Land of the Free?

For those readers who still naively believe that this country is still the land of the free, let me highlight recent lawlessness perpetrated by this government.   

Ignoring the 1st Amendment

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech; or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

As many know, government's censorship of free speech has been on the march for decades.  Opposition to state-forced acceptance of certain issues are verboten, and if uttered, are labeled "hate speech."  We all know the penalties for not thinking in line with the government progressivism: personal destruction.  Further, the government attack dog, the IRS, has been unleashed on any group known to hold ideas contrary to the government's stated edicts, specifically those groups who identify as conservative and/or Christian.  Now, emboldened by the lack of any resistance to this usurpation of free political speech as guaranteed in the First Amendment, the FCC seeks to infiltrate radio and television newsrooms with government thugs, er, monitors, to determine what stories are to be aired. This quote is from Mr. Ajit Pai, a commissioner with the FCC, in a recent Wall Street Journal article:

" . . . The purpose of the CIN [Multi-Market Study of Critical Information Needs], according to the FCC, is to ferret out information from television and radio broadcasters about "the process by which stories are selected" and how often stations cover "critical information needs," along with "perceived station bias" and "perceived responsiveness to underserved populations.  How does the FCC plan to dig up all that information? First, the agency selected eight categories of "critical information" such as the "environment" and "economic opportunities," that it believes local newscasters should cover. It plans to ask station managers, news directors, journalists, television anchors and on-air reporters to tell the government about their "news philosophy" and how the station ensures that the community gets critical information . . . "

This is a far more heavy-handed regurgitation of the failed policies of the FCC's so-called Fairness Doctrine, which was repealed in the late 1980s.  Under this policy the news is whatever the government says is news:  goodbye checks and balances, hello disinformation and propaganda.

Ignoring the 4th Amendment

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, homes, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

What could be further from the intent of this fundamental guarantee of personal security than the massive, invasive and all-encompassing NSA spying?  Speak on your cell phone, and you're on talk radio.  Send an email or text and you've published news.  Stop and Search policies are used by police departments all over the U.S.  And now, with life imitating art, we have a budding pre-crime appartus that's been in develpment for years at DHS.  You can now be detained or arrested, and without redress, for merely the appearance of doing something the government deems threatening. 

Ignoring the 2nd Amendment

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep an bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

There's no question as to why the government wants to limit, restrict and ultimately confiscate your guns.  As the founders knew, an armed citizenry is "necessary to the security of a free state." Are you beginning to see why there's such a push for gun control?  Are you beginning to see why the issue is so contentious, and why elected officials who support this nonsense have been recalled and removed from office?  Are you wondering why non-military federal agencies like DHS, IRS and TSA have purchased over two billion rounds of handgun ammunition?  That's about 5,000 rounds for each agent in those departments.  How many rounds do you have?  This isn't about hunting.

Why is there such a rampant, lawless disregard for the fundamental freedoms upon which the United States was founded?  The actions by this government transcend mere political ideology.  This government is in the process of transforming the basic premise of this marvelous experiment in self governance into the tried and failed policies of totalitarianism.  People need to see what's right in front of them, and to reflect deeply on what they want their future to be.  We're no longer the land of the free, but I'm praying we're still the home of the brave.