The Daily Egyptian is published by the students of SIU at Carbondale. Except during vacations and exam weeks, The Daily Egyptian is published Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and TWThF during the summer semester."

Bush victory means losing civil liberties

Unlike most, my biggest concerns are not this administration's policy of "shock and awe first, ask questions later" nor is it the "rich get richer and the poor get poorer" economic plan. After all, I have always considered my ideals closer to Republican than Democratic.

No, what I consider to be the biggest threat to Americans is the loss of our freedoms in the name of securing America against the faceless threat that is terrorism. America has always held itself aloof, claiming to be the land of the free and a place of unequaled opportunity. America was a place where reform and change happened at breakneck speed.

No, this change was not always for the better, but on the average, it headed in that direction. This reform and change happened because Americans were allowed to have differing opinions and they were allowed to express these ideas without recrimination.

Now, however, we have a new America. An America that believes it can afford to give up a few freedoms. In fact, based upon our last election, it is an America that is begging to give up freedoms. Do we really need the government to tell us who we can love, what we can read, what we can say and what we can listen to?

How many of us are really afraid to enter a public building because of the threat of a terrorist attack? Do you quake with fear when you see planes flying overhead or unmarked vans parked on the side of the road?

Does anyone even understand this color-coded life we live now? No? Well, how many of us feel our blood pressure rise when we are being followed by a police car, even though we know we have done nothing unlawful, or for that matter, any time law officials are around?

I am not trying to demonize our law enforcement officials, after all, they are just Americans like us whose job it is to enforce the laws those whom we put in power gird us with.

But my point is, I should have voted Libertarian this election, and I plan to next election. That is, if I still have the liberty to do so.

Kit Wilkerson
Murphysboro

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