Recently, media talking head Glenn Beck led a rally with fellow Tea Party activist Sarah Palin on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on the anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I Have A Dream" speech. While the event was billed as non-political, there were strong Christian-centric overtones that meshed with the stated goals of Conservative Republicans. The theme of the rally was that they wanted to restore honor to America by returning the country to God.
The message of this rally, after reading many reports, seems to have been this: America was founded by God, America is blessed by God, America became the greatest country in the world because of God, and America is declining because we are becoming Godless.
I have to congratulate the organizers of the event on masterful planning. They specifically avoided any overt political messages. There were no claims of "Obama is a racist." Attendees were specifically asked to not bring any political signs to the rally, though there were lots of "Don't Tread On Me" flags waving. This event was targeted at the Christian conservatives of the nation, and they delivered what that group wanted: lots of prayer, and lots of "go to church." No specific flavor of Christianity was being pushed, but there was no mention of any of the other major religions being practiced in our country either.
In my short life, I have witnessed too many miracles to be in doubt that there is a "God." If there isn't, then I have had a lot of coincidences happen in my life that can only be otherwise chalked up to an extraordinary amount of good luck on my part. When I was in a bad situation as a child, a person was inspired to report it to get me out of there. Instead of being stuck in the system until I was an adult because I was considered too old to adopt (at the age of 9, no less), I was adopted by the most wonderful person: the person I am proud to call mom. Instead of my mom being forced to work two jobs just to support my brother and me, she met and fell in love with the man I am proud to call my dad. I know I wasn't the easiest of teens to raise, but I was blessed with parents who were firm with me while trying to teach me why I shouldn't do certain things. I like to think that I am the man I am today because of the way I was raised. No, my problem isn't with God. It's with organized religion. In my experiences, no single religion has gotten God's message 100% right. Sure, they say they words, but then they turn around and tell you that everyone else is wrong and needs to be brought to the "right" way of thinking.
With that being said, I would like to share my dream with everyone.
I have a dream where all the people of America can celebrate our differences instead of trying to make ourselves into the same thing; where we are all American, no matter where we come from, what religion we practice or don't; where we can celebrate our individual heritage while participating in our national one.
I have a dream that Christians, Muslims, Jews, Taoists, Shintoists, and every other person who practices a religion or doesn't can celebrate the fact that we live in a country that allows us to choose how to worship, whether we want to worship, and be happy about it instead of saying that a person is wrong for not practicing a specific religion.
I have a dream where there is a true separation between church and state; where leaders are elected for their merits and not their appeal to one interest group or another; where leaders do what is right for this country without thought of lining their pockets and without increasing the national debt; where taxes are actually used to pay for programs and assets that benefit the people of this great nation instead of funding programs that only treat the symptoms and not the problem.
I have a dream where Americans are proud to be Americans; where we can work together as Americans without a common threat to band us together; where Americans can work with Europeans, Asians, Africans, and all of the countries of the world to form a more perfect world; a world where each country is able to maintain it's distinct cultural identity, and each country is respectful of the others' traditions, religions, and people.
I have a dream where racism and sexism are, once and for all, completely abolished; where programs like "affirmative action" are no longer needed; where each day is a celebration of ethnic and gender diversity instead of having a specific day or month set aside for a specific race or sex. Lord knows that I have met enough men and women of different races and religions, and the only difference between us are the physical ones. If we're created in God's image, then God is male and female and composed of all races, which means the physical differences between us do not matter.
Yes, ladies and gentleman, I have a dream. But this dream is not possible unless we all work together. This dream will not come true over night, and it cannot come true while we have people in positions of power who tell us what to think instead of encouraging us to think for ourselves. This dream will not be possible until we allow ourselves to be freed from the yoke of popularism; this dream is not possible while we feel entitled to government handouts; this dream cannot come true while we, as people, allow ourselves to be blinded by hate and ignorance and feelings of entitlement.
So I ask each of you: can you do it? Can you think for yourselves instead of being told what to think by talking heads and ad companies? Can you think of someone else before you think of yourself? Can you look at another person and be glad that they are different instead of mad that they aren't the same as you? Will you?
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Friday, September 17, 2010
Violations of the U.S. Constitution
Today, I had the distinct honor of being called a liar by someone who disagreed with something I commented on in response to a friend's innocuous post about today being Constitution day. Considering the speed with which this person responded and called me a liar, I'm forced to conclude that they did not do any research to back up their claim that I am a liar, and instead were relying on their innate "superior" moral compass when responding.
The gist of what I stated was this: The Bush Administration is guilty of violating the First, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Eighth Amendment rights of several U.S. citizens, foreign nationals legally residing on U.S. soil, and prisoners under U.S. care. Additionally, the Bush Administration is guilty of violating several civil rights of the same.
The person who accused me of lying responded by stating, "I have rarely seen such outright lies posted by libs. Of course, with demos totally distancing themselves from Obama, they have nothing left but to bash W with a bunch of lies. Memo: Bush is not running for any office." I will not be posting this person's name as I did not receive permission to quote them. I will say that they called me out on a specific point regarding posse comitatus, and they were in fact correct on that point, though they neglected to include all of the facts associated with it.
I offered this person the opportunity to carry on a private, logical, and fact-based dialog with me, however it's been a few hours since I made the offer, and they have not yet responded. I've always been a little impatient, and with this slur against my honor, I feel the need to show the research I did prior to making my statement. For those of you who are a little rusty on your U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights, I will be providing links to each Amendment on www.usconstitution.net.
Bush Administration violation of the First Amendment: This violation is outlined in no less than the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, specifically Section 215. Under the USA PATRIOT Act, Sec. 215, the federal government is authorized to obtain or use ANY information to determine if you are a terrorist. This includes, but is not limited to: medical/dental records, library records, ISP logs, etc. Under this statute, the federal agent just needs to submit a request for these records to a federal judge with no more than a suspicion that you might be involved with a terrorist activity. This includes U.S. Citizens who are protected under the First Amendment for what they say and read as long as it is not a direct threat to another person. This law also violates the First Amendment by allowing for "sneak and peek" roving wiretaps that do not require a warrant. Basically, anything you say can be used against you, whether you are a threat or not. President Bush is guilty of violating the First Amendment of the Constitution by signing this bill into law, the 107th Congress is guilty for voting for it, and the Administration is guilty for not raising any red flags against it. To be fair, the entire Obama Administration and the current congress are guilty for allowing this law to continue with very little changes. (USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 is available for viewing here)
Bush Administration violation of the Fourth Amendment: This one is a biggie. Legal counsel to President Bush, Alberto Gonzalez, specifically asked the Office of Legal Counsel in the Department of Justice if there was a way to get around the Fourth Amendment. In their response, they stated that if the action fell under the Department of Defense, then the Fourth Amendment did not apply. As the National Security Administration falls under the DoD, this effectively grants them the right to bypass the Fourth Amendment as long as they say they are conducting "domestic military operations." Actions that can be taken include but are not limited to: warrant-less wire-tapping, search or seizure of persons of interest without probable cause, search or seizure of property without probable cause. You may be saying to yourself, well, at least I have my Fifth Amendment rights...
Bush Administration violation of the Fifth Amendment: Whoops, hold on there. In a later memo issued by the DoJ's OLC, if you are declared to be an enemy combatant by the government, then you have no Fifth Amendment right. You can be stripped of liberty and property indefinitely and without due process as long as you are "held abroad." That is why the Bush Administration wanted to use Guantanamo Bay Navy Base, for "enemy combatants" that were "identified" domestically. The violation occurs here because according to U.S. law, a military asset located abroad (ship, base, outpost, outhouse, etc) is considered U.S. soil, and persons detained at these assets are to be treated as though they were physically in the U.S.
Bush Administration violation of the Sixth Amendment: Anyone who has seen the news knows this one. Lots of detainees being held for years without trial or the opportunity to confront their accusers. I'm not sure what the legal precedent is for alien unlawful combatants, but for American citizens, this applies whether you are guilty of a misdemeanor or high treason.
Bush Administration violation of the Eighth Amendment: Quick! How do you get away with torturing someone and doing away with human rights standards? Call it something else and don't leave any marks. This is what happened when detainees were forced to stand in stress positions, were "aggressively interrogated," were water boarded, and sleep deprived among other despicable acts. There's a very good article on Wikipedia about this, and it links to the sources they used in writing the article. Sources include DoJ memos which tell how something which would normally be considered a human rights / Eighth Amendment violation can be redefined by the President so that it's not. As for this, crap by any other name still smells bad.
Now I realize that this rant of mine may look like it is a very "leftist" view of things. If you're a hard core conservative and have made it this far, congratulations! The truth is that if the Obama Administration was serious about addressing the rightful grievances the American people have against the U.S. government, they would attempt to get the USA PATRIOT Act either repealed or rewritten so that it does not violate American civil rights. Having been in the military, I can understand a need for a certain level of security. However it does not need to come at the cost of having my personal life invaded because I "might" be associated with a terror group. If the American people would be more vigilant on their own instead of letting Big Brother watch over their every move; if the American people as a whole actually gave a damn about taking care of themselves instead of being taken care of; if the American people as a whole were just a little more proud of themselves and each other for living in a country known as a symbol of hope and freedom, then perhaps we wouldn't have to worry about losing our freedom to the government.
The gist of what I stated was this: The Bush Administration is guilty of violating the First, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Eighth Amendment rights of several U.S. citizens, foreign nationals legally residing on U.S. soil, and prisoners under U.S. care. Additionally, the Bush Administration is guilty of violating several civil rights of the same.
The person who accused me of lying responded by stating, "I have rarely seen such outright lies posted by libs. Of course, with demos totally distancing themselves from Obama, they have nothing left but to bash W with a bunch of lies. Memo: Bush is not running for any office." I will not be posting this person's name as I did not receive permission to quote them. I will say that they called me out on a specific point regarding posse comitatus, and they were in fact correct on that point, though they neglected to include all of the facts associated with it.
I offered this person the opportunity to carry on a private, logical, and fact-based dialog with me, however it's been a few hours since I made the offer, and they have not yet responded. I've always been a little impatient, and with this slur against my honor, I feel the need to show the research I did prior to making my statement. For those of you who are a little rusty on your U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights, I will be providing links to each Amendment on www.usconstitution.net.
Bush Administration violation of the First Amendment: This violation is outlined in no less than the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, specifically Section 215. Under the USA PATRIOT Act, Sec. 215, the federal government is authorized to obtain or use ANY information to determine if you are a terrorist. This includes, but is not limited to: medical/dental records, library records, ISP logs, etc. Under this statute, the federal agent just needs to submit a request for these records to a federal judge with no more than a suspicion that you might be involved with a terrorist activity. This includes U.S. Citizens who are protected under the First Amendment for what they say and read as long as it is not a direct threat to another person. This law also violates the First Amendment by allowing for "sneak and peek" roving wiretaps that do not require a warrant. Basically, anything you say can be used against you, whether you are a threat or not. President Bush is guilty of violating the First Amendment of the Constitution by signing this bill into law, the 107th Congress is guilty for voting for it, and the Administration is guilty for not raising any red flags against it. To be fair, the entire Obama Administration and the current congress are guilty for allowing this law to continue with very little changes. (USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 is available for viewing here)
Bush Administration violation of the Fourth Amendment: This one is a biggie. Legal counsel to President Bush, Alberto Gonzalez, specifically asked the Office of Legal Counsel in the Department of Justice if there was a way to get around the Fourth Amendment. In their response, they stated that if the action fell under the Department of Defense, then the Fourth Amendment did not apply. As the National Security Administration falls under the DoD, this effectively grants them the right to bypass the Fourth Amendment as long as they say they are conducting "domestic military operations." Actions that can be taken include but are not limited to: warrant-less wire-tapping, search or seizure of persons of interest without probable cause, search or seizure of property without probable cause. You may be saying to yourself, well, at least I have my Fifth Amendment rights...
Bush Administration violation of the Fifth Amendment: Whoops, hold on there. In a later memo issued by the DoJ's OLC, if you are declared to be an enemy combatant by the government, then you have no Fifth Amendment right. You can be stripped of liberty and property indefinitely and without due process as long as you are "held abroad." That is why the Bush Administration wanted to use Guantanamo Bay Navy Base, for "enemy combatants" that were "identified" domestically. The violation occurs here because according to U.S. law, a military asset located abroad (ship, base, outpost, outhouse, etc) is considered U.S. soil, and persons detained at these assets are to be treated as though they were physically in the U.S.
Bush Administration violation of the Sixth Amendment: Anyone who has seen the news knows this one. Lots of detainees being held for years without trial or the opportunity to confront their accusers. I'm not sure what the legal precedent is for alien unlawful combatants, but for American citizens, this applies whether you are guilty of a misdemeanor or high treason.
Bush Administration violation of the Eighth Amendment: Quick! How do you get away with torturing someone and doing away with human rights standards? Call it something else and don't leave any marks. This is what happened when detainees were forced to stand in stress positions, were "aggressively interrogated," were water boarded, and sleep deprived among other despicable acts. There's a very good article on Wikipedia about this, and it links to the sources they used in writing the article. Sources include DoJ memos which tell how something which would normally be considered a human rights / Eighth Amendment violation can be redefined by the President so that it's not. As for this, crap by any other name still smells bad.
Now I realize that this rant of mine may look like it is a very "leftist" view of things. If you're a hard core conservative and have made it this far, congratulations! The truth is that if the Obama Administration was serious about addressing the rightful grievances the American people have against the U.S. government, they would attempt to get the USA PATRIOT Act either repealed or rewritten so that it does not violate American civil rights. Having been in the military, I can understand a need for a certain level of security. However it does not need to come at the cost of having my personal life invaded because I "might" be associated with a terror group. If the American people would be more vigilant on their own instead of letting Big Brother watch over their every move; if the American people as a whole actually gave a damn about taking care of themselves instead of being taken care of; if the American people as a whole were just a little more proud of themselves and each other for living in a country known as a symbol of hope and freedom, then perhaps we wouldn't have to worry about losing our freedom to the government.
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