Let’s look at one particular time in history and see what happened. I am going to talk about the “Alien and Sedition Acts signed into law by President John Adams in 1798 and lasted to 1802” (www.loc.go). This law took away freedom of the press and also took away the right to protest in the U.S. During this time people did not have right to criticize the government or the laws. If the people or the newspapers or even the politicians criticized the law or the government they would be tossed in jail. The most famous person jailed during this time was Representative Matthew Lyon of Vermont. His letter criticized President Adams' "unbounded thirst for ridiculous pomp, foolish adulation, and self avarice" caused him to be imprisoned.(USHistory) There was also 20 reporters jailed during this time(USHistory). This law was violation of the First Amendment. This law was put into effect because fear of war with France. It was to keep people safe. It seems they use keeping people safe as a way to take away your rights all the time. I know what could be thinking that was a long time ago. It would not happen again today.
Well there are many stories like this in the U.S. history, but let’s jump forward to the 20th Century. Approximately a 60 days after the horrifying bombing of “Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941”(http://www.pearlharboroahu.com) President Franklin Roosevelt on February 19, 1942 sign a Executive Order 9066” (archives.gov). This order allowed for anyone who the government thought were dangerous to the national security of the U.S. could be incarcerated without due process which is a violation of the 14th Amendment. At this time in history people thought it was acceptable, because it was to safeguard the populace and keep us safe and sound. The majority of the citizens trusted the government to do the correct thing by the U.S. citizens. Well like always the U.S. government did not. “The government incarcerated more than 120,000 Americans of Japanese ancestry.”(PBS) Germans and Italians were also incarcerated.(http://www.archives.gov/research/immigration/enemy-aliens-overview.html) The sad part is this was the second occasion for German people who were U.S. citizen to be incarcerated. Government imprisoned them in War World I also. This is what happens when the populace gives permission for the government to have too much power, and a group of people will always pay the consequences every time. Now you would think that we would have learned, but no there is still more to come.
The next thing was in 1950, Congress passed the “McCarran Internal Security Act, which required that all “subversives” in the United States submit to government supervision”. ( http://www.history.com/topics/joseph-mccarthy) “President Truman vetoed the Act—he said it “would make a mockery of our Bill of Rights”—but a Congressional majority overrode his veto.)http://www.history.com/topics/joseph-mccarthy). President Truman was right, it did make a mockery of the Bill Of Rights. Those laws helped to establish the black list and help start “McCarthyism. McCarthyism is:
1.the practice of making accusations of disloyalty, especially of pro-Communist activity, in many instances unsupported by proof or based on slight, doubtful, or irrelevant evidence.
2.the practice of making unfair allegations or using unfair investigative techniques, especially in order to restrict dissent or political criticism”. ( http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/mccarthyism). McCarthy used unconstitutional investigative techniques to persecute U.S. citizens. This was another sinister time in our history. It was brought on the terror of pro-Communist activity, and we the people let them do this to us as we always have, because of safety. We believed in them and trusted the government like every other time. We let them take these rights away because of fear; to make sure we stay safe. At this point I am still wondering if you believe that you can trust our government to do the correct thing? Do you still believe it is OK to take our rights away from us for the safety of the nation? Well if it is a no, now is the time to stand up and fight the Patriot Act of 2001. If yes, you still believe you can trust the leadership, and you believe in the Patriot Act, let’s compare it to another Act in time and history.
I want compare the Patriot Act to the 1933, German Enabling Act. But also as I do this I want you to look back and think of the facts above and see if any of them sound like the Patriot Act too. Now let’s look at these Acts. On “27, February 1933, the German Parliament (Reichstag) burned. Although it is widely believed the Nazis started the fire, they successfully blamed it on the Communists. On 23 March 1933, the Enabling Act was enacted as a defensive measure against acts of violence that could endanger the state.” (http://fcweb.limestone.on.ca) That was the start of the Act. Now let’s look at the start of the Patriot Act. ”Only 45 days after 9-11, the Patriot Act was enacted as a security measure”.( http://fcweb.limestone.on.ca) Now you look at that and you see they were both enacted to safeguard the populace, that was the rationale they used. Let’s look at the next element to see if the investigation went similar for us as it did for Germany. Hitler refused any request to investigate the Reichstag fire. Why would he do that? Would we do the same thing well yes “Bush refused any request to investigate the government role and actions from 9- 11”.( http://fcweb.limestone.on.ca) It makes you consider why would they not want to know for sure every that happen. I would want to know.
Well let’s charge on to the next part. Who gets the power because of the bill? “The Enabling Act gave the Executive Branch of German Government the right to make the laws without review of the Reichstag.” (http://fcweb.limestone.on.ca) So it changed the power structure and Reichstag had no oversight of the Executive faction. Well in U.S. we would for sure have people keeping the faction in check that has power. However, the U.S. Patriot Act gives “the Executive Branch of government the ability to create its own processes and procedures for how it will behave. As well, the Act removes any oversight processes from the other two branches of the government (http://fcweb.limestone.on.ca). That does not appear to be correct to me. Does that really seem right to you? Ok let’s see that has the power in both bills. I think it might shock you. Hitler received “dictatorial powers for four years. He could introduce of alter laws without Parliamentary review, comment and approval. Elections were no longer needed. Hitler was the Fuhrer”.( http://fcweb.limestone.on.ca) Now for us there is a little difference, but it could lead to one leader with having absolute power here. “The rule of law tells us that no man is above the law -- and as an extension of that principle -- that no executive will be able to act unchecked by our legal system. The Patriot Act puts unchecked power in the hands of the USA President without the usual checks and balances to constrain individual power.” (http://fcweb.limestone.on.ca) Are you getting scared now about the power we have given to our government, it terrifies me. Now our bill does expire, but President Obama signed the Patriot Act back into law. So we cannot just blame President Bush. Let’s look the civil liberties it took away from both people. This part is what was taken from the German people: “suspended, including (1) freedoms of speech, press and assembly, (2) freedom from invasion of privacy, and (3) freedom from house search without warrant. The federal government was given complete control over all the state governments. They allowed the death penalty in more cases, such as treason.” (http://fcweb.limestone.on.ca) This is what was taken from the U.S. people: “Power to Secretary of State to define and designate groups as terrorists, and as such, detain indefinitely. As well, police can search confidential records (e.g., health, education). Removed freedoms such as freedom of expression, freedom of the press, right to assemble, and protection against unlawful search and police action”. (http://fcweb.limestone.on.ca) That is what we let the leaders take from us, because of fear. Sorry I do not trust them to do the right thing by our people just like Germans should not of trusted Hitler to do the right thing.
There two more things I want show you. “The Act permitted the arrest and imprisonment of 4,000 communists and 40,000 members of the opposition. First German concentration camp built.” (http://fcweb.limestone.on.ca) That was start of millions being killed. Now in the U.S a similar situation is occurring. “Attorney General can detain or deport suspected terrorists without a crime committed. Hundreds of suspected terrorists were arrested.” (http://fcweb.limestone.on.ca) Guantanamo Bay houses about 100 suspected terrorists there could be more or less no one knows for sure. I bet we will find out years later the crimes the government has commit on U.S. People. But the scariest part of all this is just like the Germans the US President can use the army to enforce all those laws. Now that you read all the info, the man who push the Patriot Act in 2001 was President Bush. He said this while he had the power “If this were a dictatorship it would be a heck of a lot easier... as long as I'm the dictator. Hehehe.”() That scares me!
Now I know what you are thinking after all this, it is just emails. I have nothing to hide. Well I have nothing to hide on my emails too not even sexy picture of me, that I know they want see. They would find out my life is pretty boring and mundane. They find out I go to school and work and that is about it and at this point in my life I have no life. But they have no right! They have no right to know that! I find it very sad we do not see that. It’s a violation of our rights and yes; I know it does not seem like a big deal. But think about this how many people died to give you the rights that you have and how many died now and in the past to let you keep those constitutional rights? That is something to think about the blood of our people who have been killed or mangled or psychologically messed up just to fight to protect our civil liberties.
The sad part all we have to do to safeguard our civil liberties is fight with our voice and fight with our votes or some of us can fight with money. We do not have to risk our lives to preserve our rights that so many have shed their blood for. Do we not owe those people? I think we do, I think it a dishonor, to their memory and what they sacrifice, for us, to let the government take even the smallest rights away for any reason. A great man, Benjamin Franklin said this, and I believe with 100% of my heart and soul, “Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety” That to me is one the best sayings in the world! I am going to leave you with a poem.
”First they came for the Muslims, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Muslim. Then they came to detain immigrants indefinitely solely upon the certification of the Attorney General, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't an immigrant. Then they came to eavesdrop on suspects consulting with their attorneys, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a suspect. Then they came to prosecute non-citizens before secret military commissions, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a non-citizen. Then they came to enter homes and offices for unannounced "sneak and peek" searches, and I didn't speak up because I had nothing to hide. Then they came to reinstate Cointelpro and resume the infiltration and surveillance of domestic religious and political groups, and I didn't speak up because I had stopped participating in any groups. Then they came for anyone who objected to government policy because it aided the terrorists and gave ammunition to America's enemies, and I didn't speak up because...... I didn't speak up.
Then they came for me....... and by that time no one was left to speak up.” (Stephen Rohde, a constitutional lawyer and President of the ACLU of Southern California. Adapted from the original by Rev. Martin Niemoller (1937).)
