What is your opinion on this quote by Benjamin Franklin?

Question

"They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."-Benjamin Franklin.

Also, do you think today we have betrayed this concept as a society?

Answer 1

I think we lost it at Philladelphia, when we gave up the Articles of Confederation.

"Jefferson gave a copy of the new Constitution to John Paul Jones, and obtained from him an elaborate memorandum of hs views on the merits of the new constitution when it was finished."

"Though General Washington might be safely trusted with the such tempting power as the chief command of the fleet and the army, yet, depend on it, in some other hands it could not fail to overset the liberties of America. .... Deprive the President of the power or the right to draw his sword and lead the fleet and the army, under some plausible pretext or under any circumstances whatever, to cut the throats of part of his fellow citizens in order to make himself tyrant over the rest"

  

Answer 2

I disagree.  We all deserve "liberty and safety" -- as said by Thomas Jefferson : We hold these truths to be self evident ....

Who does BF think he is saying who is deverving of liberty and safety.  What elected office did he ever hold to make statements as to what people deserve.   My advice for BF -- Go peddle you papers!

Answer 3

I think it is spot-on, but under realized in modern times when no revolution is being actively fought. The sentiment rings true when it comes to the Bush administration ridding of habeas corpus and tapping our phones without warrant. Not very republican like if you ask me.

Answer 4

it means if you give up your liberty for protection from a greater pwoer, or if you give up your liberty at all for something you find as equal, then you do not deserve either liberty or what you were willing to exchange for it because liberty is irreplaceable and is the most valuable possession a man can have. to forfeit your liberty would make you a moron basically.

Answer 5

Ben didn't have people around that fly airplanes into buildings.  

Answer 6

It means people selling their freedom in exchange for government benefits (which the people end up paying for anyway with their taxes).

An example would be people accepting higher taxes in exhange for govenrment healthcare, but ending up at the mercy of government when the latter decides to curtail benefits for whatever reasons.

Answer 7

Yes its been betrayed, people who trust the feds are not Americans.

Answer 8

Smith(I mean cheney),you are so ******* predictable!!!! I mean you must work in this adminstration!!!!!