Fathers' words of wisdom

My dad wrote:

"I agree that the constitution was written to preserve our rights but that seems to be going away slowly but surely. I enjoy reading what you write and do agree with some of it. The patriot act has diminished some of our rights, and if you log onto some of the forums from papers around the state, they have "Big Brother" monitoring what you say. If something is said that they don't like, it is gone before you know it. So as far as our rights go, they are not what our forefathers had in mind. But in response to your writing, I enjoy hearing my son spout words of wisdom about our country and politics whether it be local or national. I might be a little biased, but I am enlightened every time I read your articles. Keep up the good work and know that your are a treasure."

A treasure? Enlightened? Aw, shucks. I'm blushing.
My dad makes an interesting point that the government seems to whittling away at our rights, and strengthens his point by citing the USA PATRIOT Act.
Good show, Old Bean!
However, I am not ready to join the ACLU just yet.
There certainly is a fear of the omnipresence of "Big Brother," and certainly some recent legislation -- especially since 9/11 -- has increased that idea.
But I think it's more complicated than just saying the government is taking over. Remember, our forefathers designed the government we have, and as Pres. Abraham Lincoln so eloquently pointed out, countless men and women have died to ensure a "government of the people, by the people, for the people."
The government has no more or less power than we allow it to have over us. Granted, once elected officials take office, they are virtually free to enact any legislation they see fit. They do, however, have to answer to voters for their decisions, whether through our right to vote them out of office, or the right to call for a referendum vote to overturn overwhelmingly objectionable policies.
Not only that, but there are numerous checks and balances built into the system that prevent our government from turning into a monstrous, dictatorial regime -- although Pres. Bush is coming dangerously close. (Thank goodness for term limits!)
The First Amendment is alive and well, and we, as Americans, need to be diligent about exercising our right to free speech when we are not satisfied with the decisions made by those we put in office to represent us.