As a citizen of America, I am tired of the threats this government is constantly putting forward with their vague "intelligence" and colour-coding, coupled with their admonitions that citizens should not worry because they are there to protect us. With the guns of the Department of Homeland Security turned against American citizens and the reactionary paranoia written into the Patriot Act, as well as the Act's extension (HR 10 and S. 2845 now being reconcilled in committee), I must decline the government's offer of their version of ensuring my safety. Indeed, we should all run from it. When we are required to give up freedom for security the only thing we will have to fear is a government that fears it's own citizentry and, when a government fears it's own citizens, it bears no good will to it's people. At that point, only institutional madness reigns unchecked.
While we should expect the government to act prudently to protect our country's infrastructures, we must realise that there are limits to what can be humanly done. To truly ensure our safety, we need to eliminate the fear others have of the U.S., so that they do not apply pre-emptive action against us in response to our government's threats and force. Reason must win out on all sides.
We must look to eradicate the roots of terrorism but that will not be completed by confronting these situations with force, as recent events in Iraq show that violence escalates expedientially in the face of force. Is it not time to come to a more sane solution? Those who oppose the US have no compuction to draw limits on the methods they use to fight the US; the US cannot up the ante without going to the same level of their opponents because the people of America and the world will not tolerate action outside the rule of law from the U.S.
Rather, then limiting the freedom of her citizens to "keep us safe," we in the U.S. need to address the issue of justice, for many of the people we label terrorists have only resorted to violence as their pleas for justice for their cause has been ignored by the world. America also needs to realise that exporting our businesses and pop culture is offensive to many peoples around the world as it overwhelms and disrespects the cultures of others and causes ill will.
We need to stop this spiralling of madness before it thoroughly engulfs us and we destroys ourselves.
-- Syndi Holmes
