When Surveillance is Tyranny, and Rebellion is Patriotic

"The most perfect freedom consists in obeying the dictates of right reason, and submitting to natural law. When a man goes beyond or contrary to the law of nature and reason, he becomes the slave of base passions and vile lusts; he introduces confusion and disorder into society, and brings misery and destruction upon himself. This, therefore, cannot be called a state of freedom, but a state of the vilest slavery and the most dreadful bondage. The servants of sin and corruption are subjected to the worst kind of tyranny in the universe. Hence we conclude that where licentiousness begins, liberty ends."--Samuel West, On the Right to Rebel Against Governors, 1776

By Douglas V. Gibbs

This nation was founded upon the principles of liberty, and the willingness to fight for our fundamental rights.  The British were using general warrants to illegally search the homes of colonists, and to seize what The Crown considered to be contraband.  Yet, new polls in today's America say that Americans favor surveillance of phone and Internet for the purpose of National Security.

The question for that poll is misleading, because it is not a "Yes" or "No" answer. It is a matter of what degree for the common defense should government be able to access information without a warrant.

I see what is happening with the NSA snooping through our electronic records as clearly being an invasion of our privacy.  I am all for national security, and being able to scan what is necessary based on reasonable leads, through a warrant gained specifically for that particular lead.

But how do you track terrorists without using modern communication tracking, and if you do, how do you do it without crossing that fine line between freedom, and tyranny?

What if these tabs on everyone stored in computers became a worldwide phenomenon?  What if a power bent on global domination gained access to all of these records?  What if they were used to keep an eye on you by a system that has no concern for your freedoms or rights?

And for you liberal readers, what if Bush had cross this line as Obama is?

Is it okay to you that Obama does this, but if the GOP did you would be up in arms?

Okay, fine, you say you trust "this" government with your information, but what if down the road, with this model in place thanks to the Obama administration, there is a ruling group that you don't trust with access to it?

Tyranny is tyranny, and as citizens, we have a right to push back.

Are you making phone calls, sending faxes, sending emails, and visiting your local political offices?

-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary