The Loss of Liberty in America

In the movie "The Patriot" starring Mel Gibson, about the American Revolution, there is a scene in which the South Carolina legislature is debating whether to go to war against Great Britain. Gibson's character, Benjamin Martin, a hero of the French-Indian war, is opposed to going to war, hoping instead for a peaceful resolution. During the debate, when one of his colleagues denounces King George as a tyrant, Gibson replies "Why should I trade one tyrant a thousand miles away for a thousand tyrants one mile away?"

This is a profound question and even more pertinent today than it was then. Despite the best efforts of the founders of our great nation, "a thousand tyrants one mile away" is exactly what we now have. When it comes to tyranny, King George couldn't hold a candle to our current Federal Government.

Just as the Continental Congress detailed their grievances against the Crown in the Declaration of Independence, we have reached the point where the people of the United States need to detail the abhorrent and increasingly frequent violations of individual liberty perpetrated by the Federal Government. A few examples of these violations include: