One Nation With Liberty and Justice for All

Ever since I was a little girl, I've been taught that I am lucky to be a citizen of the United States. I've been taught that people from all over the world try to come to the US because it is such a great place to live. I've been taught that we have a country to be proud of.

And I've been taught that there is one reason behind this... that is our freedom. Our freedom is guaranteed to us by the Constitution. Our Constitution protects the freedom of all US citizens.

I have been taught throughout my life that I should take pride in my country. I have done this by pledging allegiance to our country, and I must admit that I have even had tears in my eyes on several occasions while reciting this pledge. I have always respected our flag, a symbol of our country and our freedoms. I dutifully learned about the workings of our government, and I have taken part in most of the elections that have taken place since I turned 18 (although I have missed voting on some local issues due to moving and not being prepared). Not only do I vote in those elections, I vote responsibly by learning about the issues and making informed decisions.

I love our country, and I believe that I am lucky to have been born here. However, I don't love what our country is becoming. I don't want to be considered a terrorist for trying to uphold the Constitution. I don't want the government to record and/or listen in on my telephone calls or the calls of any other citizen, at least not without due process of the law and a proper warrant. I don't want to fear our government.

I hope that steps will be taken to restore our government to the state that was created to ensure a balanced system of governance. I hope that our leaders (current and future) will act in the best interest of all the people of the United States (not just the rich, the powerful, and the corporate). I hope that I can be a proud citizen of our country once again.

I hope that this isn't too much to hope for.