Yin Mei Chan Ms. Gardner Honors English 10 1 23 October 2013 Land of the free? No.

Over the past several decades, the government has been progressively working themselves into the lives of the citizens of the United States of America. A country ran as a democratic republic, a country where power is supposedly within the people, and a country that is also recognized as the "land of the free," has yet to prove itself as a country of unconditional, ubiquitous democracy. Currently, the government has set up security cameras on traffic poles, in parks, in neighborhoods, and other areas of public attraction. At the airport, we are patted down and groped, as if the concept of personal space is trivial. Even life at home is limited by the laws of the government to the point where in some cities, trash bins that contain over ten percent of recyclable materials can result in a hundred-dollar fine. We, the people are constantly being dehumanized by the American government: we are watched, violated, and punished. Centuries ago, the United States of America had already began yearning for democracy within the country, one of the major purposes for creating such a country. The Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson, was the beginning to America's pursuit for democracy. Within the Declaration, Jefferson stated that all persons are given "the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." However, has this idea really been consistently resonated throughout the years? For example, in 2010, the government passed the Food Safety and

Modernization Act. This public law placed a restriction on the manufacturing and distribution of agriculture from any individual without an official registration. Currently, our government has applied laws are now directly affecting the lives of the population. Moreover, the government has contributed massive efforts to the alteration of the national health care system, and to the nation's educational system doing so with the reluctant cooperation and acceptance of the people. So what can we do to help, in a world that is growing seemingly more oppressive by the day, as more and more laws are passed to limit our freedom? In an effort to protects our rights, the word of the government's excessive control should be made aware to all persons around the country. Dont just sit and listen; listen and act. In instance, in George Orwells dystopian novel, 1984, Winston never makes a profound impact on his oppressive society, as he is just one person. We must be wary of this situation. With the more people aware of the brewing governmental issue, the louder our voices as citizens can project, and the longer it can echo. Now, even though the government is climbing in supremacy, together, we can stand firm and poised to protect our personal rights as residents of the United States of America. We must let our government recognize what we can achieve, what we can attain, and what we can contribute to our nation, without the stringent laws placed upon us by the government. The government is not our overseer. We are our own.