Big Dogs House

Give Me Liberty…

Nov 26, 2010 Political

…Or give me death.

Immortal words from a speech given by Patrick Henry (published after his death).

Interestingly, there are many people today who choose something other than liberty and they make no bones about it. Jules Witcover, writing in the Baltimore Sun, has produced a piece in which he describes the enhanced security procedures of the TSA as a sacrifice for the security of our nation. Witcover equates this sacrifice to the sacrifices made by the people who fought or supported WW II and to a lesser extent Vietnam.

Witcover describes sacrifices made by people during those tumultuous periods of our history and then goes on to say that those who are squeamish about making sacrifices now can stay home on Thanksgiving and watch football (not a bad idea regardless).

But what Witcover fails to see is the distinction between personal sacrifice as in doing without or collecting for the war effort and the sacrifice of liberty.

During WW II Americans did without quite a bit in order to support the war effort. Food was rationed and people collected rubber and scrap metal to help the war effort. Americans bought savings bonds to support the effort. These are all admirable things and none of them involved sacrificing LIBERTY.

The enhanced screening done by the TSA is an invasion of privacy and an affront to our rights. We have a right to travel by air (as codified in the United States Code) and we have a right not to be searched without probable cause. The Fourth Amendment to our Constitution protects us against such invasions.

Witcover thinks that we should ignore our rights and acquiesce to the government because, to him, it is no big deal to have this disregard of our rights in the name of security. It is, as he points out, a sacrifice that we should make.

Americans are not dismissing the need for security at our airports though one could argue that the procedures in place are hit and miss and that anyone with ill intent could easily breach security. The issue with the enhanced procedures, as I see it, is not about security but about control (the process is a great example of the Overton Window). There are other non intrusive methods available that have proven more effective. The Israelis use a method of profiling that screens passengers and weeds them out to those who pose no threat and those who might. Those who might are given a more thorough look while those who are not are sent on their way.

The Israelis have not had problems with terrorists getting on their planes.

My message to Mr. Witcover and others who think like him is that we should never, ever give up our liberty in the name of security. We are not the enemy and we are not the threat. Those who are can be better identified and dealt with without subjecting the rest of us to intrusive searches.

We are Americans and we have rights and we should never abandon those rights in the name of security.

As Ben Franklin stated; “They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”

Those, like Witcover, who would give up their liberty in order to have the temporary security on an airplane deserve neither liberty or security.

What do you say we actually work on targeting those who would do us harm and leave the non invasive screening for those who value their liberty?

Mr. Witcover, it is admirable to sacrifice during times of trouble and past generations have shown what sacrifice is but they did so without sacrificing their liberty. While one could argue that this generation is sacrificing little in the way of supporting the war effort, that should not be an excuse to demand that people sacrifice their liberty.

America is the land of the free because it is the home of the brave and that includes the brave people who stand up to tyranny from their own government. It includes those who refuse to allow their rights to be violated in the name of security.

I wonder where Mr. Witcover would stand if the government decided, in the name of security, that all articles from journalists had to got through the government to be censored. Jules, would you be willing to sacrifice in that instance or do you only value some rights?

The entire text attributed to Patrick Henry is as follows:

“It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace — but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”

Substitute the word security for peace in the quote and you will have my answer to Mr. Witcover’s request for sacrifice.

I don’t plan on dying anytime soon and I certainly don’t plan on giving up my liberty.

Remember, the only way you can lose your rights is to give them away.

And if that is the kind of sacrifice you want then you can count me out…

You can contact Mr. Witcover at juleswitcover@comcast.net

Cave Canem!
Never surrender, never submit.

Tags: baltimore sun, ben franklin, jules witcover, lies, overton window, patrick henry, rights, sacrifice

Dear Mr. Obama, Very Moving

Sep 8, 2008 Political

This is a video that should be viewed by as many people as possible. This soldier lays it on the line for Barack Obama and then lets us know that John McCain knows what it is like to suffer and sacrifice for his country. This soldier knows it as well.

Well done young man.

Tags: McCain, military hero, Obama, sacrifice, video

Obama Wants Us to Sacrifice Our Lifestyle

May 19, 2008 Political

Barack Obama was in Oregon where he is expected to win the state’s Democratic primary. He held a rally where, according to reports, 70,000 mindless people showed up to listen to their new Messiah. There are still questions as to whether this was the “Walk on water tour” or the “Fishes and loaves tour” but whichever it was the Messiah of Socialism did not disappoint. Barry O told the crowd that America must lead by example. What example is that you ask? Is it by living in freedom? Is it by following the rule of law as laid out in our Constitution? Is it by demonstrating acts of kindness to everyone including our adversaries (like in China)? No, Barry wants us to lead by giving up things we have gained as a result of our freedom

Pitching his message to Oregon’s environmentally-conscious voters, Obama called on the United States to “lead by example” on global warming, and develop new technologies at home which could be exported to developing countries.

“We can’t drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times … and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK,” Obama said.

“That’s not leadership. That’s not going to happen,” he added. AFP [emphasis mine]

In order for the world to embrace the myth of man made global warming Americans have to give up eating what they want, driving what they want or keeping their homes at the temperatures they want. How exactly Barry O expects this leadership to take place is unclear but it is a sure bet that some type of government intervention will be involved. Perhaps increased taxes on SUVs, heating fuel and food deemed to be in excess of what the government thinks is required. Regardless of the method, it will certainly be a denial of our freedom to choose. As for exporting technologies, where is the money for that going to come from?

Despite what Barry O says, Americans should be free to drive what they want, eat what they want and keep their houses at the temperature they want and if the rest of the world does not like that then tough. Al Gore certainly does not set any examples for the world to follow. He has a carbon footprint that is larger than many small nations. Barry O has not given up traveling all over the country in jets in order to preach to the minions. He has a huge house that uses energy even while he is on the road or living in DC. I am not sure what he drives but if he is like most Democrats in Congress he drives a leased vehicle that uses lots of fuel.

Americans need to be focused on their own lives and on living the way they want. We do not need to care if people in third world nations around the globe are living a life that is substandard to ours. If they want improvement then they need to rise up and change their own situations. If they are waiting for me to stop driving a jeep for them I hope they are not holding their breath.

Others:
The Astute Bloggers
Big Dog Salute to Always on Watch

Tags: big government, leadership, Obama, sacrifice, socialism