Often you don't know what rights you've lost until you need them -- or test them.

I pretty much think the NSA could do what it wanted long before Bush. Is that a good thing? Probably, I don't have anything to hide.

What rights have *I* personally lost? Well, for one, I've lost the right to feel safe when I fly. Because we've managed to piss off so many people and airplanes are a great target. The policy of the current administration has caused us to be hated more now than pre 9-11. So that is one right I've lost.

Although I've never been searched at the airport I have been with people who were. And if you want to talk about feeling violated (loss of rights) -- that takes the cake. Do you realize they can just pull you out of the line, and search you from head to toe. For no reason -- just because? Innoncent until guilty -- ?.

Some people have been more impacted than others. I would imagine that a United States citizen that is Muslim in appearance, etc. Has lost a lot more. Just look at all the threads on here lately bashing them. It is really sad.

Does it effect me directly? Sure. Because if today we can do it toward Muslim looking people, next will be Italian people, or blacks, or so on...

I don't know about you, but I don't want to live like that. We're all created equal -- and we should be treated as such. If you think we are... think again.