The United States is fast becoming the type of police state we used to fear

American Police StateWith Bradley Manning in prison for 35 years, Edward Snowden on the run and the NSA monitoring everyone, Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg called it the start of the American police state.

It’s hard to disagree with Ellsberg who would likely be in jail today if the freedom to expose government wrongdoing was demonized in the 1970’s as it is today. However, I don’t think the American police state is just getting started.

It was underway early in Bush’s first term following 9/11 and has continued unabated ever since. Back then, a majority of Americans were content on trading a little freedom for security.

Politicians, entertainers, reporters, liberals and conservatives alike were often too afraid to speak out against the coming changes for fear of being labeled a traitor or unpatriotic. Manning and Snowden are the twelve year old results of the “with us or against us” mentality.

No surprise, it all started with something called the “Patriot Act”. When it was introduced, certain individual rights got taken away. Warrant-less wiretaps, indefinite detention of immigrants, and now we have the assassination of American citizens abroad.

Since then, America has slowly turned into the Soviet Union without the socialism. You might think that’s a little harsh, but we’re not far off when you look at what is happening around the country.

The Soviet Union under Stalin used a massive network of spies and secret police to sniff out dissidents throughout the country, even within his own party. You couldn’t trust anyone, not even your own children.

In the United States these tactics would never be tolerated. It’s a little too “in your face”. Lucky for us we’re in the information age and such strategies are no longer required.

American police state is safeWall Street Journal reporter Julia Angwin (one of the best at covering our surveillance state) observed that the American government has more data on the average American citizen than Stalin had on Russians, Hitler had on Germans, or any government has ever had on its own people.

The Soviets sent dissenters to the Gulag, an extremely horrific network of forced labor camps where prisoners often worked themselves to death. Thankfully conditions in the United States aren’t nearly as severe, but it doesn’t hide the fact that the US has the highest prisoner rate in the world and a lot of them are forced to work.

You might say the Gulag was filled with political prisoners, something we don’t have in the United States, but what are whistleblowers? People who are locked up for exposing secret, but illegal government activities; I would think that’s the very definition of political prisoner.

The fact is more whistleblowers have been charged under the hundred year old Espionage Act by President Obama than all other presidents combined. I like the progressive president, but he has pursued these people with a sense of vengeance after praising them in his 2007 campaign.

The American police state isn’t restricted to the federal level or the dozens of police and security agencies that enforce it like the NSA, FBI, CIA, ATF, etc., etc. Examples of the police state can be found within each state, in major American cities and local police forces.

The best case in point would be in New York City. Take the NYPD’s stop and frisk policy for instance. Aside from the fact that the policy has proven to be vehemently racist, what kind of free society allows their police officers to search people without just cause?

Imagine casually walking home from work only to have a police officer stop you, ask for ID, question you and frisk you. All you’re guilty of is walking home. How is this any different than the Gestapo asking you to see your papers?

American Police State, riot police

Since the war on terror began, police forces across America have become increasingly militarized. It can be argued that this began during the ongoing war on drugs, but following September 11th, the government purse opened up and billions were poured into local police forces.

Now whenever you see a sizable peaceful protest, you can be sure the urban assault vehicles are right there behind the well armored riot police. The Occupy Wall Street movement was evidence of this.

The cops seem to be well coordinated around the country as well. Once billionaire Mayor Michael Bloomberg had enough of the occupy movement and sent in the police, occupy protests were broken up across the country almost overnight.

Whether you’re a Democrat or liberal, Republican or conservative, libertarian or someone who can’t even name the president, you have to admit that something has gone terribly wrong in the land of the free.

The growing American police state could get worse before it gets better, unless regular people start addressing the issue. Who’s to say whoever comes after Obama won’t decide to build upon what his predecessors molded. Even worse, who’s to say he won’t use it for his own political advantage.

16 COMMENTS

  1. I have to agree with those that do think NSA is helpful. I do- I trust our Govt for they have the security briefings DAILY & trust them to do what is best. A little inconvenience…. our rights are fine. NSA spies on me- could care less.

    • We’re screwed with the technology available, it’s only going to get worse.
      Drones flying around and monitoring your every move, people getting chips implanted with their personal history? People used to think that was crazy a few years ago and now? The worst thing is people will gladly give up their Civil Liberties under the guise of lower crime.
      1984? It’s well it’s here.

  2. The Gestapo mentality plays a role in any actions that rely on infringement of our personal rights to freedom. This is creeping in upon us all like a malignant cancer, no matter how benign it may first appear!

  3. Your view is quite simplistic omitting one important little detail. We are in the 21st century and the rules of engagemnt have drastically changed. There are individuals living among us who live and breathe the annihilation of the United States and the free world. Unfortunately they exist exactly because of America’s past immigration po;licies of allowing anyone and everyone into its borders. They blend in and are no longer clearly visible. The battle field is a thing of the past demonstrated by the 9/11 ,and Boston marathon attacks and other foiled attacks on America as well as its allies.It takes what it takes to level the playing field!!

    • If it’s a simplistic view in your mind then you don’t understand the ramifications of what’s truly going on. Canada has foiled three terrorist attacks with the help of the Muslim community. No NSA, no stop and frisk, no Patriot Act, no industrial prison complex. We don’t live in fear.

      Tell me how many Americans have died from terrorist attacks compared to guns, cancer, traffic accidents. The odds of dying in a terrorist attack are one in 20 million,

      Giving up your freedom in the name of security is the oldest trick in the book. the more people fall for it, the worse it’s going to get.

      • If I have nothing to hide I don’t really care if somone reads my mail or stops me for a reason that I don’t know about. I have a clear conscience. By the way I don’t think I want to rely on Muslims to warn me about a terrorist act!

        • I DO CARE if somebody is reading MY mail without consent or reason. I will be DAMNED if I am pulled over and detained by any security force. I would NOT feel comfortable allowing such infringements on my rights to Privacy and Freedoms I hold dear.When the Public is willing to forgo a few rights at first in the name of Security? The rest are sure to be taken away soon. Democracy will Fall to a Thunderous Applause…

          Read about Nazism’s rise to power as an example. Comments?

        • Everyone has something to hide, especially those smart enough to give a damn about their rights. If you don’t mind people reading your email, how about sharing your password with us?
          If Canada treated Muslims the way the US does, I wouldn’t want to rely on them either, they get treated like shit.

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