Land of the free? Home of the brave? Not really.

How free are we when the government is listening to our phone calls, reading our email, going through our banking transactions, when our media only reports what the government gives them? Sounds like the old Soviet Union to me.

How brave can we claim to be when we are willing to give up our constitutional freedoms in the hope that it will make us safe from any future attacks; when we allow torture in our name?

Its time to recognize that we aren't free and we aren't brave anymore.

I weep for what was once a great republic. :cry:

is the self-censorship, executive power grab, excessive propaganda and the perverse use of fear that the "War on Terror" has produced.

If that's the definition of freedom, then "slavery" should be erased from the English language as it refers to a concept that no longer exists.

the place of the USSR

- Fake elections
- Suppression of dissent
- Secretive, top-down government
- Government-controlled press
- "Disappearing" of citizens
- Government spying on citizens
- Permanent war posture

Yes - we're back in the USSR!

not free at all.

I think

>we write LTTE's as H2O Man suggested in his latest posting,
>we serve as election judges and precinct committee people,
>we participate in protests,
>we write our congressman,
>we talk it up with others in our community and take a stand when approached by freepers online and off,
>we plan or participate in any interfaith activity to assist our muslim brothers and sisters who are feeling targeted by the govt,
>and we blog and participate in online liberal blogs for disseminating what truths and lies we have learned and share with like-minded others.

I also spend time here reading and responding for a sense of community as I live in a very right-wing city in the heart of a very right-wing county in a blue state.

BTW, thanks for serving our country! I appreciate your willingness to serve in these very dark times! :patriot:

but I'm trying to see the light at the end of the tunnel. You think it's hard being in a right wing state? The military is worse because they try to tell us what to believe and feed us lies. You have no idea how much trouble I get into because I take care of my soldiers. I know someone has got to do it and maybe others will follow. But we have too many people looking out for number one and not our fellow man or woman. It's so ingrained in leaders in the military to be selfish and not selfless, I truly wonder how you can change an attitude. How you can reteach morals and values and to think for oneself. You see it's a mode of thinking. Choosing not to be ignorant. Standing up for what's right. Unfortunately people are so abused that they don't see it as wrong anymore. It's now become how high was the level of abuse before any action is taken. Just frustrated is all from making waves and not getting anywhere.

I am sure you are making headway that you just can't see right now. It may be that you are modeling behaviour that is influencing those around you to do the right thing when it counts down the road. Some people take a while to understand and you may not even know them anymore when they finally 'get it'. You are at least planting seeds - I hope you get to see some positive results shortly.

You can only be the person you know best to be - and it sounds like you are remaining true to yourself.

:hug:

:shrug:

cowards Americans were at large when most people were willing to give up rights and the Constitution after 9-11 for fake security.