Freedom of Speech

Take freedom of speech for granted? You better not. Despite the widely held believe that the first amendment is secure, a powerful movement has arisen to cripple your ability to say what's on your mind. Have you ever been told that something you said was not "politically correct?" Certainly, you cannot have freedom without responsibility, and what you say can have severe consequences, but being required to bepolitically correct is nothing short of censorship at a personal level! Don't put up with it. Am I suggesting that there is no place in the world for diplomacy? Of course not, but call a spade a spade.

Freedom of Religion

If your child cannot say a prayer in school, then the United States has not protected your right to freedom of religion! Can the school organize such a prayer? No, the first amendment prohibits the government from, "respecting an establishment of religion." But that same amendment also explicitly disallows any law, "prohibiting the free exercise thereof." What gives? The Freedom Site addresses this issue in more detail here.

On the other hand, Congress apparently thinks it's OK to provide financial id to religions in the form of preferential taxation. Does that make any sense to you?

Right to Keep and Bear Arms

I know, I know, I've heard all the arguments about the second amendment:

It's a collective right, not an individual one. It seems a little odd that the founder fathers would put a "collective" right smack dab in the middle of all those individual rights, doesn't it? Click here for more on the second amendment.

Militias are run by the state, therefore it's a state's right. The constitution does not spell out the rights of states, states don't have rights, people do!

More people are killed by home firearms than by criminals. Please! Even if that were true, the Constitution doesn't guarantee you safety from yourself, it guarantees you freedom.

The police are there to protect you. If you honestly believe that the police have the ability, inclination, or responsibility to protect you from crime, you have your head in the sand. Read this account of some young women who found out the hard way what the police are responsible for.

I realize it's a cliche, but it is true, nonetheless: "Guns don't kill people, people do."

All of this begs the simple question, what part of "shall not be infringed" do these people have trouble understanding?

The "Drug War"

If there has ever been a bigger waste of time, money and human lives than the so-called "drug war" I can't imagine what it is.

1. The United States government has no right to tell you what you can put into your body (this applies equally to the concept of prescription drugs).

2. The Feds are losing! Nobody in their right mind would argue that the billions upon billions of dollars and the tens of thousands of lives sacrificed have made any appreciable impact on the availability of drugs on the average American street corner.

3. We could easily remove the wind from the sails of the drug producers and dealers by legalizing all drugs. Heck, we could even tax the imports!

Some questions to ponder:

Back in the days when Coca-cola had real cocaine in it, were we a nation of addicts sucking down soda? Since the nation-wide addiction rate is essentially unchanged at about 4%, what have we accomplished in fighting this "war"?

How does society profit by placing formerly productive citizens in jail, where they become a drain on public resources?

Who's really profiting from the drug war?

If you discovered that your son or daughter had a drug habit, would you rather they be in rehab or jail?

Unreasonable Searches and Seizures

Driving is a Privilege, Not a Right

Where on EARTH did this one come from? A free citizen in a free country does not need permission to exercise that freedom anywhere, including the operation of a motor vehicle. Are there people on the road who are completely incompetent and a danger to others? Sure, but requiring everyone to have a driver's license didn't prevent them from being on the road anyway! Are they still responsible for their actions? Absolutely!

And while we are on the topic of driving, what is the purpose of licensing vehicles? Why do I have that numbered plate on the back of my car? To identify the vehicle in the event it is stolen or involved in the commission of a crime? Is that the benefit I get for licensing the vehicle? If that's so, why does it cost hundreds of dollars per year to buy a $4 piece of metal and subscribe to a vehicle tracking program? Vehicle licensing is nothing more than an excuse to separate you from your money, and it amounts to nothing less than extortion by your elected officials. Why doesn't anyone seem to care?