Are we giving up our freedom just to be safer?

1. 59

   nightwork4posted 12 years ago

   Are we giving up our freedom just to be safer?
   
   people want laws for bike helmets, life jackets, etc, but is it causing us to give the government more power then it should have?

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2. 66

   viquarposted 12 years ago

   He who gives up freedom for safety deserves neither. - Benjamin Franklin
   
   “I'm convinced that you never have to give up liberties to be safe. I think you're less safe when you give up your liberties.” - Ron Paul
   
   First, we have to define what security means. Is "security" being safe in your home, having a full-time job, having health insurance and having a retirement plan in place?
   
   Wait a minute! If you think that all of these is security, think again. In the long run we will slowly be giving away all our liberties to the governments. And there will surely be a time when the hammer hits the anvil. It reminds me of the movie "1984", and I sometimes feel that it is imminent.

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3. 59

   Angela Kaneposted 12 years ago

   Yes I do feel like we are giving up freedoms. Even though I know that wearing a seat belt, helmet or life jacket can save my life, I want the right to choose if I want to wear it or not. If a law helped save other lives as well such as talking or texting on the phone while driving, then I would not have an issue with these laws.

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4. 59

   ackman1465posted 12 years ago

   I don't want, or need, a "Government" to tell me what I need to do to be "safe".....

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5. 73

   pagesvoiceposted 12 years ago

   Franklin D. Roosevelt summed it up best..."The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself." When 80 year old grandmas and 2 and 3 year old children are being fondled in the name of security, then to me anyway, we have definitely lost our freedom.

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6. 75

   Wesman Todd Shawposted 12 years ago

   Government can not provide much in the way of safety regardless of what it is given, and neither will government profit much from a safe people.

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7. 63

   justomposted 12 years ago

   We're not so much giving it up, they're taking it, the safety is just an illusion!

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8. 60

   Eugene Hardyposted 12 years ago

   Yes we are.
   
   Politically we have become more conservative, to the point where we as a people have surrendered our power to corporations and lobbyists.  Our politicians no longer look towards our long term well being, but to those that are willing to fund their campaigns for special interests.
   
   Culturally, because it is 'cool' to not have your own opinion, just follow whatever the media says.
   
   Spiritually, because we as a population are encouraged to follow religious dogma, rather than answer our spiritual questions and follow our spiritual paths.
   
   Economically, because our dependence on mega corporations grows while we are discouraged from founding our own businesses from our homes in the form of micro-businesses we would control for ourselves.  Even nationally, because we have slowly surrendered jobs to go overseas, such as our industrial based while a service economy grows, (but who does such an economy serve?).
   
   In a nut shell, have we become less free.

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9. 60

   lostdogrwdposted 12 years ago

   no. we doing it for thinking that we all can be rich.  we are selling off our freedom for a chance at being rich.rich like a lottery people make up dumb law to keep the people confuse and to make there company money. any new law come with some corporation backing it and a must buy.and how are we safer with the unpatriot act. N D A A and defense contractor that making  and stealing money from the people to kill poor people all over the world

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10. 84

    My Esotericposted 12 years ago

    There are three types of freedom: 1) National freedom, 2) Political freedom, and 3) Individual freedom.  History is full of examples of where none, one, two, or all three have been volutarily given up in order to be safe.  Today, in America, we have given up none of them; in the old Soviet Union, the people gave up political and individual freedom; in Judea, during the Roman conquest, the Jews gave up National freedom, but not political or individual freedom (at least until the Zealots started their revolt).
    
    There is no question America is in no danger of giving up National or Political freedom, so what is under consideration is Individual Freedom.  It seems to me  the measure of that are the first eight Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
    
    At the moment, I don't think our right to religious freedom, free assembly, petition the government, and a free press are being suppressed.  I also don't think Amendments II, III, V, VII, or VIII are in trouble either.
    
    I do, however, think an argument can be made that Amendments IV (unreasonable search and seizure) and VI (the rights of a defendent) are under serious attack in this country, some in the name of Security, and some in the name of a misplaced sense of "Justice".

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11. 80

    CrazyGataposted 12 years ago

    Safe from what? From the country with the greatest military and defense technology, the one with most access to defense contracts or the one that accounts for 25% of the United Nations budget insomuch that decisions are virtually biased to benefit their daddy?
    
    Oh, wait, that's US! When was the last time we were bombarded in our homes? (Please, oh please, besides Civil War and 9-11). Like hey, have some breakfast, kaboom!!! Oh, geez, forget the milk, or your house, best run for your life for in comes the swiping rally.
    
    Safe from soldiers coming into our homes for random searches, because the whole area have been defined as harboring terrorists...
    
    It is too true that for most, freedom entails gadgets.  The government have successfully managed the media in such a way most will think giving up freedom or constitutional rights as a patriotic duty, but in all fairness, this is not done to serve any patriotic duty, but to maintain the anxiety and the mindset that our Government is doing good and what needs to be done when it keeps approving those defense budgets and government missile contracts.
    
    Is a win-win scenario for Government and Corporations, and a classic formula in any other publicity and propaganda campaign... Create the need.  They created the need for perceived safety and we fell for it.

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