A More Perfect Union: What We the People Can Do to Reclaim Our Constitutional Liberties Read Online Free PDF Page B

police, we are the ones to blame for the bad policies that result.
    It is not just the fear of speaking one’s opinion that is eroding freedom in our nation, but also the fear of retaliation for contributing to organizations that are targeted by government agencies like the Internal Revenue Service. In 2013 the IRS finally admitted that it screened organizations’ tax-exemption applications for terms like “tea party” and “patriotic,” targeting groups using those words for closer scrutiny. The IRS claimed that this type of targeting was evenhanded and only coincidentally appeared to be aimed at conservative groups. The media tried to make the scandal into a political issue between Democrats and Republicans, but it should be offensive to anyone in favor of freedom in America. Even though politicians and portions of the media will attempt to sweep this dark episode in American history under the rug, the American people must be vigilant and make certain that this affront to freedom is never forgotten. Justice dictates that we get to the bottom of this illegal action and make sure that it never occurs again.
    Although the First Amendment protects us from the PCpolice in government, it does not give us a way to rid ourselves of their influence in other sectors. Fortunately, their only real weapon is intimidation, so we can gain enormous freedom by simply ignoring them and expressing ourselves with the same kind of courage that characterized our ancestors. Courage begets courage, and a few brave citizens can inspire others to stand up and join civil conversations about tough issues. It is these discussions that will result in societal advancement, particularly when both sides can speak without fear of intimidation or reprisals. On the other hand, guarded conversations between people with different opinions severely limit the likelihood of progress being made.
    Many will completely agree with all of the preceding statements but will fear there is nothing they can do as individual concerned citizens. This fear is misguided. You can make a difference if you stop being afraid to speak up. Speak with the full knowledge that our Constitution protects your speech. If there are repercussions, seek legal recourse and voice your complaints. If enough people begin to do this, it will have a chilling effect on the PC police and eventually these people will begin to reform their ways. You can also make your congressional representatives aware of the oppression of free speech you have observed. When they see a pattern, they will be encouraged to take up the fight on your behalf. This is the way our representative government was designed, but it only works when there is active participation by the people.
    Protecting the rule of the people means having open and frank discussions with people in your sphere of influence about what kind of nation we want to pass on to the nextgeneration and what we are willing to do to preserve it. This is exactly what our ancestors did in the prerevolutionary days of America. By speaking with one another about the tyranny they were experiencing under the British, they gained the courage to act against King George III and his overwhelming forces.

CHAPTER 4
    IN ORDER TO FORM A MORE PERFECT UNION
    “A house is built by wisdom and becomes strong through good sense. Through knowledge its rooms are filled with all sorts of precious riches and valuables.”
    Proverbs 24:3–4
    U nity improves almost every situation. I saw this firsthand in the medical field. I was fortunate to train as a neurosurgeon at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, where many of the neurosurgeons were some of the most highly regarded medical practitioners in history. The neurology department at Hopkins was well known, as was the psychiatry department. Each department had highly effective administrators and support staff who contributed to their greatness. In the seventies some of the new leaders in these departments began to recognize