My Right to Privacy Defined

Suppose, if you will, that every time you drove in or out of your private driveway onto or from the public street, a camera recorded the time and the date you exited or entered your driveway and the destination of your trip. Suppose further that all this collected information was stored in a massive government database that was indexed not by your name, but by your license plate number. Are you ok with your government keeping tabs on your movements? After all, they're not actually riding around in the car with you. They're just interested in where you're going, mabey who you're visiting, the time you traveled, frequency of your visits... stuff like that. But, never will any of this information ever be associated directly with you or your name--just the license plate number of your vehicle. Again I'll ask: Are you really ok with that?

 

Your government has told you that they need to violate just a little bit of your rights so they can be absolutely certain you're not talking to terrorists. After all, that's their justification for keeping records of all your phone calls. Is your security so precious that you're willing to give up your privacy? This is a question you'll have to answer for yourself. The question that I demand an answer to is this: Is your security so important that you can demand that I give up my right to personal privacy? Absolutely not! Your security--or insecurity--will never trump my right to privacy... NEVER!

 

To put a finer point on this, allow me to explain it another way. When I hear the president, members of congress, or, more specifically, Gen. Hayden or Atty. Gen. Gonzales explain that supposedly no laws were broken in their collecting of my phone records or that their program is somehow constitutional I could care less. I'm letting it be known right here, right now that unless government has evidence showing that I'm somehow engaged in some sort of nefarious activity, they had better butt out of my personal affairs. Much like my inalienable right to own weapons for the defense of my life, liberty, and property regardless of federal or state constitutions or subsequent laws, I also have an inalienable right to privacy. I know what my rights are and I'm saying hands off!

 

And just in case that wasn't clear enough for you, try this: GOVERNMENT: KEEP OUT!

 

May I remind you, dear reader, that without our constitution, all of government's actions in these matters would have to be considered as acts of hostility. If your nosey neighbor pulled this same sort of crap, you'd probably lose your mind. The constitution is the sole instrument that empowers this group of people with their authority to act. That is why I am so dismayed when I hear dismissive comments made by my fellow citizens and especially by members of government about our constitution and it's protections of our rights. I want to make it perfectly clear to those who disregard our constitution that the only thing standing between them acting as government agents and an early grave is that very same document. You see, without the authority that we, as citizens, grant them under our constitution, I would have no choice but to interpret their actions as a personal attack on my life, liberty, and property. They would be nothing more to me than a band of thugs.

 

Again, if government wishes to continue belittling the constitution, ignoring the constitution, or otherwise acting outside the authority granted to them by the constitution, their actions will be viewed as hostile. I will make every peaceful effort to help them correct their behavior, but if they insist on continuing, they will be removed from power--by force if necessary. We're only allowed one go-round in life. Don't think for a minute that I'll sit idly by while some tie-wearing jerk in D.C. tries to screw me out of fully enjoying my turn!