A Plea to Barack Obama: Return to your Core Values Please

"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."-Benjamin Franklin

A lot of people here will be upset with this posting, my response is I am equally or more so upset with the news from this organization that Obama supports the FISA compromise. In my previous post , I spoke of holding those we elect or support accountable to their promises, neve imagining that this day would come. However in this I always in my imperfect way though try to practice what I preach, hence the following.

I have been a small donor and tried in places like my blog, DailyKos, MyDD, HuffPost, and in a few posts in the Washington Post and 1 in the Washington Independent to share Obama's message of change. Your support of the FISA compromise is one of the most gauling examples of "politics as usual", and probably one of the most dangerous inappropriate choices you could make. You, by this vote are supporting the destruction of the fourth Amendment, something often ignored by authorities as they casually violate the rights of people of color.

You Sir, are a Constitutional lawyer and scholar, that bill isn't even legal as it alters the Constitution, which cannot be altered unless done so following the provisions of article V of the Constitution. But here is the rub. I or any of your supporters cannot challenge it because I would have to prove a) I had been harmed by it's use, b)that I have standing before the court, which by the very language of the bill disallows me to do. The government can just swear national security is involved and I am denied as well as the courts the evidence that in any other case would be furnished to me through "discovery".

You speak so wonderfully about "change", we have had change these past 7 years. I hope this is not the change to which you refer. You had my trust, but with your support you lost my trust. Even when you had my trust it wasn't that great that I'd give you the powers Bush claimed. I don't even trust myself with that much authority. Unlike the false patriots that claim to be "true Americans" I have fought and bled for my country, and I still hold sacred the oath to support and defend the Constitution I took 37 years ago. So I humbly submit this plea to you.

If your decision was made after consulting with your advisers, who cautioned you, not to withhold support for this measure because of political appearances, discard their advise. A true patriot who loves their country dearly takes up the causes not always popular, but are in the long run right. In the past you have shown such courage. I have only one vote yes, and it was/is yours because to date you earned it. That does not mean you can unearn it though by following down the same path of others leaving your message of change from the politics as usual. Return to your values please less you lose this single American's support, and possibly others as well. For those who would say he is chicken Little talking about the sky, I refer you to this article in APOV, it gives a clear picture of what is at stake here.

Cross posted from idealthought's page on Obama's website, and DailyKos