AMERICANS SURRENDERING LIBERTIES: SHADES OF GERMAN HISTORY

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Thu, 25 Aug 2005 23:17:49 -0500

AMERICANS SURRENDERING LIBERTIES: SHADES OF GERMAN HISTORY

 

 

 

 

 

AMERICANS SURRENDERING LIBERTIES: SHADES OF GERMAN HISTORY

By Pastor Chuck Baldwin

 

August 23, 2005

 

http://www.newswithviews.com/baldwin/baldwin253.htm

 

It appears that a strengthened U.S.A. Patriot Act will soon sail

through Congress with little opposition or consternation on the part

of the American people. The new Patriot Act is even more stringent

than the original. In addition, many of the more egregious elements of

the Patriot Act which were originally scheduled to sunset are made

permanent in the latest version. And the vast majority of the American

people do not seem to mind.

 

For one thing, Americans seem to have accepted the notion that they

must rely on the federal government to take care of them. Lost to most

is an independent, self-reliant spirit. After all, Americans already

look to Uncle Sam for food stamps, welfare payments, commercial and

farm subsidies, and faith-based handouts; why should they object to

the federal government's promise to now provide their complete

security even if it does mean the sacrifice of their liberties? To

most Americans, security seems much more valuable than freedom!

 

It is incumbent upon each of us to remember that this is exactly the

way Adolph Hitler and the Nazi Party took control in Germany. They did

not seize power by force; the German people happily gave them power on

the promise of national security.

 

Since 9/11, even those Americans who in the past have championed

freedom and independence now demonstrate an obvious readiness to

gladly yield their liberties. It does not seem to matter one iota that

they are losing their right of privacy and their right to be secure in

their own homes.

 

When told that the Patriot Act is practically a carbon copy of

Hitler's Enabling Act, most Americans either yawn with indifference or

retort with disbelief. They seem to be oblivious to reality.

 

For some, their personal support for President Bush will not allow

them to look objectively at the details of his Patriot Act (or

virtually anything else he does). They truly don't want to believe

that Bush could ever promote something untoward. Yet, was this not the

same reasoning used by the German people in the 1930's? They loved and

trusted Hitler so much, they could not bring themselves to believe

that anything he did could be wrong.

 

Americans need to reread the principles expressed by their Founding

Fathers. Specific to the topic, Thomas Jefferson rightly said, " In

questions of power, then, let no more be said of confidence in man,

but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution. " It

would seem many Americans today no longer believe that.

 

For others, the fact that they do not believe themselves to have yet

been personally affected by the new Gestapo-like powers given to the

executive branch by the Patriot Act gives them a sense of (false)

peace. Their attitude is usually expressed by statements such as,

" Well, if you're not doing anything wrong, you don't have anything to

fear. " Of course, such thinking is extremely naïve and short-sighted.

 

Our entire way of life is predicated upon the conviction that we are

presumed innocent of any wrongdoing and only by a substantiated and

cumbersome process of discovery and prosecution can that assumption be

taken away from us. The Patriot Act totally reverses that historic

principle.

 

Now Americans are presumed to be guilty of wrongdoing and mechanisms

are in place to begin the process of proving it; and, furthermore, the

discovery portion of this process may now be done under cover of

darkness and secrecy. Gone is the presumption of innocence. Under the

Patriot Act, gone is the right to an attorney. Gone is the right to

habeas corpus. Gone is the right to a speedy trial. Gone is the right

to be secure in your papers and effects. The Patriot Act is turning

America into a Nazi-style police state. And that is not hyperbole!

 

Furthermore, Americans need to wake up to the reality that there

already exists a gargantuan effort afoot to put a military-style

federal apparatus in place. For example, according to syndicated

columnist Charley Reese, " In recent years, federal law enforcement has

expanded to the point where there is now an equivalent of five

military divisions armed and invested with the power to make arrests. "

And this does not include the fact that certain of our military and

C.I.A. personnel are also being trained and instructed in domestic law

enforcement. Can people not see the writing on the wall?

 

Another thing people need to think about is the definition of

" wrongdoing. " The argument that, " If you haven't done anything wrong,

you don't have anything to worry about " loses its legitimacy when " the

powers that be " can alter what " wrong " is at will.

 

The Patriot Act so loosely defines " terrorism " that virtually anyone

or anything could be considered " an act of terrorism " including

speech! Plus, Bush lovers need to remember that Dubya will not be

president forever. They need to think about the likes of Hillary

Clinton or Janet Reno interpreting and enforcing the Patriot Act!

 

Then again, we have to consider that there is a sizeable percentage of

the American people who have already surrendered their liberties as a

state of mind. They have been successfully programmed to accept any

and all government fetters. In their minds, they are already slaves to

the state! After all, freedom is first a matter of the heart.

 

The bottom line is, in the name of safety and security, the American

people, as did the people of Germany in the 1930's, are willingly

surrendering their liberties. One more 9/11-style attack will probably

mean the end of whatever freedom is left. And sadly, the vast majority

of the American people will probably be ok with that, as well.

 

At the end of the day, however, the loss of freedom will not bring

America peace and safety. Instead, destruction and tyranny will

result. A simple look at German history proves that.

 

Of course, America's founders rejected tyrannical government. However,

it appears that many of today's Americans share more in common with

German history than with their own.

 

Chuck Baldwin is Founder-Pastor of Crossroads Baptist Church in

Pensacola, Florida. In 1985 the church was recognized by President

Ronald Reagan for its unusual growth and influence.

 

 

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