Ziay!

Ohio Guy

The Patriot Act is ready to be renewed (see: http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-5986379.html) and American civil liberities are threatened by it. It seems to be just another example the government acting without the support of the American people, yet no one did anything to stop it.

curiouspbp

We live in such comfortable, free times that many feel there's no cause to rise up and take any sort of political action...any many are partially right.

However, there is a larger problem--ignorance due to lack of education. Millions of people lack the basic knowledge of both our government and the way laws are enacted, and of our determined history.

If you know people like this, I'd recommend you give them (or recommend they read) the book "1776", written this year. It discusses the struggles we overcame for our independence, even when it seemed impossible.

As to the Patriot Act, you are right that it severely threatens INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS, but please learn not to use the term "civil liberties" or "civil rights" or "human rights". These terms subjugate the true nature of INDIVIDUAL rights to a collective/society/mob.

Benjamin Franklin was a strong advocate of liberty being of more importance than security, and he's absolutely right. After all, Iranians are in many ways very "secure", but they have absolutely zero freedoms.