Tom in Portland, people being afraid of the government is not what defines tyranny. If fairly elected representatives of the people pass laws that are supported by the Constitution, yet other people fear those laws there is no tyranny, just a disagreement about what is or is not a good law. If after the law is passed it is found to be abhorrent, the law can be challenged as to whether it is really supported by the Constitution. This is the American way. For those Americans who do not like the American system of law, they can take up arms, legs, and body and leave.