Darry Brownfield -- Homeland Security-How Secure Are We?

Derry Brownfield
January 13, 2003
NewsWithViews.com

We are being led to believe that in order for us to be secure in our homes, communities and businesses we must give up certain inalienable rights that have been ours since our founding fathers gave us the Constitution of the United States. For over 200 years Americans have had more freedom than any other people living on the face of the earth, but that liberty could soon be coming to and end. By a vote of 90 to 9. the Senate passed the House version of the Homeland Security Bill. The President was quick to sign the bill, which became law on November 25, 2002. A new department has now been created that consolidates 22 federal agencies under one administration; the new Department of Homeland Security.

Remember our eight grade Citizenship class? We studied how a bill became a law by being dropped into the hopper by its sponsor. It was then appointed to a committee and there were hearings, debates, and reports in each of the two legislative bodies. (The House of Representatives and the Senate) Finally after many hearings, testimonies and arguments the bill would pass one house and then go through the entire process in the other body to finally become a law by being signed by the President.

The HOMELAND SECURITY bill was brought before the Senate less then 48 hours before it was voted on. It had not been before any committee or been debated; for there were no hearings. No witnesses were asked to appear so there was no testimony for the bill or in opposition to the bill. The Senators were supposed to study all 484 pages and understand what effect this legislation could have on American citizens.

Senator Robert Byrd, (Republican from West Virginia) speaking before the Senate, prior to the final vote said, "This is one of the most far-reaching pieces of legislation I have seen in my 50 years. I will have been in Congress 50 years come January 3rd. Never have I seen such a monstrous pieces of legislation sent to this body. Our poor staffs were up most of the night studying it. They know some of the things that are in there, but they don't know all of them. It is a sham and it is a shame."

John Kaminski writes: The Senate's passage of the ludicrously misnamed Homeland Security Bill is easily the biggest, bad joke on American History. Because, in declaring war on all peoples of the world, including its own citizens, it presents a new Dark Age in world history. An age in which the United States may annihilate any other country for any reason it concocts, or for no reason at all. The bill is ludicrously misnamed because nothing in this nation's history has ever jeopardized its citizen's security to this degree. Most tragic of all is the complete destruction of the US Constitution. Completely gone are; the right to a fair trial, the right to be safe in one's home, the right to confront one's accuser, the right to legal representation and the right to be recognized as innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Moreover, Attorney General John Ashcroft plans further incursions into America's privacy by placing new restrictions on internet and phone communications... Though, surely few in Congress realize it yet, America's legislators essentially voted themselves out of existence by passing this bill, because now the majority of governmental security functions are lumped together under the arbitrary aegis of Homeland Security, bypassing Congress with its decision-making controlled directly by the president and the director of Homeland Security."

The following are some of the liberties that have been lost by the passage of the US Patriot Act and the Homeland Security Act. The government may now monitor churches and political meetings without suspecting criminal activity. Librarians may be prosecuted if they tell anyone that the government has subpoenaed information concerning books checked out or internet websites used. The government may monitor conversations between attorneys and clients. American citizens accused of crimes may be denied access to an attorney. Americans' papers and effects maybe seized without probable cause. American citizens may be jailed and held indefinitely without being charged or being able to confront their accuser.

This bill gives the government the authority to mandate and administer vaccines to the American people.

The administration is also creating the world's largest computer system and database. One which has the ability to track your credit card purchases, travel reservations, medical treatment and bank transactions. It is called the TOTAL INFORMATION AWARENESS SYSTEM.

With the passage of the Homeland Security Bill, 22 federal agencies will merge into one monstrous bureaucracy containing 170,000 employees. Interestingly enough, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Defense Department and the National Security Agency have been excluded from this merger. Aren't these the agencies most involved in protecting our nation from terrorism?

With the signing of this Homeland Security Bill, our liberties as American citizens have been stripped away. The President of the United States now holds the power to arbitrarily arrest and imprison US citizens.

The laws passed since September 11, 2001 are written in a way that they can be used against US citizens the same as if we were terrorists. Today the American people trust President George W. Bush: the man with an 80% approval rating. Surely he would never abuse this new power and bring about a totalitarian police state. Maybe not - and let's hope and pray that he doesn't but George W. won't be president forever. Looking down the road a few years, what if a president with the intellect of a Hitler or a Stalin got into office? The stage has been set, the props are in place, the orchestra is in the pit and the curtains could open at anytime. Our liberty is no longer our inalienable right but a privilege to be granted by the Director of Homeland Security.

Addressing the Senate on October 11, 2001, Russ Feingold (Democrat from Wisconsin) said, "There is no doubt that if we lived in a police state, it would be easier to catch terrorists. If we lived in a country where police were allowed to search your home at anytime for any reason; if we lived in a country where the government is entitled to open your mail, eavesdrop on your phone conversations, or intercept your e-mail communications; if we lived in a country where people could be held in jail indefinitely based on what they write or think, or based on mere suspicion that they are up to no good, the government would probably discover more terrorists or would-be terrorists, just as it would find more lawbreakers generally. But that wouldn't be a country in which we would want to live."

It looks as if his predictions may be coming to pass with the passage of the Homeland Security Law.

This isn't the first time a nation has cried out for HOMELAND SECURITY. In 1922 Adolph Hitler, writing about the creation of the German Gestapo wrote: "An evil exists that threatens every man, woman and child of this great nation. We must take steps to insure our domestic security and protect our homeland."

Derry Brownfield was born in 1932 and grew up during the depression. He is a farmer and a broadcaster. Derry attended the College of Agriculture at the University of Missouri where he received his B.S. and M.S. degrees. He taught Vocational Agriculture several years before going to work as a Marketing Specialist with the Missouri Department of Agriculture. Derry served as Director of the Kansas City Livestock Market Foundation at the Kansas City Stockyard prior to establishing himself in farm broadcasting.

Derry started farming when he was 16 years old and received the Future Farmers of America State Farmer degree in 1949. Since that time the Brownfield Farm has grown to over 1000 acres maintaining a herd of 200 registered Charolias cows.

In 1972, Derry and his partner established the Brownfield Network which now serves 250 radio stations throughout the Midwest with news and market information.In 1994, Derry started his own syndicated radio talk show and he is one of the most popular radio talk show hosts in America. The Derry Brownfield Show can be heard on approximately 80 radio stations in 23 states. With his entertaining sense of humor and witty commentary he has captured audiences for over 30 years. His ability to present an informative talk show while being light and colorful is why he has a large loyal listening audience.

Derry Brownfield is a practical farmer, a practical business man and a very entertaining speaker. He travels extensively throughout the country speaking about his common-sense point of view. Web Site: www.derrybrownfield.com

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