Liberty versus Security in Todays World Essay - 697 Words

Inscribed in the stairwell of the Statue of Liberty is Benjamin Franklin’s quote, â€Å"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.† Recent reactions to terrorist attacks provide examples of our country beginning to mortgage freedom, and privacy under the mask of protection in times of crisis. Warrantless searches and seizures performed in the interest of national security are becoming more commonplace. The balance between civil liberties and national security measures remains a delicate balance which should not tip in a direction that leads to the destruction of the Fourth Amendment’s original meaning. As our nation has grown and endured crises, the scale has become unbalanced.†¦show more content†¦United States. The trial brought to light that evidence was collected without a warrant; thus the court ruled the evidence inadmissible. This precedent, called the exclusionary rule, set a legal m odel for law enforcement to follow. Prior to this time there were little to no consequences for illegal search and seizure of evidence. While the Weeks Case set boundaries for law enforcement, the Federal Government broadened its power to surveil. The National Security Agency was founded in 1952 and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1972 limited its power, that is, until September 11, 2001. Upon the deaths of nearly three thousand and injury to six thousand more, the Federal government acquired additional power that it justified by their claim that increased information gathering serves in catching terrorists and prevents further attacks. The Rutherford Institute sums up the situation in this way: â€Å"While some might see the temporary necessity in such laws during a national security emergency, it must be pointed out that the war on terror has no finite duration. There will always be some form of terrorist threat to the United States.† Despite this opinion , there remains reasonable expectation that our government should not view and intrusively observe its citizens at all times. Even though the expectation of privacy for American citizens rests under the Bill of Rights, the ProtectShow MoreRelatedAn Agent Of A Foreign Power1750 Words   |  7 Pagesconsequences of section 702 that the paper, â€Å"Liberty and Security,† briefly mentions. - Next, in a few paragraphs, I am going to comment on the double standards that is used to justify surveillance of US-persons vs Non-US persons (showing of â€Å"probable cause† for the former vs. a mere â€Å"reasonable belief† for the latter), and argue that this double standard present a threat to international trade. The 3rd recommendation of the paper â€Å"Liberty and Security† demands that â€Å"surveillance must not be directedRead MoreBenjamin Franklin: We Have Given You a Republic, It Remains To Be Seen If You Will Be Able to Retain It1228 Words   |  5 Pagesour nation a republic versus a democracy would be difficult because they understood the internal enemies a republic would face; our enemies, the oligarchic families of the British Empire’s Liberal system referred to in today’s world as the â€Å"extreme left.† Most of our founders likely felt that preserving liberties (individual rights/freedom) for themselves and future ge nerations would not be an easy task. What comes to mind is a comment I think I heard on talk radio: â€Å"Liberty is a way station betweenRead MoreThe Enlightenment By Locke, Paine, And Kant1492 Words   |  6 Pagesclash with faith and a person’s emotions is unveiled beautifully by Rosseau and that would be society’s definite way to go if we desired to stand by our moral virtues. Locke looked at the world from the point of view of his senses, and he wanted to understand how an individual’s senses may alter the world to one versus another. â€Å"Our observation, employed either about external sensible objects, or about the internal operations of our minds, perceived and reflected on by ourselves, is that which suppliesRead MoreAmerican Politics And The Declaration Of Independence Essay1773 Words   |  8 Pagessucceed in living up to the ideals of â€Å"life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,† but that does not stop the demand of both policymakers and citizens to uphold and defend these rights. The American Revolution, while politically radical, didn’t change much in the lives of ordinary people. Socially, it could be considered a â€Å"colonial conservative rebellion.† The original documents focused heavily on the relationship between private property and liberty for people, while excluding ideas of directRead MoreThe Rights Of The State1727 Words   |  7 Pagesand also the liability of the state [3]. There are a number of legal effects associated with directives in given cases, while some effects are negative most of the positive ones include: Uphold the rights of poor people and reduce poverty, Improve security, improve human rights and enhance criminal justice, promote economic development, further harmonization and achievement of international regulatory standards and contest globalization or advance the aims of popular social movements [7]. EffortsRead MoreThe Section 702 Of The Legislation1862 Words   |  8 Pagesconsequences of section 702 that the paper, â€Å"Liberty and Security,† briefly mentions. Next, I will comment on the double standards that is used to justify surveillance of US-persons vs Non-US persons (proving â€Å"probable cause† to a court for the former vs. having a mere â€Å"reasonable belief† for the latter), and show how this double standard presents a threat to international trade. I will then analyze the 3rd recommendation of the paper â€Å"Liberty and Security†, which demands that â€Å"surveillance must notRead MoreCompare and Contrast Modern Conservatism and Modern Liberalism2552 Words   |  11 Pagesfully comprehend the ideals of modern liberalism and modern conservatism. Classical liberalism evolved from opposition to â€Å"divine rights of Kings† (PowerPoints, Classical Liberalism, pg. 2). One of the core principles in the presumption in favor of lib erty is the â€Å"Fundamental Liberal Principal† (Guide, pg. 3). This principal states that freedom is a basic right and that laws must be justified so as not to limit the freedom of citizens. To provide a modern day example of this, the Los Angeles Times recentlyRead MoreWe the People- Examination of the Relationship between the Government and Governed 1996 Words   |  8 Pagesfederal government’s power. The framers did so initially in the colonial era (Downes, 2012). Then, Ronald Reagan followed this concept through the Cold War (Love, 2009). Today, we live in a Post 9/11 world. This is a world that was so dramatically stricken by the terrorist attacks implemented on the World Trade Center (WTC) that we failed to carry a belief of minimizing the government’s constraints on the people. This society has no conflicts of the criteria presented in the USA Patriot Act (P.L. 107-56Read MorePlato and Aristotle on Democracy Essay examples2188 Words   |  9 Pages said or done, and blame other things, equally exaggerating both†. The exaggerating is a major problem for those trying to develop an opinion because they draw their views based on public opinion. How well do these philosophers arguments apply to today’s democracies? For the purpose of this essay we will be looking at the United States of America as an example. In Plato’s view democracy creates men who believe â€Å"insolence is good breeding, anarchy freedom, extravagance munificence, and shamelessnessRead MoreEssay about Comparison of McCarthyism and the U.S. Patriot Act1947 Words   |  8 Pagesgovernment advisor on domestic affairs and the present director of the Institute of Communitarian Policy Studies at George Washington University, argues that civic security actions can be vital to democracy but not that any and all security dealings augment liberty. In his book How Patriotic is the Patriot Act? Freedom Versus Security in the Age of Terrorism (2004), he specifies safety measures embarked on the U.S. since September 11th. Foreshadowing the menaces including the danger of bioterrorism