Chimey Sonam

Period 2, Freeman

Liberty vs. Security Essay


Past breaches of US security have sparked a debate as to whether the civil liberties of
Americans are being overlooked in an attempt to secure the nation. Former National Security
Agency contractor Edward Snowdens disclosure of NSA documents to the American public has
played a crucial role in the upheaval against government surveillance. This recent incident has
fueled the paranoia that typical American citizens personal affairs are being set on broadcast for
the governments eyes. The most suitable balance between civil liberties and security in the
current American society would for the government to continue to withhold sensitive
information, but have a transparent vision and allow their advancement to be publicly tracked.
It is necessary for the government to establish limitations to its power in order to prevent
totalitarian rule. No branch of the government should be able to overrule the fundamental law of
the land. When Edward Snowden revealed that the federal government, in direct defiance of
the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution, was unlawfully and unconstitutionally spying on
all Americans who use telephones, text messaging or emails to communicate with other
persons, he opened a Pandora's box of allegations and recriminations (Reason). Snowden
exposed the governments direct violation of the government, which plunged the nation into
a pool of doubt and paranoia. The government cannot expect to preserve national security
while hypocritically infringing on citizens privacy behind the curtains.
In a society where civil liberties and security are balanced, t he government is
transparent to a point where the public is at ease and trusting. When the government
breaks this trust, there is massive fallout. My Administration is committed to creating
an unprecedented level of openness in Government. We will work together to ensure the
public trust and establish a system of transparency, public participation, and
Chimey Sonam
Period 2, Freeman

collaboration (White House). The government broke the peoples trust by going behind
their backs. Despite the Presidents reassurances, Snowden revealed the NSA to have
been acting covertly and violating the Constitution under this very administration that he
claimed maintained transparency. Daniel Ellsberg was another hero that exposed the
governments deceit during the Vietnam War by releasing the Pentagon Papers and
sacrificing his stable life. Both of these instances blew the governments hidden agenda
wide open and landed the nation in a state of massive controversy.
Post 9/11, the US security spiked though the feeling of it dropped. The
government became immensely intrusive in the lives of the people. Security checks
infuriated people because they went overboard on innocent people. This was unlawful
and nothing the government did to try and reassure the people helped bring back the
feeling of security they had before the Al Qaeda attacks. In fact, the intense response the
government had to these attacks, such as the establishment of the Department of
Homeland Security, led to raise more panic among Americans because they were not
aware of what was going on. First they were forced to endure a terrorist attack, and then
expected to live in blind faith of the same government who was unable to prevent the
attack to begin with. The lack of government transparency during this time period did not
help with the paranoia that Americans were facing, and bred trust issues between the
government and the people. Rather than experiencing the liberty that the law promised,
Americans felt like they were in a dark cage waiting for the axe to fall at any given
moment. They did not know what was going on, and did not have any semblance of
control over the fate of their own lives.
Chimey Sonam
Period 2, Freeman

In a healthy society, security keeps the civil liberties of the people protected,
instead of taking them away. By finding equilibrium, security is maintained without
citizens feeling as though a line has been stepped over in order to guarantee safety. It is
essential that a government be barred from intruding on citizens privacy to a certain
extent, and when they do, it be in a soundly public way. The ideal balance between
security and civil liberties is the presence of a transparent overseer.


































Chimey Sonam
Period 2, Freeman

Bibliography


Jason Noble, The Des Moines Register. "U.S. Debates Security vs. Privacy 12 Years after
9/11." USA Today. Gannett, 11 Sept. 2013. Web. 27 Feb. 2014.
Napolitano, Andrew. "Giving Up Liberty for Security." Reason.com. Reason Foundation,
25 July 2013. Web. 01 Mar. 2014.
Obama, Barack. "Transparency and Open Government." The White House. The White
House, n.d. Web. 02 Mar. 2014.
Radosh, Ron. "PJ Media." Ron Radosh RSS. PJ Media, 10 June 2013. Web. 02 Mar. 2014.
Shane, Scott. "Readers Debate Trade-Offs Between Security and Civil Liberties." The

Caucus Readers Debate Trade-Offs Between Security and Civil Liberties

Comments. NY Times, 12 Aug. 2012. Web. 01 Mar. 2014.























Chimey Sonam
Period 2, Freeman

Works Cited


Napolitano, Andrew. "Giving Up Liberty for Security." Reason.com. Reason Foundation,
25 July 2013. Web. 01 Mar. 2014.
Obama, Barack. "Transparency and Open Government." The White House. The White
House, n.d. Web. 02 Mar. 2014.


































Chimey Sonam
Period 2, Freeman

Web Site Evaluation Form

1. URL of the Website:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/TransparencyandOpenGovernment
http://reason.com/archives/2013/07/25/giving-up-liberty-for-security
2. Website Title: White House
3. What organization and/or individual created this website?
The White House
4. Can you rely on this information? Yes because it is an official government site.
6. Is the material: Primary/Original
7. When was this page written or last updated? 2014
8. Rate this web page.
for the assignment

===============================================================

1. URL of the Website: http://reason.com/archives/2013/07/25/giving-up-liberty-
for-security
2. Website Title: Reason
3. What organization and/or individual created this website?
Reason Foundation
4. Can you rely on this information? Yes because this is a well known website
and recently updated.
6. Is the material: Primary/Original
9. When was this page written or last updated? July 25
th
, 2013
10. Please rate this web page.
good, basic information