So here we are, another day passes and if you read Twitter, which I do, you hear all these people saying how tired they are of tyranny. They rattle their sabers and piss and moan, but what are they really prepared to do about it? Are they willing to go to the steps of a local Federal building and demand a return to the Constitution? Are they willing to form a large group and go against Washington and demand that they stop oppressing us and usurping the Constitution? No! Instead they are content to listen to Beck, Rush, Hannity, et al gin up anger then tell them, but you need to be peaceful and not take risks. They tell people to be peaceful because they are in it for the money from their sponsors, not in it to really make a difference.
About a year or so ago something happened that caused all sorts of outrage and is now almost forgotten all about. It was the execution of a U.S. citizen and his teenage son and his friend by a drone strike. The “Kill List” as it is affectionately known by now is one reason enough to be outraged and demand change. Of course there are many others reasons now. Benghazi, the IRS, AP, Fast and Furious, etc, but out of all of these this one is a direct attack on the Constitution by not only infringing, but completely negating Amendment V:
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
Where was his indictment? Where was the evidence? Where were his rights as a citizen? Anwar al-Awlaki wasn’t a good person by any stretch, but does that give the government the right to execute him without trial or due process? The FBI and CIA admitted they had no real actionable intelligence on him working on any active plots against the US nor did his son and his son’s friend who were also killed two weeks later by another drone strike. Regardless of whether you like or dislike the guy the reality is that they were American citizens, and what if the name would have been Thomas Paine or Benjamin Franklin or George Washington? They were considered terrorists as well, and all had prices on their heads from the British Government.
So there was outcry for a few weeks including the now infamous letter to Rand Paul from Holder that addressed whether an American citizen could be killed by a drone strike in the territorial US (the answer is YES! BTW), and his filibuster on the Senate floor. All the major media outlets were calling for investigations and even the President’s most ardent supporters couldn’t justify it.
Now silence….. Where is the outcry? Where is the charges being filed? Why is it that both the Left and Right media no longer talk about it. Same reason as Benghazi, the IRS scandal, Fast and Furious, et al, no one really cares. We are always looking for the cause of the week. We don’t stay focused enough on one issue to really make a difference. We instead allow the media to redirect our outrage to topics they believe are more important.
So what are we to do? Quit being little kids with ADD and instead stick to the topics. Demand answers and investigations by REAL investigators, not cronies. Let the chips fall where they will. If the President or a member of Congress is found guilty, try them. If found guilty punish them. Doesn’t matter what side of the aisle they are on. All that matters is they aren’t on our side of the aisle. They have their own agenda, not that of the American people. Get mad! Get angry! Demand more from our elected officials. If not now then when?