Sunday, September 03, 2006
It was not until recently, as in the past few years, that I really started asking the question "How high of a price should we pay in order to protect ourselves." Up until this point I would have been one of the people that just accepted things like The Patriot's Act, and never made a big deal about it. I must say, my view has changed quite a bit on this subject. I was reminded of this in a recent conversation on the price we pay for safety.
Now I realize that experiences such as 9/11 can never really affect me as they would an American citizen living right in the U.S., but I think one of the negative side-effects that has come out of this, has been people willing to sacrifice any freedom to be protected from the unknown. It is due to this fear that many people have just willingly accepted any restriction placed on them, or freedom that is taken away and not even questioned it. It is not so much the actual ability to tap wires and not need a warrant that worries me, it's more so people's attitude towards these things. This attitude of not caring, of not seeing this as an issue, of having some warped view that the government is your friend who actually cares about you and is always looking out for your best. I am sorry to burst your little bubble, but just because someone puts on a suit and is in government, that does not mean they care deeply about you.
Now, I am not trying to be over-reactionary or paranoid....though it may come across like that - but seriously people, how can you look at things like The Patriot's Act, and think "Wow, good thing to have." That completely baffles me. Many people seem to live in the illusion that if they want to change things they could - they just have chosen not to. Although this may be true at the beginning of something...the more you keep telling yourself and yet giving up liberties, the more you forfeit that ability. Till one day, you wake up and realize that you are completely unable to fight back.
There is so much I could say on this subject, but I will leave it at this - do not give up your liberties without thinking.
To quote a great movie: "People should never fear their government, the government should fear it's people."
Now I realize that experiences such as 9/11 can never really affect me as they would an American citizen living right in the U.S., but I think one of the negative side-effects that has come out of this, has been people willing to sacrifice any freedom to be protected from the unknown. It is due to this fear that many people have just willingly accepted any restriction placed on them, or freedom that is taken away and not even questioned it. It is not so much the actual ability to tap wires and not need a warrant that worries me, it's more so people's attitude towards these things. This attitude of not caring, of not seeing this as an issue, of having some warped view that the government is your friend who actually cares about you and is always looking out for your best. I am sorry to burst your little bubble, but just because someone puts on a suit and is in government, that does not mean they care deeply about you.
Now, I am not trying to be over-reactionary or paranoid....though it may come across like that - but seriously people, how can you look at things like The Patriot's Act, and think "Wow, good thing to have." That completely baffles me. Many people seem to live in the illusion that if they want to change things they could - they just have chosen not to. Although this may be true at the beginning of something...the more you keep telling yourself and yet giving up liberties, the more you forfeit that ability. Till one day, you wake up and realize that you are completely unable to fight back.
There is so much I could say on this subject, but I will leave it at this - do not give up your liberties without thinking.
To quote a great movie: "People should never fear their government, the government should fear it's people."