What happened in Boston was a tragedy. It was sad, disgusting and unprovoked. I’m glad they caught one of them. What can happen after Boston, however, can be even more tragic. There is a real battle over the US Constitution at this point in our history and in our nation. After tragedies like Boston there are usually three types of people who rise out of the controversy. Some people decry what they see happening with our government as abuses. Other people call “those” people extremists and think they are crying about the sky falling. However, most people just don’t take the time to either care of think about it. To this third category I write this post.
“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” FDR. “God did not give you a spirit of fear, but power, love and a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7. “Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.” Benjamin Franklin. These are just a few quotes about what is gripping our nation at this point in time. Everywhere you turn you hear the government talking about it’s need to keep us safe. In all honesty, there are a lot of bad guys out there.
September 11, 2001, changed our nation in ways that are often hard to grasp. The real catalyst of change, however, will be how we respond if another tragedy, on the scale of September 11, 2001, occurs in our nation. With the Boston tragedy we’ve seen the future. I for one am not terribly comfortable with what I’ve seen. Let’s examine the facts with a common sense approach.
After the 9/11 attacks what did we do, as a nation. Heightened security almost everywhere. Saw increases in warrantless searches and seizures. Had to answer questions about the killing of Americans and whether certain constitutional protections apply (ie: Miranda rights and due process). Our government has spent billions on “wars” to fight terror. Another bureaucracy was created in the Department of Homeland Security with tons of new regulations and laws. We have soldiers fighting overseas for more than 10 years now. All of this has occurred with most Americans’ acceptance or indifference. Prior to 9/11 how many Americans would have been agreeable or accepting of the government flying drones in the United States? How many Americans would have been agreeable to sending our soldiers to fight in a “war” that was not declared by Congress and has no clear definition for victory? How many Americans would have been agreeable to giving up their own individual liberty in the name of public safety? I submit that not many of us would have stood for what is happening in our nation now prior to September 11, 2001.
However, even with all of the changes that occurred after 9/11, we recently got a taste of more to come. I’m sure you’ve seen the videos, pictures and testimonies of citizens being ordered out of their home and their home being searched with out probable cause. I’m sure you’ve seen photos of armed soldiers going door to door. You ask why it’s such a big deal? After all, the bad guys lost and the good guys won. I too rejoice that the bad guys lost. I too am glad more innocent people didn’t die. I’m not so glad about the cost and expense associated with that. Let’s be candid. Many nations have terrorist attacks. Our nation is a prime target because of our freedoms. It is easier for bad guys to walk around doing bad things here than in other nations. I get it, on an emotional level. However, what is being sacrificed is our way of life. The terrorists already win, when we change our way of life to accommodate the fear instilled by their antics. Sacrificing our freedoms will not provide us safety. Even the most restrictive and least free nations suffer from terrorists attack. Thus, you cannot convince me that sacrificing our freedom will protect our lives.
The constitution exists to restrain our government. When we voluntarily start to give those freedoms away we voluntarily agree to loose our government as well. Today we hear why it’s necessary to protect the people of Boston from a terrorist. Tomorrow we hear why it’s necessary to protect the people from a criminal. The next day we hear why it’s necessary to protect the public safety. It’s a slippery slope of generalities, and one that I am afraid we are slipping towards. I do not want to see people hurt. I also do not want to see the rule of law hurt either. Where the rule of law ends, tyranny begins. In the grand scheme of things, people have died. That is a fact throughout the ages. Let us not let our fear, however, overshadow the principles of our Republic. People will die in the future. There will be future terrorists attacks. What happens if, God forbid, another incident occurs on a more grand scale than Boston. Are we going to be agreeable to martial law being implemented throughout an entire county, state or even nation? There is a lot of wisdom in the history of our founders. That is why they warned against the giving away of liberty for security. It is a red herring. It is not something that will work. If another attack occurs in the future, how much more will we be willing to give away.
I urge you to take a common sense approach to the history of this issue. Do not be swayed by the tyranny of the moment. Look at this issue in the context of history and over time. There have been times that we have survived even though threatened. (War of 1812, Civil War, World War 2). There have been times that our freedoms survived even though threatened. Security cannot be gained through the giving up of our liberty. In Boston, there were 4 people who died. Let’s not let it become the time that our constitution died too!
Until Next Time
David A. Standridge
