Democracy vs. the 'Security' State

           Our founding fathers risked the gallows and fought a revolutionary war, to defy the arrogant tyranny of the British Empire....   that we might have a constitutional republic, or a democracy.  The weeds of anti-Democratic thinking have so mixed with our great American garden...  that to many the word 'democracy' has little potency.  

          They see it as an abstract fantasy...  a phrase indicating a 'lawless' personality, when democracy is the highest and actual law of our land...  enshrined in our constitution and bill of rights- the birth-right of a free society, bought for us by noble ancestors with untold struggle, suffering and blood.  "Democracy" is sacred and must be preserved.

             And what is the air that Democracy breathes? A relatively free exchange of ideas; also freedom of thought.  They are attempting to strip the heavens of this air, and their most common excuse is the terrorist attack.  Let's be straight: terrorist attacks are rare incidents and they usually signify not too much liberty, but something gone wrong with the social order of a community.

              In a society in which citizens can think and speak with relative freedom, and these expressions are considered democratically and responded to...   There is greater understanding and peace, and few feel the need to go down in dire acts of blood-shed.

             Unfortunately, humanity is imperfect...   crime and terrorism will never entirely vanish....   but make no mistake, if we re-create our society along anti-democratic lines in response to rare terrorist attacks, we've given terrorism total and unearned victory.  

                This must never occur.  And even though such clouds are approaching: I do not believe the American people will ultimately allow this disgrace to take them over: having gotten a good taste of tyranny: they will rise in the spirit of our ancestors and fight back.

                May God bless and preserve the American Republic!