It is amazing what comes out from the “mouth of babes.” Sometimes their simplicity baffles the mature and intellectual mind. They also sometimes embarrass you with their bluntness and pure honesty—like if you ask them if you look fat in that dress; most likely they’ll say, “Yes.” Also, they will intently listen to your conversations without you being aware of it. The gears are turning in their brains and you will know that they have eavesdropped on your conversation when they ask inquisitive questions on that topic you were discussing.

My thirteen year old son is an inquisitive and intelligent boy. I had him analyze the Declaration of Independence a few weeks ago. He showed me a passage: “But when a long Train of Abuses and Usurpations, pursuing invariable the same Object, evinces a Design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their Right, it is their Duty, to throw off such Government…” He asked me why people don’t seem to know that we have this right. I looked at him sort of dumbfounded and then immediately composed myself and said, “I suppose people aren’t educated on this matter or people just don’t care anymore.” I kid around with my son and tell him he has eagle ears; I believe that he must have listened in on my political conversations with family and friends to ask such a question.

One such form of “abuse” that we have allowed is the unconstitutional Patriot Act to be passed. This Act endangers our civil liberties; for instance, warrantless searches are now possible—say adios to the Fourth Amendment. Also, according to news anchor of MSNBC, Keith Olbermann, “The president has now succeeded where no one has before. He’s managed to kill the writ of habeas corpus.” If you are thrown in jail and you believe you are innocent, then you no longer have the right to seek relief from unlawful imprisonment. Does this mean you are no longer “innocent until proven guilty?” Will defense lawyers need to find a new career?

It truly saddens me that we as a nation have been reduced to this. Are we too consumed with who will be the next American Idol, rather than what will America be like in the next five to ten years? Will our Constitution and the Declaration of Independence just be some boring historical documents that will be tucked away in a museum somewhere? Obviously our history as a nation and the traditions that go with it are no longer valid to our government and to the majority of Americans. We truly need to wake up from the lulling drug of ignorance and apathy.