Free Speech vs. Security
Freedom of Speech and Homeland Security
They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
Benjamin Franklin, 1775
Freedom of speech is one of the essential cornerstones of democratic societies. Absent the right to free speech, democracy cannot function -- one might even say there is no democracy without freedom of speech. While most citizens and members of the governing body of democratic countries firmly subscribe to this conviction, at the time of wars and emergencies some voices begin to question the appropriateness of granting the citizens all civil liberties inherent in democracies. As a temporary war-time measure, often members of the governing body place restrictions on citizens' civil liberties, including their right to free speech. There have been many moments in history when the government of the United States temporarily suspended elements of democratic institutions, the most recent being the passing of the PATRIOT Act and the establishment of the Department of Homeland Security by the Bush Administration in response to September 11 terrorist attacks. From the perspective of homeland security, freedom of speech may be viewed as a point of vulnerability that can be exploited by America's enemies. This recent example and the history of the United States, however, suggest that the curtailment of the right to free speech is a far greater danger to the nation than the perceived danger of free speech during war times.
When the United States came under attack in 2001, the public demanded that the government take swift measures to ensure America's safety. The Bush Administration...
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