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| Tuesday, February 9, 2010 |
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Is it too late to regain freedoms?
Published February 27, 2008
I couldn't help but laugh late Monday afternoon when I received an E-mail from the Alabama Democratic Party calling for the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) to launch an inquiry into Huntsville's WHNT-TV Channel 19 and its supposed blackout of a "60 Minutes" segment regarding the prosecution of former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman.
The station said Sunday night that it had technical difficulties with a piece of equipment required to receive the CBS network feed. It aired the segment during its 10 p.m. newscast, placed it on the station's website in streaming video and then announced, before the Democratic request, that it would re-air the segment again during its 6 p.m. news on Monday.
If the station's act was intentional, as alleged, it backfired. The segment that featured Rainsville attorney Jill Simpson got lots of extra air time and mention because of the reported equipment glitch.
After my initial reaction I thought a little deeper and the party's reaction is scary. But it is nothing new. Such knee-jerk self-serving propaganda is common from both Democrats and Republicans when people in office are more concerned about reelection than serving the public.
Government, especially at the state and federal level, is way too involved in our lives. As a co-worker said last week, "I want the government to stay out of my life."
Think about it — just last week Alabama's Democratic Caucus announced it would support legislation to ban smoking in public places. I know that pleases most non-smokers, but the stance is more than about smoking. Most times these bans take away the rights of not only smokers but business owners, who foot the bills, to decide what goes on in their individual establishment.
Take it a step further if you will. We now have helmet laws, seat belt laws, bans on trans-fats and on and on it seemingly goes. I don't need the government telling me to buckle up or what to eat. Do you?
The U.S. Congress is actively involved in investigating the use of steroids in baseball, deception in football and gambling by NBA officials. It is a sad state to watch a supposedly outraged, holier-than-thou Congress wasting valuable time at taxpayer expense grilling Roger Clemens and others on their use or non-use of steroids. It’s none of Congress business either.
What we are talking about is a government (state and federal) taking away our freedom of choice. By and large government believes we are no longer capable of making our own judgments. We aren't smart enough to exercise our freedom of choice. Only government actions can combat our ignorance, our inability to make decisions, our incompetence and our irrational thinking.
Folks we are talking about personal freedoms, personal choices and liberties. These voluntary activities are being taken away from us more quickly than a fast-break in basketball.
What's next as our government BIG BROTHER infects us with more freedom-destroying laws and programs?
Shall we ban cell-phone use in restaurants and other public places (personally that sounds good)? Will it be socialized medicine and with it our freedom to choose and manage our own care and its cost? Or will it be something more inane? Can the government come up with potty time for adults like is necessary to keep order in a kindergarten classroom?
I can continue, but the bottom line is we, the voting public, are responsible. Our irresponsibility has cost us. While we sat idly by government has stripped us. We have allowed it to dictate personal choices and now big government is an enemy as we strive for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Has it gone on too long? Is it too late to turn back the clock to sanity or are we willing to let government impose its way in every area of our lives?
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