Robert Terrell
What's happening to FREEDOM?
Each day I wake up in this fine nation, and cover a normal routine. Check my email, keep up to date with family and friends, read the current happenings within my nation - locally and otherwise, check to see how our troops are doing(the best I can) and maybe find a quick laugh or two. This is my given right as an American citizen, and I generally do all of this within 5 minutes or so. This wonderfully powerful tool, easily within reach.
At the same time, at least 3-5 times a week, something I read in my 5 minute, "Good morning world", session, leaves me feeling betrayed by my own government. We, myself and my fellow citizens, are losing our rights.. our privileges and our freedoms, on almost a daily basis. Some of it is our own fault. New laws are being created all the time, most of the time, to protect us from ourselves. The average American is becoming more and more numb and detached from his/her current worldly situation, and I understand the need for some laws in this case.
However, what I don't understand, is why they are encroaching upon our GOD GIVEN right of freewill. If If I don't like my current ISP and would like to research alternatives, I should be allowed to. If net neutrality is gone, my ISP can block all information regarding any competitor, thereby removing my freedom to "come and go as I please". These are our rights, granted to us by birth in this wonderful nation, slowly being stripped away by lawmakers and politicians.
Things like the patriot act (seriously, thats a MAJOR infringement upon our privacy) are passed into law, allowing our government to, at it's whim, listen/do/record/violate anything we say or do. I understand that some of the patriot act was needed. However, the parts that began to make us feel sheltered have gone to far.
Our government (all branches) has lost its way. We are doing all we can to help third world countries grow, while slowly becoming a third world country on our own. People are without jobs, gas prices are ridiculous, cost of living is rising, with no cap in sight. Yet, we are sending BILLIONS across the globe.
This has to stop.
I value my rights, my freedoms and my citizenship in this fine nation. Sadly, you are trying to strip us of all of these slowly. We need to make a stand, and it's starting now. This nation shouldn't be about big business or the richest. It was based around the common man and his right to further himself in his own way.. as he/she sees fit. By using the tools at our disposal. The internet.. free and unabridged, is my tool of choice, and I plan to continue using it.
Robert Terrell
Atlanta, Ga
