To appear in the paper...

[payn817]

I wrote the following little thing and submitted it with a photo to two local newspapers. One contacted me within an hour, and it will be in their paper on Thursday or Friday. The editor is going to call me back as soon as they decide which day they have space and which section it will appear in.

Ever wonder what kind of things employees at Wal-Mart discuss? Of course there is the typical gossip and recent corporate happenings. However, last night was a bit different.

The topic? Politics. That’s right, and some people are quite unhappy with recent activity in Washington.
Why you ask? Well, there is the whole Patriot Act subject. Some people were surprised to find out about the fact that it exists, and has be re-instated for the next decade. Don’t let the news channels and hype fool you though. The Patriot Act is a severe removal of rights we have enjoyed as Americans. There is (or I should say was) the right of privacy. The government can now tap any phone, or break in your home and rummage through it without needing any search warrant, or even probable cause.

Thanks to technology, you can be found easily enough with your cell phone and triangulation. Yep, they know where you are, and can hear what you’re saying! The Act also allows e-mail and any other correspondence to be intercepted. Furthermore, any group of three or more can be labeled as a terrorist group, and be treated as such by any law enforcement agency (better donate to your local police force). Even photography of public places may be an “at risk” activity. So, you best not take those pictures of the little ones at Six Flags!

This could go on forever, but you should really read the text, and draw your own conclusions. Anything in writing is always open to interpretation. The same law makers are looking to pass a bill that will allow agencies to review your library history, so make sure you don’t read anything you would be ashamed of! Not to mention National ID cards. Instead of carrying multiple cards, you would have just one. Why? It makes you easier to track. Why don’t they just implant micro chips and control us with joysticks? Sorry, I may have just given them a new idea.

So, why all these changes? Terrorism. What is a terrorist? Apparently, a terrorist is someone who is not American and causes destruction. If you ask the numerous news channels. Terrorists can be anyone. As soon as something happens, it is a terrorist attack if you ask them. If you think I am blowing this out of proportion, think about this: The sniper attacks a while back were thought to be an act of terrorism, until it was found that the sniper was an American. At that point, the terrorist became a mass-murderer.

One person said “We went to Iraq to make them more like us, yet we are becoming more like they once were”. Another said “We need a new political party, we should call it the realists”. The best thing I have yet to hear was “The greatest threat to our nation comes from within”. Absolutely! Our nation is being threatened by the very people who are supposed to protect it, the politicians. The terrorists are winning, they have made us loose some of our rights, and we stand to loose more.

Yes, I am scared, just like most American, but it is not the terrorists I am scared of. It is those who make the rules which govern our day to day lives. Surely, I will now be labeled as a terrorist for writing this.


That was the text, and here is the photo, although it isn't great. Just a photo of my car.

[Speed]

National ID cards are the first step. The implanted micro chips will replace the National ID card, because the card could be lost or stolen. Expect it to be implanted in your hand. It will contain your drivers license, your social security number, your bank accounts, your medical records, and other little goodies they deem necessary (see below).

Fortunately (?), due to the lack of concern over illegals streaming into the country, it is unlikely that the National ID card will be implemented in the next few years. It was talked about after 9-11, but that would require the government to determine who was in the country and who was legal and illegal. Which would require addressing the problem of illegals.

And as for being easier to track...

By 2011, the government expects that GPS units will be small enough to be on a micro chip that can be injected into your body (that micro chip you mentioned), and they expect by 2011 that they will have enough GPS satelites that they will be able to track anyone with such a chip to within one meter.

Ever read the book of Revelation? It's not far off.

Some intel reports indicate that Al Queda has obtained nuclear weapons, and that their next attack on the US will be a nuclear one. IF that should ever happen, and IF there is a US government afterward, then expect to see very draconian measures taken. If there isn't a US government afterward, I guess China will finally realize their dream of world domination and rule the world.

Sleep tight.

[JSPhoto]

We have been losing our rights for a long time, long before the patriot act came about. Long before the states began "forcing" us to wear seat belts, and so on. There are places where you cannot take photos now, or you will get arrested. Some you can photograph but you have to have a permit....just another kind of "tax" with a different name.
What we do not need is another political party, what we do need is for everyone of voting age to start voting and quit complaining. The problem is too many people sit back and allow the minority to control the majority. The only way changes will be made is if everyone votes.
The present situation reminds me of the very early days of our country, when the only people allowed to vote were the ones who were "freemen", those who owned a certain amount of land. At one point there were just 10,000 people in America, and only 400 of them could vote, they controlled everything. Today, with the millions of voting age people there is still a similar ratio of voters to non-voters, yet the first to complain are the ones who do not vote..... now there is a picture for you.

JS

[payn817]

JSPhoto, I love that you put a mean face and seem so aggresive. That kind of attitude solves many problems. Anyway, had you read what i wrote, the piece commented on what a group of individuals were discussing, and the quotes gave a sample of what that same group thought of the current situation. How do you know wether or not they voted? Just because you vote doesn't mean the person you wanted to win does (at least not the way I understand it). As far as the first person to complain... I can complain, it is my right (freedom of speech), and no I din't vote. Why? Because I am a convicted felon. Perhaps that makes me trash and less of a person to you, but we all make mistakes, and I have not done anything illegal since age 19 (31 now). My opinion on the whole subject is that we were never free, and never will be.

It would do me no good to be registered to vote anyway, as I believe -
1. No welfare.
2. Pro Gay marriage
3. Seperation of church and state

This list could go on. However, I won't waste the time because it is pointless. You see, everyone has their own view, and that is what makes life great. What makes life miserable, and full of violence is when people can't accept that fact. There is a picture for you!

By the way people, let's keep it civil, if you don't agree, just state that. However, note that while some of this piece is my opinion, it is also the opinion of a group, and taken from a conversation.

[adina]

There is a very similar thead in the off topic forum.

But kudos to you for making the paper!

[payn817]

I am aware of it Adina. I started this thread to announce that I had been published. Thanks for the kudos.

[schrackman]

oh boy, political talk!

1. No welfare.

Agree. It ain't the government's role to use our tax dollars this way. Let charities do their thing. There's plenty of them and always will be. We can pass the savings over to our defense budget, or some other area where government is supposed to spend our tax dollars.

2. Pro Gay marriage

Disagree. Government's job is to protect natural rights, not unnatural sexual relations.

3. Seperation of church and state

If by separation of church and state you mean restricting government from passing a law that establishes a state religion that requires the support of tax dollars, and permitting citizens to worship according to their own conscience, then I agree. But if you mean taking prayer out of school, or removing religious symbols from government buildings or property, or removing a cross from a city seal, or taking out the words "under God" in the pledge of allegiance, or removing "In God We Trust" from our coinage, then I disagree and rather view that as a perversion of the first amendment.

There, that's my 2cents for the day.