If they say that it’s for terrorism, then it's ok- that is how we live today...

If they say that it’s for terrorism, then it's ok- that is how we live today. It is a shame to see a company like Verizon forced to hand over tons of data. What happened to Big Business sticking it to the Government? Like not paying taxes, hiring illegals- and shipping jobs overseas?

 Yeah, fuck you America- (in my Big Business voice).

Nope- they did a 360 degree turn on this one. According to Obama back in 2007, our civil liberties were the most important thing on his agenda. I am against these sorts of actions happening in our country for several reasons.

One, I believe in the people, but I do not think that a majority of people are informed enough to understand how important all this information is and what can be done with it.

And secondly, I do not trust our government.  They have a history of abusing power.   

Maybe we should all have thought about it before we accepted the internet into our homes- nothing but a military technology packaged up for civilians.

I’m not against all this because I have “something to hide”- But rather, because this is the opposite of freedom.  People are in an uproar over keeping their guns and repealing health care- but why the fuck aren’t they screaming to get rid of the PATRIOT ACT.

Why is collecting data so important for our government? Because the government can use this data to do a lot of things they shouldn’t do.  For example, they can gather information to identify and track certain groups of individuals that might share the same belief.  Maybe…. Track their location using GPS data, and their calls, and where they gather.  Doesn’t sound too bad if you are thinking “terrorist”, right?  But replace “terrorist” with something else- anything.  Replace it with “Civil rights activist” or “Jew” or “Someone who doesn’t think like us”.  Scary?

This is too much.  That is way too much information for the government to have on its citizens. The common position “I am doing nothing wrong, so who cares if they track me” is nothing more than apathy and ignorance.

I have seen what happens to organizations that stand out and really try to make change-  they get roadblocked. I have seen what happens to individuals like Martin Luther King, and JFK.  Assonated- for their beliefs, their thoughts, and letting people know there is a choice.

We have a choice- here right now. The next few years will be a huge turning point in our lives. Data will become an even bigger business than it is already is and more laws are going to be created to protect and use that data in anyway a company or government sees fit.  

While we sit on these digital soapboxes and share our lives with the world, we are being watched.

I know there are some of you that believe that there will be some revolution- sorry to be real with you- it isn’t coming. WE the People could not overthrow our Government.  

What did our government do with the data that they collected when Russia rang the phone about the Boston Bomber? They dropped the ball- they did not react and allowed a suspected terrorist to conduct a terrorist act.

I understand that we have to sacrifice some of our privacy- things that are not really private. Like when I am walking down the street in front of cameras- attending a sports event- or even shopping at the mall. They can watch me.

But collecting all of this data and storing it “just in case” is not a good reason to take away our rights. To some, this is something that should be done in the name of safety.

But what if freedom of expression became something that was connected to terrorism.  It’s happening all over the world.  Is that acceptable? What if every child was forced to wear a name tag that had a GPS in it? Is that acceptable?

My point is simple- get informed and stay informed. Of course America is safer. But I do not think that it is because personal data has been collected and stored.

And while I am writing this, we just got word that the Government is now tapping into 9 Internet companies. Microsoft, PalTalk, YouTube, AOL, Yahoo, Google, Apple, Skype, and Facebook.  They are providing video, text, audio- pretty much anything you do on your computer.  So now the NSA is all in our shit-

Yeah they know how many guns that you have if you took a picture and placed it online- that little teeny bopper site that you are following- now they have placed you in a category with other people engaging in the same behavior.

There is no reason for these types of actions. I was told once by someone that we were close to tyranny- shit, I think I am staring at it directly in the eyes…

Freedom

So, we use the word free, but often forget the meaning. This country was never built off FREEDOM but rather manipulation. Minorities and women have been denied FREEDOM since the inception of this Nation. The United States of America was not conceived by a white man. But rather suggested by a Native American.  A Native American realized that a land full of colonies would not be successful. This concept was due to the many different tribes and differences in beliefs and traditions between the many different Native American tribes. 

These differences in beliefs seem to be playing out in our society now. There are some that want to legalize pot, support gay marriage, and eliminate Unions. While some demand that they keep their assault rifles and extended clips, and in the same breath deny others the opportunity to marry, fail to realize the hypocrisy in their statements or must believe that their FREEDOM is more important than others.

The biggest concern for all Americans should be FREEDOM. In order for our country to rise we cannot hold on to the old principles of our country. The old principles lead to burning witches, holding back women and minorities, and the word FREEDOM morphing into slight control of ones desires. Personally I believe that a person should be able to conduct any activity that has no detrimental effect on another person physically.

One should be free to love whom they want. One should be able to fill their bodies with want they want without fear of facing prison. If we live in a country that claims to be free yet has the highest amount of individuals confined behind bars- we should change our tag line to “the land of those that can't define FREEDOM”.

Of course true FREEDOM cannot be achieved in our society.  Our society has been so divided and mislead by the media that we often do not do our own research as individuals. We do not look for credible references, but follow the slanted media and their corporate sponsors to tell us what FREEDOM is, or is not.

The Patriot Act, Drones, monitoring of internet activities, and individuals giving up all of their personal thoughts on social media are all forms of control and eliminate FREEDOM. Maybe that is what we should change our tag line to-The United States of Limitations and Separation.

Our children are not given the FREEDOM to learn, but rather programmed to think the way that some individuals see fit. If the Black Panthers stood on the lawn of the Capital today would there be thousands of hunters standing with them? They didn't then and I would think they would not do it today.

I see FREEDOM, the FREEDOM for you to wave your Confederate Flag, The FREEDOM for you to tell me that your religion is better than my spirituality, the FREEDOM of corporations destroying our land and selling our resources at triple the value, the FREEDOM for you language to overtake mine, the FREEDOM for elected officials to lie and place blame on us, the FREEDOM for you to steal from my culture, but deny me the opportunity to enjoy theirs.

So when you look at the Stars and Stripes and hear those words the home of the brave, remember that being brave demands action. In order to be free we have to do what is right, not what is wrong.