The Freedom Tax

As with any government
its partakers must be taxed
Some tax 10, 15, or 20
others 40 percent max

And when all is said and done
and the services provided
We praise or curse our leaders
on how our money, they divided

We've all heard 'Freedom isn't free'
And no, it requires more than money
So we sacrifice our time
Fighting those who hurt our country

We all know we are reluctant
When the IRS comes calling
We won't pay one penny more
And find giving it appalling

Yet when terrorists strike home
Or sedition causes panic
We freely sell more freedom
"cause if we're dead, well, we won't have it!"

Bit by bit, we tax away
A little more of our dear freedoms
We excuse ourselves and say
"Oh well, but did we really need them?"

"I don't mind the NSA
stalking me, and nor should you
Because I have none to hide"
Does that person have a clue?!

"The PATRIOT Act keeps us safe
Those terrorists don't need a trial
Just interrogate, any style
They must know something worthwhile!"

Yes, they may be wiretapping
Al-qaeda, exclusively
But the potential for abuse, mistake
Should be taken carefully

With no warrant required
Just suspicion, they claim is decent
And with no right to trial
'Guilt 'till proven innocent!'

And innocent you are
But at Gitmo they don't care
They need to know, by any means
"WHERE IS YOUR TERRORIST LAIR?"

You declare your innocence
"LIAR!!! Why else would you be here?!"
You spend all that night standing
No confession did they hear

And finally, in a year or two
They figure out they've goofed
This could have been avoided
Had they required ample proof

Now don't tell me it hasn't happened
It's more common than you'll admit
Though often Afghan natives
Quite a few are of the Brit

One such unlucky fellow
a Taliban hostage was he
Taken prisoner when his Passport
said an Afghan not he be

The Americans invaded
Afghanistan during that year
And our hero, he was rescued
One would hope: the end of fear

The Red Cross secured his flight home
with the British embassy
but on purely suspicion
Guantanamo did we send he

He spent the next few years there
treated as a terrorist should be
But a terrorist he was not
and he was released finally

We're giving up all that is sacred
All we honor and revere
Because we cower, become spineless
At the first sighting of fear

So by fearing "fear" itself
we all vote for higher taxes
"But we," in fear's defense
"Don't want our heads cut off with axes"

Yes, like any government
its partakers must be taxed
But do we ever stop and think
"Was it worth what we got back?"

More security and X-rays
"We must log all web activity!"
Demands Alberto Gonzales
"It's for everyone's safety"

"Do you have something to hide?"
"Then why question their requests?"
I refute:
"Why do YOU wear clothes?"
and "Does this not sound fascist?!"

Now don't get me wrong
I have few qualms with this administration
But why do we sacrifice our rights, our creed
Without consideration?

Fighting terrorists we are
and TERROR is their aim
but If we give up our freedom
They have surely won the game

The means we do combat them
Starves OUR freedom, and it withers
if we don't reverse our course
we are inviting in Herr Hitler

~Jacob Miles