Do you really like the idea of having to go through a full body scan machine that will expose your naked body to the workers at the airport who are supposedly there to protect you? Is this an invasion of your privacy or not? Why would you let anyone do this to you? Why would your husband allow men to see your body in the name of protecting us from terrorism?
An incident occurred last winter which the government is using to justify taking away your right to privacy. A man, a supposed terrorist, tried to get on an airplane with a small bomb sewn to his underwear. Now the government says that we must have these humiliating machines in every airport and force everyone through them. But why? Do you remember that the supposed terrorist went through one of those machines before getting on the plane? The machine did not catch him. What sort of insanity is this?
Why are people remaining silent about this?
Perhaps Sophie Scholl, a victim of Nazi injustice during WWII can help us understand.
“The real damage is done by those millions who want to ‘survive.’ The honest men who just want to be left in peace. Those who don’t want their little lives disturbed by anything bigger than themselves. Those with no sides and no causes. Those who won’t take measure of their own strength, for fear of antagonizing their own weakness. Those who don’t like to make waves—or enemies. Those for whom freedom, honour, truth, and principles are only literature. Those who live small, mate small, die small. It’s the reductionist approach to life: if you keep it small, you’ll keep it under control. If you don’t make any noise, the bogeyman won’t find you. But it’s all an illusion, because they die too, those people who roll up their spirits into tiny little balls so as to be safe. Safe?! From what? Life is always on the edge of death; narrow streets lead to the same place as wide avenues, and a little candle burns itself out just like a flaming torch does. I choose my own way to burn.” — Sophie Scholl
As long as we seek safety at the expense of our freedoms, as long as we think or believe that the government can keep us safe, as long as we are too afraid to speak up, those who want to control us will place more and more curbs on our freedom.
Sophie Scholl was only 21 years old when she was killed by the Nazi’s for passing out leaflets which criticized the war. She took a stand and then acted on it. She hoped that others would follow.
An excellent movie has been made that tells the story of this daring heroine.
“Sophie Scholl: The Final Days” – This film is in German with English subtitles, but don’t let that keep you from viewing this award winning movie. It was very well directed. Though you know how it’s going to end, it is very suspenseful right up until the final scene. You find yourself hoping that somehow it will all come out all right anyway.
Sophie and her brother Hans, and their friend, Christof were all executed. It is significant that only moments before they go to a room where they will face the guillotine, Christof says, “It was not in vain.”
It was not in vain. Their courage inspired many German people to resist the war. We learn in the epilogue to the movie that, after their executions, a sixth leaflet was smuggled to England by way of Scandinavia. Allied planes then dropped millions of copies of the leaflet over Germany.
Sophie’s defense at her trial should cause you to examine your heart and ask yourself if you are ready to assume personal responsibility for fighting for freedom. She maintained her poise and showed much grace under fire. Her belief in her cause sustained her to the end.
I am not just writing these posts to the Blog to tell great stories. Anyone can go online and find out all of the information on these wonderful women that they wish. I hope to encourage women in our day to take a stand against injustice. I deliberately choose stories that were about something that was happening in their times because it is also relevant to our times. We are losing our freedoms left and right because no one is taking a stand.
Nor do I just want to rant and rave as so many do on other websites. I hope that readers will be informed and encouraged and motivated. But I will not leave off with just the concern. I will try to give you something you can do. Right now, that something is easy: it will only take a few moments of your time. Contacting your representatives is easy and we have the freedom to do it. In this situation let them know:
- The scanning machines are unconstitutional. – They invade our right to privacy.
- The scanning machines are not needed and are too expensive. The machines did not catch the “underwear bomber” did they? Wouldn’t our hard earned tax dollars be better spent somewhere else?
- There are grave health concerns. They disrupt DNA replication. Further study needs to be done before they are put into use.
Will you just go through the scanning machine like a defeated sheep displaying your most intimate body parts to government bureaucrats, or will you protest? Will you write to or call your representatives now and tell them that you will not stand for this? Or will you put it off until it is too late. They have websites. Please get on them now before you leave your computer. Sophie warned us, “If you don’t make any noise, the bogeyman won’t find you. But it’s all an illusion.” Yes, the bogeyman will find you. Let’s not let this happen. Next stop, the guillotine.
