Pro Libertate: The Triumph of the Torture State

Pro Libertate Blog has a good post on torture (and specifically controlled drowning-i.e. waterboarding).

I admit that this subject of torture ("enhanced interrogation techniques") is one that I tend to flip-flop on.

Part of me wants to say the "enemy" doesn't deserve any rights and the ends always justify the means regardless of what kind of "interrogation technique" used. We now know that Khalid Sheikh Mohammad was captured supposedly as a result of information gained by these sort of "interrogation techniques" and we're told that this information has saved countless American lives. But all at what cost?

This very opinion is one that many "terrorist" Muslims point to as a reasoning for their attacking of America and I know that our founding fathers would disagree with an "ends justify the means" approach to treatment of prisoners (even "enemy combatants") in the name of keeping the American public safe.

A wise man once said, "Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety," and I heartily agree.

My litmus test has always been, would you want your government to have this power/right to exercise over you?

What if something crazy happened and our government more resembled the Big Brother from George Orwell's 1984 than a constitutional republic that seeks to safeguard the liberty of it's citzens? Would you want the government to be able to suspend your habeus corpus and be able to torture you by fear of death and infliction of psychological torment?

By many sources, the "terrorist" watch list has grown to well over 1 million people (USA Today, The New American, Voice of America, & ACLU) and many of them are probably folks like you (well, not the feds reading this probably) and I. This should concern you greatly.

If things don't change, this War on Terror (and the fear that it inspires) will be the stepping stone to unravel all of our Bill of Rights.

Be very afraid, and ask yourself: If you lived in 1950's U.S.S.R. (or 1930's Germany) would you want your government to have this power over you? Why should it be different because you live in a 21st Century United States?

WND & Wash. Times: Fed's Monitoring 'Right-wing-extremists'

Well I'd just like to take the time to say Hi! to all of our wonderful government friends that stop by from time to time to see what I'm blabbering about...

Let me be the first to extend a warm handshake to you.

WND Headline: Homeland Security on guard for 'right-wing extremists'

WASHINGTON – A newly unclassified Department of Homeland Security report warns against the possibility of violence by unnamed "right-wing extremists" concerned about illegal immigration,increasing federal power, , restrictions on firearms, abortion and the loss of U.S. sovereignty and singles out returning war veterans as particular threats.

The report, titled "Right-wing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment," dated April 7, states that "threats from white supremacist and violent anti-government groups during 2009 have been largely rhetorical and have not indicated plans to carry out violent acts."READ MORE>>>

Let me just say to all of you spooks out there that this news is very troubling to me, and I'm perplexed to why it's not troubling to you as well.

First of all, let me clear a few things up for you.

I am not a white supremacist. I believe like many 'right-wing-extremists' that we were all created in the image of God, and frankly I cringe every time someone tries to label people as anything other than human. I am a member of one race (and one race only), the HUMAN RACE.

I am not a violent anti-government group nor am I a member of any afformentioned groups.

I am not against government; although, I do feel that we have too much government. Our government is a bloated and festering wound on the side of Lady Liberty. Here in lies the problem. Liberty and Government directly oppose each other. Government wants more control and Liberty wants less control. Yes, you can have liberty and government, but it's much like walking a tight rope. A careful balance must be achieved and then maintained to assure that we stay as citizens with liberty and not subjects owned by the government.

So you're probably wondering why the 'Right-wing-extremist' title then?

My name and URL was spurred by the late great Barry Goldwater and the perception that those that support American Sovereignty, Liberty, Gun Ownership, Smaller Government, Federalism, a Right To Life, and other Constitutional Issues as "right wing extremists".