david@infopro.UUCP (David Fiedler) (11/01/85)
What this incident proves (aside from the anti-British propaganda) is
that, if sufficiently riled up or swayed by the press (constant terrorism
hysteria, etc.), ANY country can be persuaded to pass laws that deny
people what we here in the US consider "basic rights". It CAN also happen
here (remember, the British started all this Magna Carta nonsense in the
first place!).
Whenever we start thinking, "it's for EVERYNE'S safety", or "you only have
to worry if you're doing something wrong", we're in trouble. Right now
there are any number of proposed bills that could take our rights away in
Congress. Who will make sure they don't get passed?
(I speak of no particular bill, since at any given moment there is at least one
legislator who feels someone needs their rights taken away due to
non-agreement with the legislator's ideas.)
Next time you hear someone talking about diluting ANY of our
constitutional guarantees -- whether or not you agree with them -- think
about what would happen if they were all taken away. Because as soon as
one gets messed with, the rest will be trampled on.
--
Dave Fiedler
{harpo,astrovax,whuxcc,clyde}!infopro!dave People Phone: (201) 989-0570
USMail: InfoPro Systems, 3108 Route 10, Denville, NJ 07834