"Stimulating meaningful thought & debate in Sullivan County without retribution"
Noteworthy Freedom in Country Living: The Advantage of Sullivan County Being Insignificant
We have more freedom because Sullivan County is off the national security radar
by Ruby Pixman
 |
| Soon, if the “national security” authorities get their way, in many communities, we may look to the skies and see drones hovering overhead, while trained government snoopers read our every email and review our conduct on our computers and PDAs. |
Since that disastrous day “9-11” we've seen a steady stream of legislation and government actions that have been implemented in the name of national security. They, in turn, have outright laid to waste many of our constitutional rights.
At airports, we have to allow bodily searches. We have to tolerate surveillance placed at practically every street corner in both the cities and the suburbs. We condone without question indefinite detention of individuals without their even having been charged with any crime, and without the right to a civilian trial.
Soon, if the “national security” authorities get their way, in many communities, we may look to the skies and see drones hovering overhead, while trained government snoopers read our every email and review our conduct on our computers and PDAs.
If some of our “patriotic” politicians also get their way, a Great Wall may spread from the eastern to the western side of our border with Mexico in order to keep the illegal immigrant hordes from invading our nation and stealing our jobs.
Thanks to the recent massacre at Sandy Hook, Connecticut, we'll soon have heavily armed cops in our schools. Children will be handcuffed and led away from their classrooms for shooting others with rubber bands.
How does all this apply to Sullivan County? Fortunately very little.
Why is that so? It's not because Sullivan County is far more liberal in its outlook than much of the nation.
It's because we're insignificant!
Now, before the reader gets upset with my characterization, let me explain.
Sullivan County is about the size of the State of Rhode Island, yet it has a year-round population of only about 67,000. We are a tiny population spread thin over a lot of acreage.
In other words, to a mostly urbanized nation, we are insignificant.
Thus from a fiscal outlook, we're not worth large expenditures in governmental services and resources that includes the costly security policies that have swept, and largely oppressed, much of the nation.
So by comparison, we in Sullivan County are relatively free.
Crime is relatively light when compared to many other regions. Despite what some local law enforcement officials claim, there's little here worth stealing or bombing for that matter.
One can roam for miles as I have done in my car without the fear of being stopped for no apparent reason, if only to maintain security. Foolish or not, I leave my home usually secured lightly because I don't fear much about being robbed. Maybe it's because I have little to steal, and most professional thieves figure that break-ins at my home are not worth the effort.
Yes, thanks to our lack of population and fiscal insignificance, the State and evil-intentioned individuals leave me alone-resulting in almost total freedom.
We poor rural folk may not count for much when it comes to receiving our share of goods and services.
But one thing should remain clear: While we may be inconsequential in national security concerns, when it comes to individual liberties here in Sullivan County, we in the post 9-11 world are the most significant of all!
##
No comments:
Post a Comment