It would seem that the current Congress is deliberately working to convert us to a dictatorship.
The police state legislation passed since 9-11 mimics the former Iron Curtain and former Communist Russia. Wiretapping without warrant leads to false arrests for "terrorist" activists---ie vocal people----based on FISA broadening and the Patriot Act, for which Congress en masse (Republican and Democrat alike) voted not once, but twice. The National Defense Authorization Act gives the Prez military ammunition against American dissent "in times of national emergency" which so far have proven easy to contrive. Signing statements are honored by Congress as the rule of law and war crimes continue to be funded by that same Congress. No Habeas Corpus for "terrorist" detainees--most of whom have been proven to be innocent-----was voted for by overwhelming Republican Congressional majority vote. A deaf ear turned to appeals from the tax-paying public means that Congress too is a team of "The Deciders" rather than the implementers of the public will.
Sooo....what are we to do?
Lie down and play victim?
NO?
Even on Opednews plus four other forums, I gathered a sum total of six signatures to ask Moveon.org and other grassroots entities to send out petitions to stop the THought Crimes Bill.
WOWEE!! How impressive is that?
It's understandable that depression governs our masses. But again, I must remind us all that soooooo many politicians are resigning to avoid scandal: Apparently the popular belief that our voice and opinions don't matter is not true.
The PEN points out that Congress members bemoan the lack of American participation in the Democratic process. The more signatures a Congressperson can wave on the Congressional floor, the better his/her backbone and clout when "plugging for" any given law or activity.
It is simply absurd to pay for the funding of our own abuse with our tax dollars. We have every right and every duty to cry "Foul" and insist that OUR tax dollars go where we want them to.
Protests stopped the Vietnam War.
HERE ARE A FEW THINGS WE CAN DO:
a) If we all write to our grassroots leaders and ask them to circulate petitions, with enough participation from their membership they will take note. Because they sure don't want to lose their members. The more of us do this, the better. THE GRASSROOTS IS STRONGER THAN IT EVER WAS: THEREIN LIES OUR HOPE.
b) Ditto with Congress. They want to be re-elected. Yes the votes are rigged but no, they can't be rigged past certain percentages of what the polls reflect. ANd with the current movement in which citizens are taking matters into their own hands to audit the precincts, there is tons of hope. TAKE MATTERS INTO OUR OWN HANDS BY AUDITING THE PRECINCTS AS CITIZENS. AND WRITE CONGRESS: OUR COLLECTIVE VOICE WILL COUNT!
c) Ask your City Councils and County Supervisors to make public statements decrying any freedom-usurping legislation or lamentable Congressional activity. This will give backbone to the cause and lead to publicity, while influencing public opinion.
d) Write letters to the editor. They are read by politicians as indicators of public opinion and help to influence public thinking and proactivity. A very important tool! We never know who we are going to reach: A letter to the editor I wrote to a very small newspaper resulted in a movie maker stepping forward, an activist marching an election reform proposal I drafted right to Kucinich himself at a house party, who made every attempt to pen it into law. That itself means steam has gathered: If we pick up the ball yet again, the proposal itself could even still pass into law, given enough public pressure! LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CAN BE VERY POWERFUL ON A PROACTIVE LEVEL, EVEN WHEN SUBMITTED TO A SMALL NEWSPAPER! GO FOR IT!
My friends and fellow Americans, having lived abroad I know all the more how much I love the American people.
But I must say that I am disheartened and very worried.
If we don't take responsibility for toppling the Thought Crimes Bill and stepping up to the plate in any other number of areas, it will be our own fault if fascism takes over.
To write about The Problem and complain about it is not enough. It's good that we are all aware but we must do proactive things to change it.
"Act, don't Re-Act to situations". Such were the words out of the mouth of David Spangler, a former Findhorn founder and New Age pioneer.
His words are well said.
When ant colonies are flooded, the ants cling together in a pyramid and float to safety. Then they continue right on with their work. So must we.
Just like ant colonies, We the People outnumber the politicians by tens of millions to one. Why be afraid? Time to team together with our strength in numbers and create a tsunami of exposees, boycotts, etc....
Thank you all for your proactivity and your caring.
