They who would give up an essential liberty... (Score 1)

...for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security - Benjamin Franklin

The continued government quashing of what have long been held as civil liberties will not only continue but accelerate unless the checks and balances that are built into the Constitution are restored.

As long as our elected representatives continue to make decisions and cast votes based on what is, imho, best for their political party instead of what is best for the country, we will continue to see the rights, liberties, and freedoms that we, as a collective population, have long held dear eroded by the various insidious programs that have been implemented and come to light ever since the tragedy the occurred on 11 Sep 01. I am sure that a vast majority of you who read this have friends or relatives who have fought and died based on the belief they held that those rights, liberties, and freedoms were worth the ultimate sacrifice of laying your life for your beliefs. Those rights, liberties, and freedoms are the reason this country was created.

I acknowledge that as a country we have historically trampled on the very same rights, liberties, and freedoms of other peoples such as Native Americans and those brought to the U.S. as slaves just to name two groups. I no way condone but rather condemn those actions. But I would like to think that those errors were recognized and the appropriate actions were taken by the government to correct those egregious historical mistakes. Societal issues must be dealt with and corrected by society aka you and me.

In the case of encroachment on and erosion of our rights, liberties, and freedoms it is also up to each of us to make our voices heard. Write, email, fax, and/or call your elected representatives. Scream at the leaders of the House and Senate. What is the one thing that our elected representatives fear most? Not being reelected.