I Thought I Was Living in America
- Land of the Free and Home of the Brave???

by J Charette

July 4, 2002

The last several months in our household have been spent discussing a number of national issues that have faced and are facing various families, groups, and individuals. These issues have pertained to governmental interference and intervention, denying rights and freedoms in the name of "security", and an abusive use of authority and power.

So far, the discussions have remained in our personal family, but the story relayed to me yesterday ended that concept once and for all! Limitations on the use of my hands has kept me "off the internet" for the most part, but there comes a time when personal weaknesses must be set aside and our citizens' welfare takes priority.

The aforementioned story has to do with an upstanding, successful individual whose rights as an American, not to mention a human being, have been brutally violated. It is my understanding that this person was mistaken for a suspect in a bank robbery. It seems that while he was reaching for his wallet -- an action certainly considered NORMAL when pulled over by law enforcement -- was shot in the face by an FBI agent. Now if I have erred in my description of this story so far, please correct me.

Here is the part that had my undivided attention -- immediately. A Grand Jury has declined to indict this FBI agent? By what right can they ignore our judicial system in this way? Fear? If our own judicial system will not stand up for an innocent victim who has been brutalized by a Federal agent, who is supposed to? Each and every one of us who makes up this country must! Unless I am sadly mistaken, this country is not under the control of Hitler, the Gestapo, and this is NOT the 1940's!

We cannot afford to assume that our elected officials are acting in our behalf. We must each take the time, the effort, develop the willpower and gumption to get off the couch, out of the recliner, and head to the telephone, a piece of paper, or your friendly computer. Send messages to our Senators, our Representatives, and let them know you think what is happening is WRONG! WE are allowing families to be split up, children to be taken, lives to be wasted, our rights and freedoms to be denied.

I challenge each and every one of you to say STOP! ENOUGH! This is the United States of America, and our forefathers declared their Independence -- NOT their overpowering control! It is time we as Americans go back to the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights -- read them, believe them, and help bring our Country back to what it was intended to be.