[Vision2020] Disturbing trends

[Judy B. LaLonde]

I agree with you, John and Carl, that this is a VERY disturbing trend, and
fits in with my fear of what the Patriot Act gives the government the right
to do.  I'm not normally a person who thinks "conspiracy," and I'm not
saying, "conspiracy" now, but these things that ARE happening are
frightening.  I'm reading a book now, fiction, by Ursula Heigi, called
"Stones from the River." It's about a small town in Germany and begins
pre-Hitler power, and its describes how little by little, things similar to
this began to happen. People did not speak out because of fear and also
because they thought if they just waited, the little bits of insanity that
were happening would stop. Things would change, not get worse. But as they
got worse, there was more fear.  We have all heard or thought about the
ordinary Germans and wondered how they could let Hitler happen.

This is how.  Little by little, people are fired, not hired, discriminated
against for some reason. And we let it happen because it's just a "little
thing," because it "can't go on," it's "unreasonable," or "there must be
something else" . . .

Jim B. writes that it's "not the government, but private citizens," and I
have to agree that he is correct, but then, I want to refer to the McCarthy
period, when the same type of labeling occurred.

I'm disturbed, and I don't really know what to do.

Judy
Moscow