Should freedom be sacrificed for security?

Question

What are some good argument points because I have to give a speech on this topic.

Answer 1

Depends on what freedoms and for what security.

Nobody argues that we should never wiretap-- but there should be governance to ensure that those who do are doing so for the right reasons.

There's nothing wrong with expecting to provide ID to vote, open up a financial account or whatever. But government should not have an open book into my personal records. Again, due process and probable cause.

Nobody thinks you shouldn't have to go thru a thorough security scanning at the airport.

There has to be a balance, due process, oversight. I don't buy this whole idea of "I have nothing to hide"-- there is some idea that we have privacy and the gov cannot simply look into your life w/out good reason for doing so.

Answer 2

At some point, there has to be. Think about it: In Mayberry, Opie ran allover town by himself. Kids of that generation did. Read Rascal, by Sterling North. At one point, he and his father went camping for two weeks. His father went into town every day on business, leaving Sterling in the woods alone. He met a single man who lived nearby and went into his house. That would NEVER happen today! Our society has changed.

Don't we all teach our children not to talk to strangers (sacrificing freedom) because some of them are bad?

But we need to be very careful what we sacrifice. We need to examine the downside of letting the government monitor us more carefully--the "unintended consequences."

For instance, smart cards let buyers drive through toll booths w/o paying, but the driver can also get a ticket for speeding if he arrives at the next toll booth too soon!

I, personally, think we need the telephone monitoring--hey, if you call a known terrorist outside the US, you shouldn't expect privacy. But unfettered eavesdropping would be very bad.

Sorry, this is not a very good answer, but maybe it'll get some of your mental juices going.

Answer 3

So... imagine if we said "You know what, the government can't monitor phone calls to terrorists anymore, because they might hear me talk to my mother on the phone, or I don't want them monitoring where my money could be going" and you felt good about this, because you asserted your freedoms. And then a terrorist uses phones and / or banks to plot a terrorist attack, and many die, possibly yourself. I don't really consider that freedom. To me, freedom is living, and since the Patriot Act got passed, and the wiretapping programming revealed, and the Swift banking program leaked, I don't feel the least bit less free.

Answer 4

Where would freedom be without security? Where would security be without freedom? The only way to lose your freedom and security and your country is for good people to do nothing!!!

Answer 5

Aww yes, famous words of Adolf Hitler. Looked what happened. 20+ million people died. Never give up your liberties for anything. Our founding fathers sacraficed everything to make this country great. Now we're in the order of losing it all in the "Name of Terror BS." Stand up, fight the new world order.

Answer 6

Some freedom has to be

Answer 7

once your freedom is gone then your living in hell

Answer 8

so long as they are proportional