Val, The government already has most of these search authorities. They have just reorganized them somewhat to make it more efficient for the new Homeland Dept.
In all reality, we generally have more freedoms now than in previous generations in this country. It isn't the first time that freedoms have temporarily been curtailed in order to preserve the union. John Adams instituted the Sedition and Treason Acts (which Jefferson denounced and abolished as his first act as president). George Washington took the daring approach of using federal troops to put down the Whiskey Rebellion. Abraham Lincoln curtailed many freedoms during the Civil War (and the GAs today speak highly of him, whenever they speak of Lincoln). Teddy Roosevelt created laws to end monopolies and the robber barons, while FDR implemented drastic changes during the Great Depression. Some felt these moves took away freedoms, while in reality, they created more opportunities and freedoms. Breaking up Standard Oil has created many oil companies that all are bigger than the original monopoly. The same can be said of AT&T's break up, which now allows us to own our own phones, and the resulting competition has created the fiber networks, cell phone structure and satellite networks that we have come to know over the past 20 years. IBM avoided a break up by allowing an open and competitive Personal Computer environment, which we now all enjoy with continually cheaper prices and faster systems. FDR's efforts fed many families, putting thousands of men to work in improving roads, excavating archaeological sites, and building parks around the nation. It established Social Security, while imperfect and abused by later generations of Congress, has allowed millions of elderly people to have a bearable, if not comfortable time, in their declining years. Maslowe's pyramid shows that basic needs must be met before freedom means anything. You can't eat freedom. And government regulations can help to protect the innocent from the guilty, though imperfectly. Otherwise, the founding fathers would not have established a central government in the first place. Yes, they knew that men could abuse any governmental system, which is true. But they also knew that good things could come from good men in government. The rules being applied now could be abused inthe future. However, the outcries of the public would probably force the feds to back down, as they have on many occasions. You don't see many Wacos or Ruby Ridges occurring anymore, because Americans wouldn't stand for it. Try and see both the pros and cons in these laws, that they might actually provide law abiding citizens with more protection, thus increasing their freedom. In what way, you ask? If terrorists threaten us too much and terrorize our psyches too much, we become prisoners in our own homes. With a level of security, we are assured the guilty will more easily be caught, and we can leave our homes without worrying about such dangers. K'aya K'ama, Gerald (Gary) Smith [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.geocities.com/rameumptom/index.html LDS Evidences, Family History, Food Storage, etc. ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /// ZION LIST CHARTER: Please read it at /// /// http://www.zionsbest.com/charter.html /// ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?aaP9AU.bWix1n.YXJjaGl2 Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] TOPICA - Start your own email discussion group. FREE! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/create/index2.html ==^================================================================
