by Joe Tittiger
tittiger@pobox.com

October 10, 2001

Since the events of September and the likelihood of myself or someone I know giving their life for this country I have given much thought to what I might be giving my life for. Unfortunately I have come to the conclusion “not a hell of a lot”. The constitutional rights guaranteed us by the founders are in ruins. We live in a Socialist / Fascist country, not a Representative Republic. You may say that we are that we are the freest nation on earth. To which I must respond “so what!” The most freedom compared to what? Looking at other countries to say we are the freest among them does not speak much for freedom!

I live in a banana republic known as Florida: 

Today I went to apply (which implies it’s not a right) for a concealed weapons permit. The state mandates a 2-hour course that runs about $30 at the gun shows, add in $5 for a range fee, $15 for fingerprinting and over $100 for the permit fee itself. This may not sound like much to you, but it has put my second amendment rights out of economic reach at this point in time. This law has done what it was designed to do and that is to keep the economically disadvantaged from having second amendment rights, which in my area are mainly the Hispanic and Black populations. 

We have no rights anymore; we are merely allowed to do what the omnipotent government decides what we should be allowed to do. Whatever happened to uninfringeable rights and the idea that government exists solely to insure those rights? Public schools have effectively done their job of dumbing down the sheeple to the point they don’t even realize they are being raped. All that matters is that the Television works and their bellies are full.

I am incredulous that in Kabul, one can more than likely own a gun without an expensive permitting process and that they also more than likely do not have laws preventing people from working at their occupations. No I do not want to move to Afghanistan. I do, however, see a great irony in that we are losing most of the God given rights that used to separate us from these other countries. What the heck are we fighting to keep?

I want to submit to you that the real terrorists and the real threats to our life and liberty reside in Washington DC and our State and local governments. I am not belittling the threat from Islamic Fundamentalists. I am, however, saying in no uncertain terms that the threats to liberty are just as great or greater from within. 

I ask you to take a stand, before it is too late.

Sincerely,

Joe Tittiger 
tittiger@pobox.com
941-690-8305