It is a shame that so many people are so willing to give up our hard won rights in order to "feel" safer.

George Bush has been using the fear of terrorism to systematically eliminate our 1st amendment rights of free speech, freedom of conscious (have you noticed that being a Muslim is now the same as being a terrorist) and the right to peaceably assemble (now we have "free speech zones"); our 4th amendment rights to be secure in our persons persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures (since in Bush world we are all potential terrorists), our 5th amendment rights to trial and to due process, our 6th & 7th amendment rights to speedy trial by jury with aid and assistance of counsel and the right to confront witnesses against us (remember in Bush world telling the accused what he is accused of and who is accusing him will impede the fight against terror) and out 8th amendment right against cruel and unusual punishment (in Bush world nothing is too cruel in the fight against terror).

On this Independence day holiday, I hope we will remember what our forefathers achieved and why they fought to secure our traditional liberties against the tyranny of the British King George. I hope we will agree that it is worth retaining those liberties even when our own King George tells us we don't need and can't afford them anymore.