National Security
It's as common a buzz word as "WMDs" and "the war on terror": National Security. What will we do in its name, or rather, what will be forced upon us in its name? Wire taps. Illegal detention of suspected terrorists. Torture. FBI surveillance of average citizens. How far will it go?
Miss Murray is headed to the Miss Utah pageant, and as we were waiting for Saturday's parade to start, she asked me to mock interview her to prepare. I was surprised at her replies to questions about our basic freedoms in this country. She believes that too many "sacrifices" are necessary to protect us as a nation; that in times of war, drastic measures should be taken.
But at what cost? Are we really being protected? How much more safe are we than pre-9/11? True, we haven't had any similar attacks since. But now anyone who dares make a public display of dissent faces arrests and investigations into every aspect of their lives. Even the freedom of the press is hindered by the scathing attacks of the adminstration as seen of late. The average citizen is no longer safe and free from the persecutions our ancestors left their home countries for as they headed to this Land of the Free.
So let's say that these things are keeping us safe. Miss Murray also believes that torture--the abuse and degradation of our fellow human beings--is acceptable. She believes that occupying a foreign country and taking control over its citizens, and even making war against innocent people (as was evident in the initial Baghdad bombings and incidents such as Haditha) are warranted. So does this mean we only look after our own kind? That humanity as a whole is not under our protecting wings?
We are one species and should be of one mind. If we truly want to protect our people we should protect the world at large as well, not by occupying and controlling them, not by torturing them, not by taking away basic freedoms. Our efforts toward world peace should not be akin to world domination. There must be a better way.
Miss Murray is headed to the Miss Utah pageant, and as we were waiting for Saturday's parade to start, she asked me to mock interview her to prepare. I was surprised at her replies to questions about our basic freedoms in this country. She believes that too many "sacrifices" are necessary to protect us as a nation; that in times of war, drastic measures should be taken.
But at what cost? Are we really being protected? How much more safe are we than pre-9/11? True, we haven't had any similar attacks since. But now anyone who dares make a public display of dissent faces arrests and investigations into every aspect of their lives. Even the freedom of the press is hindered by the scathing attacks of the adminstration as seen of late. The average citizen is no longer safe and free from the persecutions our ancestors left their home countries for as they headed to this Land of the Free.
So let's say that these things are keeping us safe. Miss Murray also believes that torture--the abuse and degradation of our fellow human beings--is acceptable. She believes that occupying a foreign country and taking control over its citizens, and even making war against innocent people (as was evident in the initial Baghdad bombings and incidents such as Haditha) are warranted. So does this mean we only look after our own kind? That humanity as a whole is not under our protecting wings?
We are one species and should be of one mind. If we truly want to protect our people we should protect the world at large as well, not by occupying and controlling them, not by torturing them, not by taking away basic freedoms. Our efforts toward world peace should not be akin to world domination. There must be a better way.
posted by Anonymous at 7/03/2006 10:11:00 AM
2 Comments:
Sadly, no one has thought of a better way. There will ALWAYS be people who want to hurt people, people who want to hurt lots of people, and people who are unjustly investigated for simply being outspoken. Miss Murray sounds like she doesn't understand the issues judging by her simplistic replies. What I have come to understand, unless I become the head of the NSA, is I will never know the whole truth. Just like I will never know how many times my freedoms have been violated illegally, I will never know how many times my life, or anyone else's, has been bettered or saved by tightened national security. Until someone thinks of a better way, then I think a lot of people's opinion is it's better to be safe than sorry. Now THAT'S simplistic.
she will prolly be Miss Utah with thqat thinking. She will fit right in
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