Big Brother is more than just bad TV

Government becoming too involved in our daily lives

I'm having difficulty digesting all that is taking place in the United States today. Beyond Obama Care, new taxes and increases in my power bill, the militancy of the EPA, and the Media's disgusting love affair with President Obama and all things left wing, recent events have me feeling a little hopeless for the future of the United States.

Let me first start with the Department of Homeland Security's recent announcement that their new target of interest in the war against terror is not Muslim Extremists, not anti-U.S. Occupy Wall Streeters, not radical revolutionaries sworn to tear down the United States, not illegal immigrants working for the drug cartels, and not even right wing extremists, but journalists. Yes, the new enemy to the safety of the People of the United States of America is the journalists, according to the DHS. Yes, those pesky journalists reporting all the time, spreading news and telling us what is going on in Washington and throughout the nation.

According to the DHS, they will now "monitor" social networking and online networking sites. The DHS will collect personal information from news anchors, reporters, journalists, and reporters who use "traditional and/or social media in real time to keep their audience informed." Are you getting Glenn Beck's News Letter? How about Ron Paul's? Do you post on Twitter or Myspace? Big Brother is watching.

Second, and honestly the most frightening to me came with the recent passing of the National Defense Authorization Act that included a provision allowing military to arrest and indefinitely detain U.S. citizens suspected of terrorism. The provision states that under direction of Homeland Security a U.S. citizen can be arrested and detained indefinitely without the safeguard of their Constitutional rights to legal representation, a trial, or protection from excessive sentencing if suspected of terrorism or aiding terrorists.

Now correct me if I am mistaken, but I believe that the 4th Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America states that We the People have a right to our persons, houses, papers, and effects and that right shall not be violated with unreasonable searches and seizures without Warrants. Apparently, that no longer applies if the DHS thinks you are a threat to our society. I'm pretty sure that the Fifth Amendment guarantees that the people will not be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law. Again, doesn't apply so much anymore. I might be wrong, but I think the Sixth Amendment states that the people have a right to a speedy public trial by an impartial jury, to be informed of what the accusation is, and to have witnesses present on their behalf. Once again, under the provision, this doesn't apply. The Eighth Amendment states that Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted. I would define being arrested and indefinitely detained on foreign soil or in the basement of some government warehouse without knowing why cruel and unusual punishment.

So, the Department of Homeland Security, the very same organization that is supposed to be protecting us from terrorism is now targeting our journalists and we can now be arrested and detained indefinitely without legal representation, trial, or rhyme or reason beyond suspicion. Are the comparisons to certain years in German, Russian, and Italian history necessary? Do I need to delve into the similarities? Do I need to make reference to books written by witnesses chronicling what took place during those time periods? They Thought They Were Free, Wine and Bread, Darkness At Noon, Life With The Star, Among The Living, The God That Failed, The Diary of Anne Frank?

Whether you are a Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, or Independent this concerns you. This should raise giant, blazing, red flags. When the government turns it cross hairs onto We the People, we are in trouble. The U.S. government was designed to protect, not to rule. If the Founders wanted rulers they wouldn't have changed things. They would have stuck with the King and rule of England. Why would they substitute one monarchy or dictatorship for another? They wouldn't have.

The people in Congress, the White House, and in the Department of Homeland Security have apparently forgotten the fact that they work for us. They have apparently forgotten that they swore to support and defend the Constitution. If we are in fact their enemy, they are very obviously not doing the jobs they were hired to do. What does it say about a government when that government targets the very people it is there to protect? What does it say about a Congress that agrees to pass a bill that allows the military to arrest civilians without trial or legal representation? What it says to me is they know they are wrong. What it says to me is they are scared and realize we are waking up.

First they came for the communists,

and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,

and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,

and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for me

and there was no one left to speak out for me.

- Martin Niemller

Jeff Langford is a Coeur d'Alene resident.