Fact Stranger Than Fiction

I was just listening to the Ann Richards speech for the National Public Radio conference in 2004 and she was speaking of the fear that was a result of 9/11 which is causing us to allow our liberties to be taken away piece meal without any fuss or questioning or outrage.

Recently, I re-read Margaret Atwood's the The Handmaid's Tale and it was eerily reminiscent of our current political state. I didn't really remember the beginning of the book. But it was interesting in that it was small civil liberties taken away one at a time that led to the state that the Handmaid ended up in. It was such a subtle take over, that by the time people realized what was happening, it was too late - The noose was already around the neck of their freedom. It scares me how closely this seems to parallel our current situation.

I have to say - I'm scared! We are way too willing or apathetic to care that our government is hacking away at our freedom in the name of fear. No amount of fear should make us give up our freedom - it's simply inane to think they go hand in hand. I for one am willing to give up some of the government's so called security to retain the freedom that up until recently we all had. We've already given up so much - and with little or no outcry from the masses. I just had a baby and I'm very afraid of what he will experience as he grows up. I just do not understand how all this can be happening around me and I feel so helpless. There are days that I feel that I am at war with my own government, and I'm flabbergasted that somehow more than 50% of the voting public disagrees with me.

http://kut.org/items/show/5727