Wednesday, October 10, 2001
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Wednesday, October 10, 2001 |
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Americans must make a choice: Will we be safe, or free? Over the past three weeks I have watched my fellow Americans come together during the most tragic event in my short life. I watched millions of people all over the world came together to send money, food, and medical supplies to the great city of New York. I watched as Americans once again fell in love with the idea of America by hanging flags everywhere they could be displayed and by attending church in record numbers. I watched and waited for the reaction by my fellow citizens in public office to see how they would react. Unfortunately, they reacted the way I expected them to. Mark my words: In the next few months, even years, there will be a movement to curtail more of our freedoms laid out in the Constitution of the United States of America in the name of security. I have been waiting to write this letter for the right moment to offer my view of what should be done in the wake of the World Trade Center terrorist attack. After last week's edition of the citizen, the voice of freedom needs to be heard. I would like to start by saying that I am in no way stating that we as a country should not take military action against those who did this terrible act: we should find them, their associates, and the rulers who supported them and destroy them. As a nation, we cannot afford to let these crimes go unanswered. But, we must also walk a fine line to ensure that we do not create the next Osama Bin Ladin by killing innocent people like they killed our brothers and sisters. We must hold strong and go after only those responsible for the attacks. (This, again, includes all associates and government supporters.) Will there be innocent people killed in the Middle East? Yes. But we must be careful. Once we have taken these evil people off the face of the earth, the CIA and FBI should fight terrorists as it was before. In my opinion, our true enemy lies within our country. Our enemy is our ignorance and our fear. Last Wednesday, Mr. Frank Hyde wrote a letter to this newspaper in which he talked about what rules immigrants who move to this country should adhere to. He is attempting to spread fear among us of our fellow citizens who may not speak proper, if any, English. What Mr. Hyde is advocating is dangerous and is along the same line of justification as throwing all Jewish people in jail simply because they are Jewish. This country is enhanced by what different cultures bring to our society. Sure, it may make you feel awkward if someone is speaking something that you do not understand and they may not be able to communicate with you, but the millions of immigrants that came to this country in the 1700s, 1800s and 1900s also did not speak English. These people may never speak proper English, but their children and grandchildren will. To say that we should not let these people in out of fear that they are not like us is not only scary but also dangerous. Mr. Hyde went on to say that they should "dress like us." So, if I were to wear something that you did not wear, should I not be allowed to be a U.S. citizen? And, should the government watch me if I do not conform to your dress code and way of life? No. And this is where our true enemy lies: In the fear and ignorance of our fellow citizens. Over the next few months, millions of people in this country will give no thought to giving up freedom for security. They will give it up in the name of the War on Terrorism just like they did in the War on Drugs. The government will say, "We need a national I.D. card to track your every move and transaction to win this War on Terrorism." And many will say, "Yes, government, here I am just keep me safe. Watch me, my bank accounts, and every move I make." The government, in the name of the War on Terrorism, will teach our children to turn in any parents who talk bad about America, and the thought police will run amuck. What will happen when our police begin racial profiling our neighbors who are from the Middle East in the name of the War on Terrorism? Why is the War on Terrorism a threat to our liberty and our freedom? The War on Terrorism will allow our politicians to justify more government programs that will invade our privacy, our bank accounts, and our movements while doing little to really stop these crazy people who wish to harm innocent Americans. The War on Terrorism will turn into another War on Drugs, War on Poverty, and War on Hate Crimes. We must, as a people, not allow the misinformed among us to give up freedom in hope of a security the most stringent government could not provide. This county should go after those who took more than 6,000 American lives. I will not let my Libertarian beliefs of freedom and liberty be taken away by the terrorists who seek to do just that. We must make a stand and demand the government pass laws making it easier for you and me to defend ourselves. Allow the airlines that want to arm their pilots or provide their own sky police to protect their airplanes. As a nation, we must seek the answer that is a friend of liberty! In closing, here are two quotes to ponder when looking at what the right answer is to the government's new War on Terrorism. "Nothing is so permanent as a temporary government program" Milton Friedman, Nobel-Prize-winning economist. "We are on the verge of a global transformation. All we need is the right major crisis and the nation will accept the New World Order!" David Rockefeller. William Norris Student at Southern Polytechnic State University willnorris821@cs.com
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