COLUMN: Americans asleep on personal freedom

Giving up liberty for security and/ or freedom has never worked. It was a basic concept on what our country was founded. However, fear can do funny things to people. After 9-11 when so many Americans were scared of another attack, giving up personal freedom wasn’t that big of an issue.

I remember seeing interviews with people, even celebrities, who said they were willing to forego certain freedoms if it meant we would be “safer.” No one, except a few civil Libertarians like myself, made an issue of the Patriot Act which allows for wiretapping on private citizens, arresting you without cause under the guise of national security and basically taking a large sledge hammer to the Bill of Rights.

The Patriot Act has received support from both Republicans and Democrats. I’m not sure why people suddenly woke up on the airport issue. Perhaps it’s because Americans realize this is one area where they could be directly targeted by an over zealous government.

It may seem surprising to some in this day and time but I have never flown on an airplane. It’s not that I have a fear of flying. I’ve just never had the need to do so. I’m sure before my time on this rock is over, I will travel somewhere via air transportation.

However, for the present time, I must say I have no interest in taking the plunge for the initial time. To allow myself, or someone I know to be treated like a criminal at an airport, goes beyond comprehension. Our freedoms are certainly under attack. However, it goes back to a simple question: Why did it take so many Americans so long to realize giving up freedom for security does not work?

I theorize it’s because most people don’t think about their personal phone calls being monitored or their mail being tracked. Many people simply wanted to be safe, regardless of the price they had to pay.

Some banks today are even going toward using thumbprint scanners as a means of “ID.”

As we move toward a new year, our freedoms as individuals have never been under greater attack. All one has to do is look at the circus occurring at any major airport to realize this.

While I’m glad many Americans have finally been shaken from their sleep on this issue, I can’t help but wonder if it’s already a lost cause. This is not a partisan issue. Republicans and Democrats are equally at blame.

And as I have repeated numerous times in this space, until American voters stop pretending that anything is going to change when it comes to the two-headed political monster we have, erosions of our personal liberties will continue. If you keep patching the same worn out tire over and over, it is still going to go flat in the end. We, as Americans, have to demand more and find a new alternative to politics as usual.

Chris Bridges is editor of the Barrow Journal. He can be reached at cbridges@barrowjournal.com.