We are experiencing a period of decreased freedom. If everyone isn't 'free', then nobody is truly 'free'. Today, the government of this administration is taking away our freedoms every single day, and it has got to stop...NOW.
I have traveled to other countries, lived in other countries, and was 'free' to do so because of good will. That good will was created by the common mission of "Freedom" that has been the battle cry of Americans for the duration of our history. It has been an 'imperfect' union, but the union has honestly tried to pursue a perfect society based on those cornerstone principles of 'Freedom'.
Today, we are losing that good will, and the country that has stood for 'freedom' is now guilty of destroying it.
Why?
I am a white male, born in America of American parents, who were born of American parents going back several generations. I am as "American" as it gets. I'm not as "American" as the native Americans whose ancestry goes back millions of years. So, even I have some inherited guilt of what white people did to native Americans and to an enslaved race over hundreds of years. I must admit the sins of my forefathers as much as I take credit for some of the good they have done. We cannot commit new sins no matter how much we think our society is being attacked, regardless of whether that is true or not. We must act right in all cases, not just because it benefits us sometimes.
What is justice?
Justice is based on laws. People who break the law should be brought to justice. However, in the United States, everyone is assumed innocent until they have been proven guilty after a due process of investigation, reflection, and evaluation. So, even when people are being arrested, you have to treat them as if they are innocent, with due respect to their rights under the law.
It isn't a fair playing field. It's not supposed to be. The law is there to protect the innocent, the victims, and law enforcement alike. The result is that it is better for a crook to get off scot-free than it is for an innocent person to be found guilty of a crime they didn't commit. Our freedom is based on this premise. We don't have to be afraid of the law, but we do have to respect it.
So, are these rights guaranteed only for citizens of a country? No, these are basic human rights that the United States has claimed to stand for over 250 years. Justice is supposed to be blind.
These principles are something to be proud of, and that is why nations all over the world have joined with the United States in the pursuit of that lofty mission. The reason why so many people have fled to the United States is that where they live is a nightmare. When you live in a country that is dangerous for you and your family, all you can think about is getting to somewhere that is peaceful and where fairness and justice are followed.
What happens when the very bastion of freedom and justice turns its back on these basic principles and becomes a place where people are persecuted before due process? It loses all credibility in the world.
But why is the government doing this right now? What has changed?
It is because those in power want to break the law by persecuting the innocent so that they themselves avoid prosecution for the crimes and corruption that they commit. They will lie, cheat, and steal to do it. They are doing it.
When you visit or move to a country where you are not a citizen, one of the most basic principles is "When in Rome, do as the Romans do." In other words, you don't assume that the way things work there is the same as where you left. You respect their culture, their laws, and their way of life. You can preserve your own culture as long as you adopt the culture in which you live. This is just basic.
Now, does everyone who immigrates follow that? No. Many are uneducated and inexperienced in world affairs, and therefore lack the same insights. This is a problem, but it won't be solved by force. It will only get solved with understanding and education. They may not even realize what they are doing that doesn't align with the culture, but that doesn't make them criminals.
Now, are there those who come with bad intentions? I reckon so. But these are a handful of people, not everyone. So, you can't just treat everybody like criminals just so that you will get the 1% that are. That is not justice, it is abuse.
Lastly, if you take into account those being hunted down, what is the basic common denominator? They have little money, have no power, and have no advocates. They are easy pickings. On top of that is the 'going along' crowd like me, who reason,
"Well, it doesn't affect me. I'm good. So, I don't have to worry about it. It is none of my business. It isn't my fault these people are being abused."
The reality is that it is a matter of time. What is really happening is a 'training mission." This is textbook 1930s Germany. They are training to arrest political enemies. Then they will arrest sympathizers of the opposition. The last straw is the abuse of people within their own ranks who don't go along 100% with those in power. Then you will have citizens spying on their neighbors to guarantee their own safety. When all of this madness comes to an end, and the corrupt government is finally thrown off, suddenly, nobody was a part of it.
When the strong bully the weak and get away with it, they just keep on going until it's you they come for.
I never thought it possible that any American would ever participate in this in any form. It is shocking to me to see that these people are so far radicalized that they are willing to commit these atrocities without a shred of guilt, but act as if they are 'doing the right thing.' It is perverse. It is appalling. It is wrong. Period.
When the Supreme Court sits on its hands, and Congress cowers and bows to the administration because they fear the loss of their own power, then we are all completely screwed. The last bastion of hope is the military, which hopefully upholds the Constitution and does not do the administration's bidding.
I'm not sure how we are going to get out of this before our nation is destroyed. I never thought I would spend my last years of life worried about this. I never thought Americans would ever be capable of this. But, alas I am being proven wrong. It is the most heartbreaking thing I have experienced in my life. It is a disaster.