Is security without liberty simply imprisonment?

Question

“People who are willing to give up freedom for the sake of short term security, deserve neither freedom nor security.”

With this quote in mind, how do you feel about the intrusion of civil liberties that have resulted from the Patriot Act?

Is security without liberty simply imprisonment?

How would you feel if this question was presented in reference to your right to bear arms? Is restricting your ability to protect yourself, your home, and your family excusable if the intent is to thwart evil by disarming the good? What if the evil takes the form of tyranny in your government, how do you make a stand when you are disarmed ?

Answer 1

I own a shirt with that quote.  As far as I'm concerned it's too little too late.  the Imperial Federalists won a long time ago because they're also Socialists so the People who would otherwise be fighting them gladly give them everything thing they want.

And now we're stuck with the NeoCons and Liberals.  Two Sides of the same damned Totalitarian Coin.

Answer 2

The mere fact that you are currently in a public forum freely criticizing the act would contradict your claim that your liberties have been infringred.  The Patriot Act did nothing to infringe upon the freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution for citizens of the USA.

And, for your edification, the quote was originally penned in a letter from Ben to the King, petitioning for funds and permission to arm the western settlers against the Indian "terrorists" who were harrassing them in Western Pennsylvania and Ohio.  In other words, Ben was asking the Government to protect the citizens from terrorism, the exact premise behind the Patriot Act.

Freedom of speech has never been absolute.  From the early days of this country when the Alien and Sedition Acts were passed, inflammatory, rebellious, or objectionable speech has always been monitored by the government and, in some rare cases, prosecution has resulted from that speech.  The Patriot Act allows the government to act against the same type of people who planned and conducted the attacks of 9/11.  The country asked Congress and the President to come up with a solution to the vast gaps in the intelligence gathering community to try to keep that from happening again.  That's what they did, and it seems to be working.  If you don't like it, contact your representatives and vote.  If enough people feel like you, your voices will be heard.  Since the Act doesn't really impact almost anyone not engaged in some sort of suspect activity, I doubt if that will happen.

Answer 3

First of all the right to bear arms was not only a way of life it was also written over 200 years ago. 200 years ago there weren't walmarts or food stores so people hunted to get their food.  We also didn't have an effective regular army, so people left their personal lives and helped the government to have an army.  Today, there is not a logical explanation why anyone would need an ak47 or any weapon like that to hunt. And as far as us leaving home to go help our army, well guess what they really don't want all of us running around with guns waiting for that phone call. And probably the biggest reason we the people have against all these guns laws, more laws aren't the answer, ENFORCE THE ONES WE ALREADY HAVE. LAST BUT NOT LEAST, the bad people don't buy legal guns, it's honest people that fill out the paperwork. Criminals don't fill out papers and wait to get guns to kill or rob banks. We do have to right to bear arms, but within reason. And as far as our liberties, we the people have surrendered our rights to be safe. As long as we aren't inconvienced, it's something we apparantly will give up.

Answer 4

I don't want to be too brief, but I will say that there's plenty of ideas to be found in this book:

"Don't Shoot the b******s (Yet): 101 More Ways to Salvage Freedom" by Claire Wolfe

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1559501...

It's perhaps one of the most important books on freedom living in the last decade.

You can find free articles by this author here:

http://billstclair.com/clairewolfe.com/

and here:

http://www.backwoodshome.com/wolfe_index...

She is a true patriot!

Answer 5

The simple answer is yes.

I believe there are two separate USA's.

There is the real one: which is sneaky and manipulative, the one that infringes on civil liberties and then there is the fake one that pretends to believe in freedom and individual rights. It's all just marketing. And this happened way before 9/11. The CIA, Military Intelligence and the FBI have had secret missions since they began. Not really the way a democracy is suppose to work.

Answer 6

"Security without liberty" is not really security at all. Our liberties and freedoms protect us from the government. Take those away, and there is no "security" that the government will not arrest you for no reason at all.

So, in reality, taking away our liberties does not make us more secure. It just changes the who we fear. Instead of fearing an outside enemy, we would be fearing an internal enemy.