We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. -
That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, -
That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security

Some of those reading these words for the first time might think the person who wrote them is an out of control radical or left wing zealot. Some might deem him a terrorist or an "insurgent." There are those who might even call him a traitor or at the least, unpatriotic. Yet still others might call him a revolutionary, and still others a patriot.

But these words were written by a man named Thomas Jefferson, one of the main founders, and the 3rd president of the United States. These are the initial words of the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America which he authored. It was, and still is, a very radical and revolutionary document, yet it pertains very much to the state of these United States today, and the freedom's we've grown to take for granted.

After listening to King George during his State of the Union speech recently, these words seemed quite apropos. For King George II wants us to believe his lies, that the state of our country is perfectly fine and he paints quite a rosy picture. When in fact, the state of the United States of America has never been more in peril since its inception. Our freedoms and civil liberties have never been more under attack or at risk. No war or foreign power has ever threatened our freedom more than does this president and his government of fascist lapdogs and corporate sponsors.

Thomas Jefferson was indeed both a revolutionary and a patriot. It was because of his courage, and that of many others like him, who stood up for what they believed in, for freedom and justice for all, against tyranny, that the United States was born, where the government is supposed to be of, by and for the people. And it was our revolution of courageous patriots who fought for and won our fight against tyranny and those very freedoms and liberties we enjoy today. It was also our revolution for liberty that influenced the French people to also rise up in revolution against the tyranny they endured.

Therefore, I felt it was very fitting, that as this REG issue celebrates the release of Ca Ira, Roger Waters' opera commemorating the French Revolution, that it might be time revisit why the American people revolted against tyranny and won our freedoms in the first place, and to gaze into the looking glass and take our heads out of our asses to see what is happening today in our own country, to our own government and the abolition of the freedoms and liberties upon which it was founded!

The Constitution of the United States says that ONLY Congress can declare war, yet this president took this country into an unjust, illegal, and endless war in Iraq, "preemptively" invading and occupying another country that was no threat whatsoever to us, and in so doing, killing almost 3500 US soldiers, wounding and maiming almost 30,000 US soldiers, and killing countless thousands of Iraqi's. Then, after lying to us about his rationalization for this war, when no weapons of mass destruction could be found, he changed the subject and stated that we at least evicted a dictator. And now we have taken it upon ourselves to become the worlds policemen, who through the presidents insane delusions and decree's, are mandated to the spreading of democracy around the world, whether the people like it or not. This sounds very much like the Catholic crusades in the middle ages to me. It's as if saying, we know what's best for you, so we're going to shove it down your throats whether you like it or not... and if you don't, we'll kill you. How many of us would become freedom fighters... oh excuse me, I mean "insurgents," if a foreign power invaded and occupied our country and tried to force their form of government or religion upon us?

King George also issued an executive order violating ALL rule of law, which states that any foreign national or US citizen suspected of terrorism against the United States can be arrested with NO charges filed, imprisoned indefinitely, and then without ha bias corpus, without due process of law, and without access to legal representation, be tried before a "secret" military tribunal! Does this sound like The United Stated of America, a land supposedly of laws, a land of liberty and justice, a land where one is deemed innocent until proven guilty? Or does this sound like Nazi Germany or Communist Russia, or countless other tyrannies we've witnessed around the world? This order by President Bush is the most completely illegal and unconstitutional decree's ever made by a US President, and it is unbelievably one of the most fascist policies ever instituted in the history of this country! This again is a direct violation of the constitution he swore to uphold. What if someone accused you of being a terrorist?? Without any evidence or any reason, this is what could happen to you from a mere accusation! Laws like this have been used countless times by tyrants to imprison their enemies, and don't think that it could not happen here. Because that's exactly what many Germans thought in the 1930's. Two years ago King George stated that never would any government surveillance be conducted within the United States upon a US citizen without a warrant or order from a legal court. We've since learned that he was knowingly lying to the American people when he made that statement, because he authorized domestic spying by the National Security Agency without a court order 4 years ago.

This 'domestic spying' operation of his, no matter how he tries to justify it, is a direct violation of the law. The FISA law was written after the domestic spying abuses of Richard Nixon in order to prevent another despot from acquiring too much power. And no matter how well meant he wants us to believe it was, George W. Bush knowingly violated the law, and then lied to us about it, and is now trying to cover it up with the twists and turns of political and legal spin and propaganda! The Constitution of the United States was written to prevent the government from instituting unjust or unwarranted searches and seizures against a US Citizen, and Bush's new policy directly violates that constitutional statute as well.

But what's really scary is not only that he will get away with it, but that this a direct attack upon our freedom, civil liberties and rights of privacy from government intrusion. This is not the first, but it is the most massive public volley against our civil liberties in American history. The term "Big Brother Is Watching You" has never taken on so much meaning!! And while his propaganda machine is furiously pumping out the rhetoric and spinning the story to make King George look like our protector, the polls of the American people show that over 50% are willing to sacrifice some freedoms or liberties in order to feel safe! MY GOD!! We must have a country of unthinking apathetic sheep to be so stupid, so trusting and so docile as to be led to the slaughter of our freedoms and liberties by the lies and illegal wars of this despot! No terrorist could destroy our freedoms and liberties more thoroughly than George W. Bush is doing right before our eyes. And it seems we are almost powerless to stop him, for 6 years he has had a rubber stamp Republican controlled congress and those in the opposition Democratic party, who now hold any power, are inept, impotent, and cowardly, shoving their heads in the sand, afraid to do anything that might threaten their power or their re-election. The constitution was written in such a way as to prevent any one man, general or president from becoming too powerful, from becoming a tyrant. But when a president can violate the constitution and tell us... and actually sell us on the fact... that he can be above the law, because he has decided it is necessary to protect us, all the while taking away our civil liberties in order to ensure our safety, then what we have is truly a totalitarian regime, and we all should be afraid, very afraid.

But then, that's what the Bush administration with the help of a government controlled media has been doing for years, promoting and proselytizing FEAR! For when a people can be made to feel enough fear, they will be willing to give up any freedom to feel safe!

Benjamin Franklin said it best when he said: "Those who would sacrifice liberty for security deserve neither!" A tyranny is building behind the scenes within the US Government, secretly, surreptitiously, and using advanced technological means to usurp our freedom. In The Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson was speaking of the tyranny of King George of England, yet he could very well have been talking about the King George we find ourselves under today. It's time to take heed of those words and think seriously about what is happening within our own government and decide what you are willing to do to keep and protect your freedom. No, I'm not advocating revolution, not just yet in any case. But I am advocating an impeachment of this would be King! Perhaps the time is now to start thinking again like a revolutionary, to begin thinking like a true patriot! When George Orwell wrote the book "1984," he may have named the title about 20 years too early. Bush is an expert at Orwellian "Newspeak" (and some thought it was pure stupidity and lack of articulation, when in fact, he says what he doesn't mean and means what he doesn't say). He's often uttered phrases like "We must keep the Peace..." when all the while we are waging war. "We must keep the Peace," he kept saying, as we launched massive bombing raids, and shock and awe became the watchwords of our new "Peace," for our new freedom that is not freedom at all.

Now, 2 weeks before Congress is set to investigate whether George Bush broke the law with his order of the NSA to spy against the American People, just by coincidence, someone releases an "audio only" tape of Ossama Bin Laden, once again threatening the US, and giving the president just the impetus he needs to reconcile his illegal acts. How convenient. And if you believe that after 2 years of not hearing anything at all from Bin Ladin, just before Bush is to be investigated, he's going to threaten the US... well, I've got a bridge for sale, and I'll give you a hell of a deal!

Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely, and those in power are willing to do ANYTHING to maintain their power. In fact, I don't believe the Bush administration wants Bin Ladin dead at all. After all, with a live evil enemy you can constantly point at, you can continue to promote fear and anger, as well as distract the masses from your slight of hand, while disabling our civil liberties indefinitely. In Orwell's book 1984, Big Brother keeps his power by constantly rallying the masses against the evil "Manual Goldstien." Well in today's modern surreptitious totalitarianism, Bin Ladin is now Bushes Goldstien, and Bush has become our Big Brother. In Orwell's book, the government kept tabs on the people technologically through television. And today, in our advanced technological age of computers and the Internet, the revelations that Bush can order our own government to spy on us, never before has the term "Big Brother Is Watching You" become more real, more threatening and more a nightmare come true. And if we don't do something to stop it, we'll soon all be reciting the mantra:

Goldstien (Bin Ladin) is the root of all evil and injustice. We are at war with East Asia (Terrorism) and we will always be at war with East Asia (Terrorism). Big Brother is the only one who can protect us and keep us safe.

War is Peace Ignorance Is Strength Freedom is Slavery All Hail Big Brother