Submitted by Mike Krieger via Liberty Blitzkrieg blog, [4]
In time of actual war, great discretionary powers are constantly given to the Executive Magistrate. Constant apprehension of War, has the same tendency to render the head too large for the body. A standing military force, with an overgrown Executive will not long be safe companions to liberty. The means of defence against foreign danger, have been always the instruments of tyranny at home. Among the Romans it was a standing maxim to excite a war, whenever a revolt was apprehended. Throughout all Europe, the armies kept up under the pretext of defending, have enslaved the people.
– James Madison, Founding Father and 4th President of these United States
No outside force can end freedom in America. The only force that can end freedom in America, is the American government itself. This is the main lesson of the 15 years since 9/11.
The notion that we must preemptively give up our freedoms to protect our freedoms is so remarkably infantile and irrational you’d think almost no one would fall for it. Yet fall for it they do.
On the other hand if you are a serious person and want to examine where the real threat to American freedom and liberty resides, look no further than Washington D.C..
From Foreign Policy [5]:
CIA Director John Brennan said Monday he suspects the Islamic State is currently working on more terrorist plots against the West following Friday’s attack in Paris that killed at least 129 people and injured hundreds more. He also criticized new privacy protections enacted after Edward Snowden’s disclosures about U.S. government surveillance practices.
In his remarks, Brennan said the attacks should serve as a “wake-up call” for those misrepresenting what intelligence services do to protect innocent civilians. He cited “a number of unauthorized disclosures, and a lot of handwringing over the government’s role in the effort to try to uncover these terrorists.”
Perhaps next time you shouldn’t unconstitutionally spy on everyone and lie about it.
Brennan also said the United States had “strategic warning” about the terrorist attack in Paris, but did not provide details, other than to say it was “not a surprise.” He said he believed the attack was planned over “several months.”
Sure, just give up a little more freedom and we’ll protect you next time. What an asshole.
