More police power does not make us safer

July 4th, 2004 – 8:43 pm
Tagged as: Uncategorized

A couple of weeks ago, noted security expert Bruce Schneier
had an excellent piece where he talked about how unchecked governmental power is just as much of a security threat as terrorism:

We need to carry on these principles of fair and open justice, both because it is the right thing to do and because it makes us all more secure.

The United States is admired throughout the world because of our freedoms and our liberties. The very rights that are being discussed within the halls of the Supreme Court are the rights that keep us all safe and secure. The more our fight against terrorism is conducted within the confines of law, the more it gives consideration to the principles of fair and open trial, due process and “innocent until proven guilty,” the safer we all are.

Unchecked police and military power is a security threat — just as important a threat as unchecked terrorism. There is no reason to sacrifice the former to obtain the latter, and there are very good reasons not to.

It’s a pity that more people in our government don’t understand that.

[via Boing Boing and others]

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