I’ve been having some rather spirited conversations with people here in the newsroom over whether or not the government should be monitoring our internet usage and phone calls.
Here’s my question…Is Freedom Free?
Should it be?
Yes.
Is it?
No. (History tells us that starting with the American Revolution and even before that.)
After September 11th, people, including me, blasted the government and said it should’ve known these attacks were coming. We believed the government should’ve done a better job of intercepting the terrorists’ plans. The same goes for the Boston Bombings. When these tragedies happen, there’s this LARGER than life outcry. Then a few weeks pass and it fades.
What is it that the government should do to keep us safe? One of my co-workers says foster better relationships with foreign countries. That’s true and in many cases we have. But isn’t it also true that sometimes, a bully is going to always a be a bully? Sometimes evil is simply evil?
Another co-worker doesn’t feel like we should have to go through all of the security checks at the airport. My response? If your child is sitting on that plane, wouldn’t you want every safety precaution taken? If we have to give up a little bit of our “freedom and right to privacy” and walk through an x-ray machine, is it so bad?
As a child when I saw the world as black and white, I also thought freedom was free. Now, I’m not so sure. I’m eternally grateful for all of our service members who put their lives on the line everyday to keep us as free as possible.
I guess I’m just not that concerned with the government watching me. I’ve got nothing to hide. But for those who do…what’s done in the dark, ALWAYS comes out in the light.
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I am with you Hollini
Problem is that if the govt. does nothing & a disaster strikes, everyone accuses it of being slipshod & incompetent. When it takes action, everyone gets all scared & criticizes it for interfering in people’s lives. The job of govt. should be to strike a balance – enough security to make the country as safe as possible (not 100%-that is impossible) without undue interference. Personally, I have no problem w/ the current security measures. Except that the TSA could be more effective if it adopted the Israeli method. Stop harrassing old people with walkers & tiny children & profile (yes, profile) those who are known to commit terrorist acts. If Muslims & those of Middle Eastern origin are the majority of these, it’s stupid to stop & frisk old people, kids, Norwegian nuns, whatever. Target those who have a history of these despicable crimes. Then again, that would take common sense, not a lot of which is available these days!