Once upon a time, the people of America were controlled by an arrogant and domineering government, assuming the role of the people’s protector and provider. Foreign wars were instigated on their behalf, growing taxes were demanded and the intolerable government openly disregarded the voice of the American people. Taking enormous personal risk to establish the great American experiment, also known as America democracy, in which we live today, the meek farmers of America, with French assistance, defeated the mighty Imperial British Army. Of course, until this point, the 13 colonies were not American, and in no way resembled the America that we have today. Shortly after securing an identity, the founding fathers composed the Constitution of the United States. This is a short instruction manual, protecting American citizens from a potentially tyrannical government. Self-determination, freedom from intrusion and the right to defend oneself against oppression, were precious rights, earned by the blood and tears of the early Americans. Unlike our fiercely independent forefathers, Americans are now perfectly content with security over freedom, secrets over the truth and voting money from the national coffers into their own pockets.
If you ever find yourself cooking frogs, allow them to enjoy the tranquility of slightly warming water. Once docile, you will be free to slowly increase the temperature until the frogs are dead. Like these oblivious frogs, Americans are content with lives of entertainment and luxury, despite cooking in the deadly waters of government overreach. To predict the outcome of our actions, we must step out of the pot to analyze our situation.
The American collective preference for safety over freedom has been one of the largest detriments to modern American liberty. We have granted blank checks, in the taxpayer’s name, to the militarized police state and the military industrial complex. Although President Eisenhower warned against such powers in his Farwell Address to the Nation, we have submissively allowed the creation of such potentially industrial tyranny. In the name of safety, we have allowed the military industrial complex to squander our money in foreign wars, kill Americans without due process and, if ever written into law, to confiscate the people’s weapons with which the founders meant to be used against a tyrannical government. The National Security Administration (NSA) lies about domestic spying, local police departments equip themselves with military equipment, and Homeland Security buys 20 times more rounds than were used in the Iraq war. These are some examples of domestic militarization, and how the option for safety is the death of freedom. In the following issues, I will be using student feedback, professional viewpoints and all credible material to help us analyze our crockpot situation.
As an institution of thinkers, debaters and problem solvers, I challenge you to know the facts, have an opinion and change the world.
