Jeff Wright
Clash Daily Guest Contributor
As I reflected upon the monuments and memorials in Washington, D.C. this week, I was struck by how far we have regressed from the time of our nation’s founding.
The Jefferson Memorial was particularly meaningful for me in light of the present abuses and burdens inflicted upon us by our domineering government. The inscription below the dome reads: “I have sworn upon the altar of god eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.”
“Tyranny” was one of those words I relegated to political extremism. Resorting to such overblown rhetoric was lazy and a sure way to be dismissed. Calling “tyranny” was on about the same as level as speculating whether or not the President was the Anti-Christ. Silly talk.
Times have changed, however.
In response to the IRS scandal, Jon Stewart lamented, “Well, congratulations, President Barack Obama. Conspiracy theorists, who generally can survive in anaerobic environments, just had an algae bloom dropped on their f–king heads, thus removing the last arrow in your pro-governance quiver.”
No, what really occurred was a partial lifting of the veil. Some of us conspiracy theorists were proven to not be conspiracy theorists at all.
The Democrat Party’s scandals are bad enough. The cover-ups are even worse. But, frankly, expecting it to be otherwise is naive. Abuse of power and circling the wagons is, unfortunately, what we’ve come to expect from Washington.
What is really troubling, though, is the brazen attitude of the Administration coupled with the uncaring attitude of the American people. Or, at least, the same American people who inexplicably decided to re-elect our President this past November.
Benghazi? Eh, Obama appointed Susan Rice as his new National Security Advisor this morning. Take that, America.
IRS scandal? Rep. Jim McDermott let it be known yesterday that we should be happy with the idea that all animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others. Those tea party groups are highly political, you know.
Your DNA? Hand it over to law enforcement. DNA checks are about to become as common as showing your driver’s license after yesterday’s Supreme Court ruling. Oh, but the DNA swab will only be used for “serious” crimes. Yeah. Justice Scalia remarked, “If you believe that a DNA search will identify someone arrested for bank robbery, you must believe that it will identify someone arrested for running a red light.” Strike another blow against the Fourth Amendment.
Speaking of the Fourth Amendment, the preservation of individual liberty and protection against abusive government is why we have a Bill of Rights to begin with. Thomas Jefferson said, “A Bill of Rights is what the people are entitled to against every government, and what no just government should refuse, or rest on inference.” Jefferson also said, “Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny.” There’s that “t” word again.
