Question for those who say they are losing rights in the US

Originally posted by Xcathdra
I have seen this comment used quite a bit by people lately and I am curious.

Exactly what rights have American citizens lost?
When did they lose those rights?

Im not looking for a fight or anything, but am curious as to what people are seeing in regards to this topic.

edit on 15-10-2011 by Xcathdra because: spelling

We have lost our right to prosper and live the "American Dream", which is equality, security and peace for the common man. We pay for and support the government that is supposed to serve us, yet we get fined for dumb, pointless crap like seat belts and cigarettes.

We are imprisoned for stupid, harmless crimes. Our fathers and brothers are incarcerated for government paperwork or drug charges. Productive citizens are locked up and we pay for it.

Our "representatives" don't represent, instead they sell us out.

Our Dept. of Corrections, doesn't correct anything. Instead we pay for a criminal factory.

The people no longer influence the actions of our military in any way, due to a long line of bought presidents. The most powerful force on Earth runs amok in the world fighting with idiots and we are paying for our brothers and sisters deaths.

And that is just scratching the surface, I would say we lost a few "rights".

reply to post by Xcathdra


You are right about that one, it really does not affect me personally, I will take it off my post.

I used to like playing poker online for a few bucks(5-10 at a time)

But now I cant... FBI shut down all the poker sites 5-6 months back...

I lost the money I did have invested, well I didnt lose it, it was stolen from me and never given back... nor was my player points that I earned

Well.. this really depends on your view of "freedoms". We are supposed to live in a Democratic, free nation. So lets see. What has changed since September 11th?

The Patriot Act expanded the definition of "terrorism" so now pretty much anyone who engages in civil disobedience can be labeled a terrorist.

The government can now arrest and prosecute people who keep information on you, if they reveal that the government requested this information. IE: Let's say the FBI wants to investigate you, and asks your ISP for records. If your ISP then goes and tells you this, they are now breaking the law. Why? They are just trying to protect your right to privacy.

Government agents may now monitor the First Amendment protected activities of religious and political institutions, and then infiltrate those organizations at will. Meaning they need no suspicion of criminal activity or wrong doing.

You may now be subject to a government investigation simply because of your political or religious views.

Law Enforcement agencies may now conduct searches and wiretaps of your home or office without showing probable cause.

Law Enforcement may now demand personal records held by any source, including your doctor, employer, accountant or library.

The Patriot Act directs judges to consent to secret searches based only on Government assertion that a "significant need" is given, related to terrorism.

Americans can now be jailed without a formal charge and without the right to confront a witness or view evidence against them. American citizens are now held in military jails without charge and without a clear path of appeal for their indefinite incarceration.

I could continue to go on, but I will provide you with a link to a PDF which has many more. Most of the above I paraphrased from the linked PDF.

NY Civil Liberties Union

PS- Here is an off the top example. How about your right to protest? Why are people in NY being pepper sprayed in the face because they are off the side walk? And I know someone will chime in and say "well they were blocking the way for others". I've been there. No... they are not. Everyone has been peaceful. Anytime someone was coming through, EVERYONE moved aside. So that is nonsense. The police, or should I say, the white shirts are just flexing their muscles. Cursing at everyone, pushing, shoving. Basically showing that they are "tough guys". Which infringes on my right to protest. So yeah...

Originally posted by morder1
I used to like playing poker online for a few bucks(5-10 at a time)

But now I cant... FBI shut down all the poker sites 5-6 months back...

I lost the money I did have invested, well I didnt lose it, it was stolen from me and never given back... nor was my player points that I earned

Yeah, I had my money stolen from them as well.

reply to post by gwydionblack


Actually your rights dont give you the ability to do whatever the hell you want. You give yourself that ability.


I m not the one who has no clue on what an individual right is and how it works - that would be you based on your reponses so far. Secondly I deal with this crap on a daily basis, and it gets annoying that people want to protest something they know absolutely nothing about.

As far as the 4th amendment goes let me help you out. If the government wants to search your house, car etc, they need a warrant to do so which means they need PC. Do you need PC to search your neighbors house? Do you need a warrant to search your neighbors car?

Dont get upset with me because you arent understanding the question.

reply to post by thisguyrighthere


You arent understanding the topic at all.

People bitch that they have had rights taken away from them. My question is what rights have been taken from you?

Have not lost no constitutional rights!!

Go to syria and protest see how long you last
then come talk to me about rights!!!

After you get shot at for protesting and your dad
mom and whole family die protesting then you got
a point.


TRUST ME I WOULD DIE FOR MY RIGHTS!!

If and when they REALLY ARE taking away our rights
me and thousands UPON thousands of others will take to the streets with guns
TRUST ME!!!

That is not happening now. Chill out

reply to post by Autodidactic


42 USC 1983
Acting under color of law
4th amendment does what? It requires the government to provide probable cause in order to effect a search and seizure of personal property etc.

As an indiviaul can you search your neighbors car? Do you need a warrant to search your neighbors car? Can an individual get a warrant to search a car?

There's like 20 threads on this already, if the OP didn't want to start a fight why didn't he just go read or post on one of those?

reply to post by RSF77


Which is nice and all, but it doesnt answer the question. What rights have you lost?

I don't know about loss of rights but they sure are making a lot of restrictions and it's getting damed hard to enjoy these rights if you ask me...

Originally posted by morder1
I used to like playing poker online for a few bucks(5-10 at a time)

But now I cant... FBI shut down all the poker sites 5-6 months back...

I lost the money I did have invested, well I didnt lose it, it was stolen from me and never given back... nor was my player points that I earned

Again, what right have you lost?

Originally posted by Xcathdra
reply to post by thisguyrighthere

 

You arent understanding the topic at all.

People bitch that they have had rights taken away from them. My question is what rights have been taken from you?

well hello Xcathdra...............up to your old tricks again??


Let me see if I can make this easy.................WHY DON'T YOU LIST THE RIGHTS YOU SAY WE ARE ENTITLED TOO............................this should make it simpler for all.

Now, no deflection..............just simply list our rights, then maybe we can have something to talk about.

Parker
MTUBY

reply to post by Xcathdra


So you believe being able to grow organic food isn't a right, being able to repair ones home isn't a right, and being able to trade freely shouldn't be individual rights?

And here's another one for you. It's illegal in many places to feed homeless people. It's literally illegal to share food with people who need it the most. They must depend on Government sanctioned food houses which aren't open very often and are typically in a bad part of the neighborhood. I will give my food to any damn Human on the Earth and I don't need the big brothers approval.

Originally posted by Xcathdra
reply to post by gwydionblack

 

Actually your rights dont give you the ability to do whatever the hell you want. You give yourself that ability.

That's the problem, the institution which protects our rights has gone astray.

There is a collapse of order and a plethora of progressive ideas, everything is about to be up in the air and the only known solution is to go back to our core values and most basic laws. Now we have a vague "liberal movement" that is not born of anything specific, but a baseline level of frustration that will not just go away and it must be addressed.

Else = mass unrest.

If you live a comfortable, secure life, good. If people don't, they are prone to do these crazy things like protest and pledge their lives and devotion to righting a wrong system.

I was before, am now and will always be a soldier for my countrymen. I can tell you that there is something wrong here and many people are in fact, losing their rights. Even if you don't see it, it's there.

Originally posted by Xcathdra
reply to post by RSF77

 

Which is nice and all, but it doesnt answer the question. What rights have you lost?

Me does not matter, I am selfless.

The main thing I personally am concerned about is the bull# our tax dollars are paying for and the people that are unnecessarily suffering. I have lost subtle rights, just like we all have, however I don't care what you want to call "rights" or not because the system that is oppressing us has no concern for the definition either.

This is not a questions of rights to me, its a question of intelligence and ethical responsibility among those with power.

Actually, I get the point of this post Xcath...

In all reality, America's Constitution was set aside by the War Powers ACT of 1933, and as such America truly hasn't lost any rights (at least since then that is) because technically, they do not exist anymore, except under the good graces of a moral man in office.

Bill Clinton addressed this very thing when he addressed Congress on his way out of office. America will not find Constitutional Freedom until that ACT is finally repealed, as the Congressional entity that was assigned to study such back in 1976 made suggestion for, but such was never followed through on.

Today, America exists upon a Color of Constitutional Law, that rests upon an Admiralty Law foundation. The Constitution itself no longer carries any authority to govern this country's affairs... as long as America exists as a proxy state run by the Military Industrial Complex under Great Britain.

God Save the Queen!

Patriot Act comes to mind. That bill is definitely not in favor of American rights.

Originally posted by Xcathdra

Originally posted by thisguyrighthere
I can't stand on a soap box and rant my head off.

Yes, you can

No, I can't. Not without proper permitting and within artificial parameters.

Originally posted by thisguyrighthere
I can't slap a gun on my hip and travel freely.

Yes you can.

Sure, I can. Maybe you can with your LEO status but I can't. The moment I hit a particular state line I'll be tackled, tossed in prison and labeled a felon for life. Not to mention the numerous "gun free" zones within the state.

Originally posted by thisguyrighthere
I can't grow and harvest a plant.

Show me where this is a guarnateed indiviual right

There you go. Our rights are defined by government. If it isnt explicity written then we have no right, right? Tyranny.

Originally posted by thisguyrighthere
I can't repair my roof.

Show me where this is a guaranteed individual right?

It's my property isnt it? See above.

Originally posted by thisguyrighthere
I can't freely trade my property.

Yes you can

Prisons are full of people who have tried this and gotten caught.

Originally posted by thisguyrighthere
I can't freely trade my time.

Shoe me where this is an individual right

Same as above. Without the king's due I'm going to prison.

Originally posted by thisguyrighthere
To start.

keep going

How about you admit you believe our rights are granted to us by government so we can stop playing "lawyer ball"?