In a message dated Wed, 26 Dec 2001 12:21:02 PM Eastern Standard Time, Rodent of Unusual Size <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
> [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > > > Yes it probably does get reopened. The point is what are the > > consequences of that reopening. If you are inconvienced for a > > day or two and your actions monitored for a while to see if you > > are involved in potentially dangerous actions, so be it. > > What crap. (MHO) Sorry, but the 'authorities' are responsible > to the citizenry, not the other way round. Bob Z replies. We are responsible to each other. We live in a complex society. The rules that govern our behavior are by nececity context dependent. The risks to our lives and liberty went up after September 11th. You can argue that they went up before that and we simply didn't recognize the threat but that is not relevant. At some point over the past few months to years there was a significant escalation in the risk to our lives and therefore we must behave differently. If you lived on a country road it would not be necessary for you to check both ways before crossing the street but if that road were converted into a superhighway with heavy traffic you would have to change your behavior. What is prudent one day is dangerous the next. In this country we do have ways of controlling the "authorities". We can at least in a limited way decide who those authorities are. The freedoms we enjoy are wonderful but they are not absolute. I always find it perplexing to here people talk about "natural rights" or inalienable rights. As lovely as these ideas are they are in fact not at all natural. The philosophy that underlies them is relatively recent and the ideas themselves were radical political notions less than three centuries ago. Don't get me wrong. I think the notion that we grant ourselves certain basic freedoms and protections is one of the great advances of human culture but this is not some absolute birth right handed down from god. Men invented this notion. In order for it to succeed we all must buy into the system. The events of 9/11 can be seen as pointing to the fragility of these notions of freedom. I don't think we can tell yet what the outcome will be but I do believe that a few prudent measures and a heightened awareness of danger are necessary and not inimicable to freedom. We will certainly make mistakes as we try to achieve a new balance between freedom and safety and in our society we must be prepared to criticize our government when they err on the side of excesssive oppression. But a knee jerk distrust of authority is not a luxury we can afford at this time. > -- > #ken P-)} > > Ken Coar, Sanagendamgagwedweinini http://Golux.Com/coar/ > Author, developer, opinionist http://Apache-Server.Com/ > > "All right everyone! Step away from the glowing hamburger!"
