said by FFH5:said by tubbynet:said by FFH5:Those who think we should be on the total liberty end of the continuum don't live in the real world
and neither do the people who argue for total security through any means necessary. the only difference is that when [current threat] can be used to invoke fear and worry regarding {national security; terrorism; puppy murder}, the argument is easier to con the masses with.
q.
Obviously you think we are too far towards the total security end of the continuum. I don't think so. That end is populated by N.Korea, Cuba, China, etc. I think we are somewhere in the middle, which most people are comfortable with.
Regardless of what you or "tubbynet" think, the truth is that we
have gone too far into the paranoid and lost sight of the sane. When the Government has carte blanch ability to monitor anything they wish, for any reason they wish, without proper and independent Judicial review before said monitoring can take place, you have gone over the garden fence and are goose stepping your way through the field on the other side...
Are there dangers in the world? Without a doubt. Are there evil people in the world? Again, no argument. Can the Government be trusted to overstep their authority (name your branch)? You bet!
This is why the Government was designed with checks and balances in the Constitution. What do you do however when the balance gets so far out of whack you start to suspect that it will never be restored? The answer, as history shows again and again, is that the repercussions can become extreme and unpleasant (to say the least) when the people themselves are forced to act...
Food for thought (I hope)...
JMHO
Mike