I am not a Scholar of the Law or the Constitution, so perhaps my Unease has no solid Foundation in Reality.
There appears a Pattern of Changes taking place, which erode Individual Protections and Freedoms in the name of Security.
Civil Forfeiture without Due Process started with the War on Drugs, a cause the majority related to. There was the occasional story of abuse; a bit of drugs planted in the trunk with the auto then confiscated. But by and by, there didn't appear to be a pattern of abuse which would cause the majority to rally.
The Patriot Act appears to extend this forfeiture to financial assets & personal freedom, on the back of defusing the threat of terrorism, again a cause the majority relate to. We seem to be moving a step at a time, to a world where no one can do business without a number, and with a click of the mouse, a person may be stripped of assets and literally 'disappered'.
I realize as a society, we Rely on Trust & the Integrity of our mates. I think this is why the potential abuse of the added powers placed in the hands of civil authorities hasn't generated an outcry. I imagine most people are basically ethical and will make the right choices in most circumstances.
However, I think the ongoing news stream out of the post bubble WallStreet world illustrates the potential Corrosive Influence Power may inflict, as the Mores of one's closet peers adjust to changing circumstances.
I think Americans need to send a strong message, both through the polls and the upcoming Vote, to our leaders. That protection of what America stands for & the Constitution should come first. |
