Trade-off

[aLx1784]

The entire concept of homeland security and the Patriot Acts seems to contradict the basis of this nation. Ensuring the safety of U.S. citizens is undoubtedly important, however, is it worth it if in keeping the people protected the federal government may at times infringe upon the individual liberties we possess?? The Patriot Acts have given the government the power and authority to dive deeper into our personal lives than ever before. Tracking communications and holding people in custody without a formal charge being placed on them are in opposition to the rights citizens have in this nation. I just wanted to know what everyone thought of such trade-off...is it justified??

 

[_dmp_]

Originally posted by aLx1784
The entire concept of homeland security and the Patriot Acts seems to contradict the basis of this nation. Ensuring the safety of U.S. citizens is undoubtedly important, however, is it worth it if in keeping the people protected the federal government may at times infringe upon the individual liberties we possess?? The Patriot Acts have given the government the power and authority to dive deeper into our personal lives than ever before. Tracking communications and holding people in custody without a formal charge being placed on them are in opposition to the rights citizens have in this nation. I just wanted to know what everyone thought of such trade-off...is it justified??

I'll grant you a modicum of credibility if you can articulate ONE example of how the Patriot Act has adversely affected your life.

 

[DKSuddeth]

It does not matter if I'm not affected directly.

When we allow the rights of one individual to be infringed upon, we allow everyones rights to be infringed upon.

 

[_dmp_]

Originally posted by DKSuddeth
It does not matter if I'm not affected directly.

When we allow the rights of one individual to be infringed upon, we allow everyones rights to be infringed upon.

Negative Ghost-Rider....We are allowing the rights of criminals to be infringed upon in order to protect society. There is no fault in that.

I'd HOPE the feds 'infringe' on MY rights if they supsect me of being up to no-good.

 

[Zhukov]

If you are here illegally, here under false pretenses, or here working towards the destruction of this civilization you have no rights, no liberties to be infringed upon, with respect to the government of the United States of America.

I don't care if the government monitors my emails, my phone calls, my public library borrowings. If they skim past my mail whilst looking for the one discussing how to kill americans, so be it.

The United States government has frequently taken increased steps to stifle certain person's liberties in times of war, the internment of Japanese in WW2 and the suspension of habeus corpus by Lincoln during the Civil War to name two. These steps were protested when they were being enforced and retracted when the threat no longer existed. Therefore the existence of the Patriot Act and the protest of it are both fine by me so long as it is not retracted until the danger has passed.

Our liberties would matter very little if our country ceased to exist.

I have faith in the honesty and restraint of my government.

 

[jimnyc]

Originally posted by dmp
I'll grant you a modicum of credibility if you can articulate ONE example of how the Patriot Act has adversely affected your life.

How about ANYONE'S life adversely affected who isn't up to no good. The every day citizen has absolutely nothing to worry about.

 

[DKSuddeth]

tsk, tsk, tsk.

Allowing the government to spy on all so they can catch the evil ones is just part of the reason we rebelled over 200 years ago.

To so easily give up your privacy and rights so that witch hunts in the name of justice and protection can be done is un-patriotic.

To do so while calling into question the patriotism of those who would resist is oppression.

To promote turning over power to the government for protection is to lose your independence and liberty, something that was forewarned against by our very forefathers.

Power and authority surrendered to government is rarely given back without struggle.

 

[Johnney]

DMP is right imo, i would hope they would investigate. it shows that they are actually doing as they say they are. if not its nothing more than words on paper.
let them ivestigate me. they will see that i look at porn and drink alot.

 

[jimnyc]

Originally posted by DKSuddeth
tsk, tsk, tsk.

Allowing the government to spy on all so they can catch the evil ones is just part of the reason we rebelled over 200 years ago.

But that's just it, they aren't!! This will only effect those thought to be involved in terrorism or importing drugs. And even then they will need a search warrant approved by a judge to go any further, so the proof will need to be valid.

Again, the everyday law abiding citizen has absolutely nothing to fear with this.

 

[Avatar4321]

Those who obey the law never have anything to fear from the law.

 

[DKSuddeth]

We've been down this road more than once, so before it gets heated I'll propose that we agree to disagree.

 

[rtwngAvngr]

Originally posted by aLx1784
The entire concept of homeland security and the Patriot Acts seems to contradict the basis of this nation. Ensuring the safety of U.S. citizens is undoubtedly important, however, is it worth it if in keeping the people protected the federal government may at times infringe upon the individual liberties we possess?? The Patriot Acts have given the government the power and authority to dive deeper into our personal lives than ever before. Tracking communications and holding people in custody without a formal charge being placed on them are in opposition to the rights citizens have in this nation. I just wanted to know what everyone thought of such trade-off...is it justified??

Whatever slight infractions have gone on under the patriot act do not rise the level of breach the left has espoused for that last 30 years, namely that of continually lobbying to violate the second amendment, confiscate wealth through excessive taxation, subvert our system of government through judicial activism... there are more. Lefties who all the sudden become "small government" in precisely the areas where government largesse may be legitimately necessary, like national security, make me want to spew.

 

[AtlantaWalter]

Our liberties would matter very little if our country ceased to exist.

I have faith in the honesty and restraint of my government. [/B][/QUOTE]

Our country would matter very little if our liberties ceased to exist!

And, if you have faith in the "honesty" of our government, I pity you sir!!!!!

I love our country but would never trust our government, nor did the Founding Fathers; that was the reason for the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution.