The priority of freedom in the U.S

What is the priority level of freedom in the U.S? At some point we have no choice but to realize that the freedoms we enjoy are being willingly traded for protection, safety and of course money and power. One of the most obvious examples of this is the patriot act. During the post 9/11 era, paranoia reigned. Many were expecting to be attacked again, and it seems as though members of the government and corporate world took advantage of this to gain power. This act effectively gave the government means to supersede the constitution and gave the government some alarming power. Just a few of the things this act allows are tapping any phones desired, the ability to arrest anyone thought to be suspicious and can hold them as long as they want and spying on the public at will, just to list a few. If you haven't already I urge you to research the patriot act. Here are the top ten problems with the act. The NSA and other organizations within the U.S are constantly collecting data and scanning every conversation on phones and the internet.

This is not the only example of the government over stepping it's boundaries, thus infringing on our rights. There are many instances of this infringement, one particular instance that stands out to me are the Japanese confinement camps during WWII. This may seem like a long time ago, but some of the things we do today are not far off from that kind of action. Over a thousand middle eastern descendent's living in the U.S were captured and put into facilities during the war on terror, many of which are still in these camps. I have reason to believe that these arrests were not backed by sufficient investigation and proof. Even if we shut down these camps, can we say for sure that all of the unjustly arrested prisoners were released? I'm almost positive our government has classified hidden camps that "don't exist" in other countries and maybe even in our own.

So, should these violations of the constitution be accepted as a necessary precaution against terrorists even if it infringes on some of our rights? In my humble opinion, absolutely not! Giving up our freedom is giving up the very thing this country was founded on. This is giving up the very idea that helps us thrive as a country and as a world power. It is my firm belief that we should hold freedom above all other national priorities, and protect it. One quote comes to mind while on the subject, a powerful one that I believe should be looked up to.

"Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety,deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." - Benjamin Franklin

Wouldn't this endanger us and open us up for future attacks on the U.S? I doubt it. How many external successful non-american-lead terrorist attacks that have caused substantial damage have we faced in our history? Not a significant amount to justify such extreme action in my opinion. I fully realize how tragic the events that took place on 9/11 were. All the same the likely hood of another attack is small. And there are other ways of defending ourselves than spying on the american public. We do not need this sort of breach of our rights to stay reasonably safe in the U.S.

Do not forget that with power comes corruption. And with corruption comes disaster. There are grave risks that come along with giving the government this sort of power. Look at the power the government has over the public, and the potential for a totalitarian like state. The government has the technology, and the easily has the means to pull off a largely controlling state. I severely doubt the government will or even could regress into this type of ridiculousness. But all the same, it is a possibility that needs to be addressed. We should not let this sort of power be in the hands of the government.