| "Those who sacrifice essential liberty for | | | | many of them would tell you they wish they |
| temporary safety are not deserving of either | | | | would have been a little more "obsessive and |
| liberty or safety." -- Ben Franklin, 1776 | | | | overzealous" about protecting their freedom |
| | | | instead of sitting by passively and letting |
| In the wake of 9/11 and subsequent terrorist | | | | the Islamic fundamentalists take over. |
| attacks around the world, there is a real | | | | |
| temptation to allow the government to take | | | | What about North Korea? Could a few more |
| away some of our most precious rights in | | | | "obsessive and overzealous" defenders of |
| exchange for greater security. We must resist | | | | freedom have prevented that country becoming |
| this temptation. In order to have a free | | | | the communist threat to the world that it is |
| society, there are certain prices that have | | | | today? |
| to be paid. One of those is the possibility | | | | |
| that someone will take advantage of our | | | | What about Nazi Germany? Could Hitler's rise |
| freedom and use it as an opportunity to | | | | to power have been nipped in the bud if his |
| endanger us. So what if they do? Giving up | | | | opponents had been a little more "obsessive |
| any part of our freedom is not the answer. In | | | | and overzealous" instead of being so timid? |
| fact, that's exactly what the terrorists | | | | Could we have used a few more "obsessive and |
| want. When we do that, they win. | | | | overzealous" defenders of civil liberties in |
| | | | Germany when six million Jews were losing |
| The U.S.A. Patriot Act is a step in the wrong | | | | their lives? |
| direction and could represent a slippery | | | | |
| slope toward further erosion of our rights. | | | | What if George Washington, John Adams, Thomas |
| Write your Representative and Senators and | | | | Jefferson, and the other Founding Fathers |
| ask them to repeal the U.S.A. Patriot Act and | | | | would have just given in to England's demands |
| avoid passing similar legislation in the | | | | instead of being so "obsessive and |
| future. If we don't do something soon, the | | | | overzealous" about their freedom? And Patrick |
| U.S. could soon have policies similar to many | | | | Henry? Surely he was an "obsessive and |
| communist, fascist, and Islamic | | | | overzealous" person if there ever was one. |
| fundamentalist countries, all under the guise | | | | Why he was even "obsessive and overzealous" |
| of greater security! | | | | enough to say "give me liberty or give me |
| | | | death" and really mean it! |
| People have accused me of being "obsessive | | | | |
| and overzealous" on this issue but that's | | | | There are plenty of well-meaning but |
| okay with me. Ask some of the senior citizens | | | | misguided and fearful individuals out there |
| in Cuba who have been under Castro's | | | | who are lobbying Congress to limit our First |
| repressive regime for 45 years how they feel | | | | and Second Amendment, habeas corpus, and |
| now. I bet many of them wish they would have | | | | other rights even further. We must let our |
| been a little more "obsessive and | | | | voices be heard or the voices of those people |
| overzealous" about their freedom in 1959, | | | | will be the only ones they hear. It only |
| instead of standing by passively when the | | | | takes a few minutes to make a difference. Of |
| communists took over. Look what it's gotten | | | | course, it doesn't take any time at all to |
| them! | | | | sit back and let your rights completely |
| | | | erode. The choice is yours. |
| If some of those currently under Islamic rule | | | | |
| in the Arab world were free to say what they | | | | "I would remind you that extremism in defense |
| thought about their situations now, I bet | | | | of liberty is no vice. |