Security: freedom from risk or danger; precautions made to protect against crime, attack, sabotage, etc.
Freedom: the state of being free or at liberty rather than in confinement; personal liberty
The perfect balance between security and freedom is often hard to define and still hasn't been perfected. Both definitions seem like beneficial components of everyday life; however, some people find that too much of either is a bad thing. I find it interesting that in the definition of security, the word 'freedom' is used. That shows that they are tied together all of the way from definition to application.
When there is a security threat, freedoms slowly disappear. Once someone realizes that their rights are being taken away, they make a scene and the scale shifts again. Victor Davis Hanson, in a lecture, spoke on this balance and said that the two are necessarily intertwined and exist in a 'symbiosis.' Obviously, no one wants to be in any sort of danger, but most people believe that they are entitled to certain rights and freedoms. Unfortunately, many efforts to balance these two important facets of life are convoluted and don't work out. Even though a common statement is 'people who aren't guilty of any crime don't have anything to worry about,' this is obviously not always the case. As shown in the novel Little Brother with Marcus and his friends and multiple times in real life, innocent people are detained or arrested and sometimes even killed after being accused of crimes they didn't commit.
In Little Brother, after the bridge is bombed security increases greatly. Schools have cameras in every classroom, subway riding patterns are analyzed, and police can track where everyone goes, what they buy, and can stop people for questioning just based on 'odd' patterns of computer usage or travel. Most of the characters in the novel are horrified by this and see it as a heinous violation of their freedom, instead of feeling comforted by the new security techniques. At the end of the novel, Marcus is captured again and is taken back to "Treasure Island" where he is briefly tortured with waterboarding, where he feels like he is drowning. No one wants to have innocent children tortured just in the name of greater security.
This article from the Family Security Matters website lists three major battle points between security and freedom that have come into existence just in the last few decades: The PATRIOT Act, Intelligence, and Free Speech issues. The PATRIOT Act and new technology both increase the ability of government to watch over their citizens, pry more into their daily lives, and search through private records such as telephone calls, emails, and medical history. Obviously, free speech problems connect back to the First Amendment; the Constitution supposedly protects a citizen's rights to say whatever they want, but sometime's that can be considered dangerous and a threat to national security.
The balance between security and freedom has to be something that strengthens both without hurting the everyday person. They both have to exist, but it has to be done in a way that allows citizens to enjoy their rights as well as keeps them safe. I believe that people need to be able to say what they want and their private records should stay safe, but the government should develop some less intrusive way to monitor what is going on in the country to protect it from attack.
I agree with Julia that perfect balance between security and freedom is a system that strengthens both without endangering the rights or safety of the American citizen. Too much of either one can be viewed as destructive to society and the American government. In my opinion, I agree with Julia that the citizens should keep their privacy rights while the government finds away to monitor the country without taking away citizens rights.
ReplyDeleteAs seen in the novel, "Little Brother", the government takes extreme measures in securing the American citizens to the point that their rights given to them by the Bill of Rights are taken away. The schools are then equiped with cameras in every classroom and subway patterns were being tracked. The government even goes as far as questioning and imprisoning children on "Treasure Island" where they torture Marcus and his friends. Overall, the novel shows how too much security can be dangerous creating terroists inside the country as well as taking away the natural rights granted to all American citizens.
Many websites(http://www.ashbrook.org/publicat/onprin/v10n5/tucker.html) adress the question of "what is the perfect balance between security and freedom?". Living in a free nation, the question of balance between freedom and security can be a very sensitive question and cause a lot of controversy in our government. The PATRIOT ACT increases the governments ability to watch over the American citizens, and gain access to medical records, telephone calls, etc...
Overall, I think that the perfect balance between security and freedom is a balance that protects the American people while keeping their rights that they are granted as American citiznes. I think that the government should find a way to monitor the country without being too intrusive so it can be protected from terriost attacks.
I agree with both Julia's. Rights should not be taken away for the sake of security. While they can be restricted, Constitutional rights should not be taken away. This article (http://reclaimdemocracy.org/civil_rights/security_freedom_false_choice.html) discusses the Patriot Act and the balance between security and freedom. There is no formula for the right balance, it is something that must be played with. In wake of September 11, 2001, no one questioned the Patriot Act, because they knew it was the right thing. However, later on, it did strike a debate about whether or not this was the right balance.
ReplyDeleteIn Little Brother, the government (specifically the DHS) takes away the rights of innocent minors because they are suspected terrorists. While the DHS was only trying to protect the rest of the citizens, they held innocent citizens in custody until they could get the information they were looking for. However, since the people, such as Marcus, that they were holding were innocent, they did not find any information that would help them and yet they still thought Marcus was guilty of blowing up the bridge. After the attack on the Bay Bridge in the book, security is heightened, and people are tracked. This infringes the rights of citizens, and I find such extreme measures to be unrealistic.
It is wrong for the Constitutional rights (http://billofrightsinstitute.org/founding-documents/bill-of-rights/) of the people to be taken away. While it may be okay to suspend them for awhile in wake of an attack, long term, it would be bad news for the government if they decide to do so. While the right balance is hard to find, there can be a balance between security and freedom.
I agree with both Julias that there is a perculiar discrepancy between the denotation of 'security' and its practical application admist national crises. I also agree with the idea of a delicate balance between security enforcement and public response. Sometimes, that scale may fall in favor of security, leaving many American citizens outraged by racial profiling, lax searches & seizures, and increased federal governemtn authority. It is frightening to think that innocence citizens, like Marcus in Little Brother, can be condemned and tortured for mere suspicion without reasonable cause.
ReplyDeleteAn example of balance between security and freedom is TSA pat-down procedures. Because of public outcry over intrusive pat-downs for weaponry, many government officials have pushed for increased use of full-body screenings. The use of technology (digital imaging in this case), may mitigate citizen concerns over personal liberties while still maintaining national security levels.