At the Ramona Fair on a recent weekend, several citizens stopped by the Ramona Forum impeachment booth, suggesting that we should not be allowed to protest against the Iraq war, or the president, while the nation is at war. The complainers were addressing our right to assemble and protest, guaranteed under the First Amendment to the Constitution.

The obvious question that came to mind was, could the complainers think of any other of our rights that should also be suspended while we are at war, and who should be able to decide which liberties should be suspended? As an example, would it be OK for the president or his designee to have the power to suspend my right to protest, or to suspend habeas corpus, the right to demand to see the charges against someone held by the government? Perhaps the president should have the right to invade our privacy, or to seize our homes and assets because we voice our disagreement?

It could be that the complainers will soon have their way, because since President Bush took office he and the Congress have deliberately moved ahead with the shredding of our constitutional rights. As an example, Congress gave the president the power to suspend habeas corpus in the Military Commissions Act of 2006.

President Bush has declared through executive order that he has the right to seize the assets of anyone who is perceived to be getting in the way of the prosecution of the war in Iraq.

In the National Security Presidential Directive (NSPD51), the president has declared that he has the right to declare a national emergency and invoke martial law, suspending all our rights as citizens and the constitutional government as we know it. The complainers should be aware, however, that complaining to their congressman at that point wouldn't help because Congress will be out of business.

So, if the complainers are reluctant to telephone a friend who has publicly disagreed with government policy, because they are afraid of being tagged undesirable by our government, then the complainers will have no right to complain when the government seizes their weapons by suspending their right to bear arms as well. Nor do they have the right to complain when the government, directed by George W. Bush or his designee, informs us that martial law has been declared and all our rights under the Constitution have indefinitely been suspended.

This is why we at the Ramona Forum protest in the streets and man the impeachment booth at the fair. Because the complainers and the citizenry in general know not what their government does.

- Ramona resident Dave Patterson is president of the Ramona Forum, a local progressive political group. Contact him at (760) 207-9139.