For far too long the American public and business sector have kept their silence as civil liberties have been whittled away by statutory and regulatory measures.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
As an immigrant, I appreciate, far more than the average American, the liberties we have in this country. Silence is a big enemy of morality. I don't want our blunders in history to get repeated.
I would consider all of the legislation which I have supported meaningless if I were to sit idly by, silent, during a period which may go down in history as an era when we permitted the curtailment of our liberties.
Many CEOs and leaders think that silence is indeed golden, that consensus is bliss. It is - sometimes. But more often what it signifies is that there are no respected processes for surfacing concerns and dissent.
When the public's right to know is threatened, and when the rights of free speech and free press are at risk, all of the other liberties we hold dear are endangered.
Most liberals think of civil liberties as their Achilles heel. It isn't.
If there's anything I have learned since returning to Congress, it's that talk is still cheap, progress is still slow, and our liberties continue to erode every day.
We should silence anyone who opposes the right to freedom of speech.
Even though some in our government may claim that civil liberties must be compromised in order to protect the public, we must be wary of what we are giving up in the name of fighting terrorism.
We still have a First Amendment that protects your business and free speech.
For two decades the state has been taking liberties, and these liberties were once ours.