Base on the PATRIOT Act. , what is your position on the liberty vs. security debate?

Answer 1

Too many people out there are quick to point out that it's fine since they have nothing to hide.
It's not about that, it's the principle behind it. Soon you're gonna be okay with them videotaping you all the time, or searching through your mail, or tapping all your phones, since you have nothing to hide?

Big Brother, here we come.

Answer 2

Our security is a direct result of our liberties. It was our liberties (not the restriction of liberties) that carried us through times far more precarious than what we face today, including a civil war, two "World Wars" and a period where, each day, we faced the very real possibility of millions (not hundreds or thousands, millions!) of our citizens being vaporized.

As for the 'I have nothing to hide' argument, this is probably the most obnoxious, anti-American, cowardly swill ever to pass the lips of any American citizen. To stand by with a smug look on ones face while the rights of another are diminished or removed is a betrayal of not only he who's liberties are in jeopardy, it is a cowardly betrayal of the basic structure of our society. That structure and the liberties that insure it for everyone were paid for in blood. To abandon those liberties or, worse yet, allow those liberties to be taken from another is to spit on the graves of those patriots who paid that price.

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Answer 3

"Beware the leader who bangs the drums of war in order to whip the citizenry into a patriotic fervor, for patriotism is indeed a double-edged sword. It both emboldens the blood, just as it narrows the mind. And when the drums of war have reached a fever pitch and the blood boils with hate and the mind has closed, the leader will have no need in seizing the rights of the citizenry. Rather, the citizenry, infused with fear and blinded by patriotism, will offer up all of their rights unto the leader and gladly so. How do I know? For this is what I have done. And I am Caesar." (Julius Caesar)

Answer 4

In general I think people that are worried about their cilvil liberties are too defensive. Sure, you might have to wait longer at airports, you might be on Bush's list of phone calls but then again, that is how authorities in UK and Germany caught suspected terrorist and stopped the plots. That list as I understand only has time, legnth and who information...its not a tape of your phone conversation so go ahead and call those 900 numbers if you must.
Point is this isn't a perfect society, you can't please all of the people all of the time. They are using tactics that work on finding Terrorists. Meanwhile the whiners will be the first to complain if a dirty nuke goes off on American soil...but they don't want an infringement on their rights.
My question is.......just what rights have you given up ? Where is the names and lists of false prosecutions ? you haven't given anything up, you just fear for what tomorrow might bring. That is a prudent fear, but not one that should dumb down common sense.

Answer 5

It is necessary to destroy our enemey. Our enemy is obviously not only the Bin Laden faction of Arabs. It is the Iranians and the other pro-terrorists. All those who declare they hate the USA and who threaten us. Unfortunately, that includes the touting Iranians and several out populations of, face it, Muslims.

Until then, surveillience, minor inconviences caused by the Patriot Act will be tolerated without a doubt. And never doubt the intense resolve of the vast silent majority of Americans. We want this threat eliminated. World opinion rises and falls, it is a fickle friend and foe at times. We have a mission to defend ourselves with pre-emptive strikes against our present greatest threat.

Loyal Americans no longer think of Muslims the same as they did years in the past. This is no Omar Shariff movie and romantic figures we loved in the past are no longer endearing, brave characters. The happen to be Muslim (no matter what sympathsizers argue) and they mean us great harm. Our government officials are obligate to retaliate and, in my opinion, they are doing so but far too reluctantly. The clever little President of Iran kowtows to the Muslim leaders. He believes them and obeys them. He is only the very clever and highly intelligent mouthpeice for the Muslim leaders who are daily responsible for the maiming and deaths of our troops.

Iran leadership lives in a dreamworld. They gamble that they know the USA will not dare retaliate. Our government MUST retaliate!

It will get very messy before there is any hope of security for us. We would be fools to ignore such a profound threat! The mission for the present President and the next President of the USA is clear and deadly. Millions of Americans with sons, nephews and neighbors who have be killed or maimed know the Iranians are supplying the "insurgents" the Russian designed expolives and other high-tech weapons to achieve their goals.

Iran's recent broadcasts to the world are clear. They are the most visiable segment of our enemy in his strange war against terrorism.

They have no rules. They have a Muslim rule, which is that there are no rules in Jihad. Our government by the will of the people will, therefore, not tie one hand behind our troops -- sons and daughters. The brilliant but mistaken President of Iran is deluded if they think we will hestitate much longer to deliver some payback where is hurts and we have some brilliant people who know how to do that. Iran is a fool to think we won't turn loose the dogs in response to their actions, not just their extremely provacative warnings and veiled threat.

The next President, if not the present one, must give the Iranians a profound reason to think differently. The sooner, the better.

The Iranian Muslim leaders brought this upon themselves. Always, the problem has been about Muslims who hate the USA.

Answer 6

There is no serious debate. Anybody who supports the Patriot Act is either a moron or a fascist. It is an indefensible violation of the rights of the American people and should be immediately repealed and all those who voted for it immediately impeached.

Answer 7

Remember when B. Clinton was in office and he had the program ECHELON. Bush has the patriot act. Both were meant to protect us, but sometime protection cost freedom. People want police on every corner to keep them save, but when the police want to put up cameras to help them achieve that goal the public is against it because it Will impede on their freedom

Answer 8

ben franklin said it best
those who are willing to sacrifice liberty for temporary saftey deserve neither

Answer 9

I prefer discussions such as this as opposed to ones about my fellow countrymen being murdered by an exploding fundie.

Answer 10

My position is that Ben Franklin was correct.