Freedom lessons courtesy of Pinochet.

This is a very good article from Amnesty International for all freedom loving people to read and learn from.  If we cannot learn from the experience and mistakes of others, then we aren't very smart, are we.  Here is what I gleaned from the article:

• The people did not expect that a military coup could ever happen or that Pinochet would betray the people.  They simply did not see it coming.
• When governments throw the law out the window, they generally end up doing it in a big way.
• Many people benefit from the illegal activity and thus turn a blind eye to it or even applaud it regardless of the disgusting, corrupt, inhuman nature of the atrocities. 
• Many people are so afraid of getting targeted themselves that they do nothing even though they know it is happening on a regular basis to others.  It doesn't matter that standing idly by allows a few corrupt scumbags to ruin life for an entire country.  The government terrorists count on the fact that everyone will go into "every man for himself" mode instead of just uniting and throwing the bums out.
• The military gets special privileges to rape the women that are brought in for "interrogation".  Those who could hardly get a woman on their own suddenly have access to an entire harem.  Sex is a powerful motivator as the Japanese knew during WW2 when they would take captured Asian women into sex slavery in what were known as "comfort stations" for their soldiers.
• Agents would come to the front door of those who they intended to kidnap and interrogate.  They would not kick the door in generally.  They did not want to make a public scene.  It was important for them to be quiet about it.  The victims would comply out of fear for their lives.  It was a real fear because they had previously allowed themselves to be disarmed by government laws.  If people had been armed then shoot outs at the front door would have occurred and government would not have had it so easy taking people away in the middle of the night.

 These are just basic truths about one historical case where government turned on the people and sought to control the people instead of to serve the people which is the only rightful role of government.  The lessons to be learned are pretty clear: unarmed people don't stand any chance in Hell against government gone wild.  And when government does turn tyrannical, a well armed public has a duty and a responsibility to defend itself. 

Never let any government agent enter your home without a warrant.  Never let concocted laws that con men make up in a vacuum strip you of your God given right to self defense.  Never stand for the idea that corrupt government can do whatever it wants to you and you can take it up in their secret monkey court later on (or someone else can do it for you posthumously). 

There is a clear definition of right and wrong.  Learn what that means to you and do not let anyone, even someone in a monkey suit with a badge and other contrived symbols of power and control, wrong you in a meaningful way.  If you are determined not to be a victim, you likely won't become one.  Finally, be very careful about loving your life more than your freedom because when you do, history teaches that you are often left with neither.