Security+vs.+Rights

“Congress shall make no law… abridging the freedom of speech, or of press;” (United) is a part of the first amendment of the United States Constitution. Contrasting this right, the //[|Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA)]// was on its way to passing in January of 2012. The SOPA bill planned on stopping piracy by censoring the internet and making everything on the internet a lot harder to access. This law abridges the freedom of press. If the Constitution says that the government cannot do that, then why was this law not deemed [|unconstitutional]? Government control at this level is demonstrated in George Orwell’s prediction of the future world, //1984//, depicts a middle-aged man named Winston Smith who struggles to find a way to rebel against the extremely oppressive government, The Party, of London in the nation of Oceania. The Party controls every citizen to the degree that their people cannot even think freely without being convicted. Winston fights to bring down the Party throughout this book. An oppressive government is also described in Cory Doctorow’s //Little Brother// tells the story of a 17 year-old boy named Marcus Yallow. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) occupies and takes over the city of San Francisco after a terrorist attack, Marcus and his friends are on site of the attack and are suspected terrorists and interrogated by the DHS. After Marcus is released, his mission is to bring down the DHS and fight to maintain his rights that U.S. citizens are supposed to be granted. ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍In today’s world, the ability to access someone, invade their privacy, and violate their rights is easier than it was before GPS, computers, and phones. ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍ Since then, the abstract worlds in //Little Brother// and //1984// are now becoming a reality in everyday life. More than ever, security dominates over rights because Americans want to feel safe even if they have to lose liberties, but at what point does security completely wipe out rights, and what actions need to be taken to make sure that security does not go too far.

//Little Brother// and //1984// have taught me that a lot of people would choose security over rights just for the sake of feeling secure. President John F. Kennedy once said in a speech,media type="file" key="JFK audio.mp3" width="240" height="20". Although //1984// does not take place in America, the book still mentions the ideals of a secure and free world and the realities of the world. “ For if leisure and security were enjoyed by all alike, the great mass of human beings who are normally stupefied by poverty would become literate and would learn to think for themselves…In the long run, a hierarchical society was only possible on a basis of poverty and ignorance” (Orwell 190). The government chose security over rights for their people because they do not want everyone to be literate and wealthy. If the government controls what people are exposed to, they could form more views in their favor and control what people think. Other countries outside of ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍America ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍are taking notice of our controlling government and the dominance of security over rights. A political activist, Howard Galganov, wrote an editorial in a Canadian newspaper on how much the government has taken over rights of American citizens. Galganov wrote, “ The Airport Screening Protocol is yet another intrusion into the privacy and individual rights of the American people, which has more to do with the right of the bureaucracy at the behest of the government to impose itself upon the people, than it has to do with safety and security… America is America because it has always been a free country where people are the least [|encumbered] by government anywhere on the planet” (Galganov). Since 9/11, [|airport security]has highly increased. The TSA website says, "The checkpoints are there to make sure that terrorists can’t bring anything aboard the plane that would enable them to take it over or destroy it" ("TSA"). Similar to //Little Brother//, American security increased significantly upon a terrorist attack. Although some believe that security is violating rights, that is only one opinion on security, American citizens do not all feel the same way. Marcus’ dad in //Little Brother// is okay with all the security in San Francisco. The city's security had gotten so bad that the DHS was speculating meticulously the actions of its citizens. Upon arguing with his dad, Marcus asked him, “’So you wouldn’t mind if they pulled //you// over?’” Mr. Yallow replied, “’I’d consider it my duty… I’d be proud. It would make me feel safer’” (Doctorow 124). Not all Americans feel that their rights are being violated for security however the reality of the matter is that rights are being stripped from American citizens. These books have brought the fact that security is dominating rights to the attention of the readers.

We haven’t learned is to what extent today’s American people will allow security to dominate rights. In the oppressive society of Oceania, illustrated in //1984//, the citizens do not have the right to think freely. In the beginning of the book, Winston realizes just how controlled he is by the Party and Big Brother. Winston writes in his journal, “//theyll shoot me i dont care theyll shoot me in the back of the neck i don’t care down with big brother//…” (Orwell 19). In Winston’s case, the point that security had gone too far was when an instigator against the government makes him conscious of how little power over his own fate. Winston reached a point where he was okay with his government shooting him just so he could get out of its miserable reign. The //Guardian,// a British newspaper, reported that airport security went too far for one U.S. citizen, John Tyner, when he was asked to use a full body scanner. Tyner refused to use the scanner and so the security guard said that he would have to submit to a full body pat down. Tyner said that it was okay with him except for he did not want them to pat down his groin. Tyner did bring the airport security measures to attention. In response, Congressman Ron Paul said, “’Something has to be done. Everybody’s fed up. The people are fed up. The pilots are fed up. I’m fed up. What we’re putting up with at the airport is so symbolic of us just not standing up and saying enough is enough. I know the American people are starting to wake up but our government, those in charge, Congress, are doing nothing’” (McGreal). The article also stated that a [|CBS poll]found out that four out of five Americans think that body scanners are a necessary tool to keep America and airplanes safe. Most people just comply with the security meausres and do not question the methods behind the thinking. Different views are voiced as to when it is okay for security to keep taking away rights. Views can change over time the worse and worse the security gets. Earlier in //Little Brother//, Marcus’ dad said that he would “consider it his duty” to be pulled over and be questioned. Later on, Mr. Yallow got pulled over and questioned twice on his way home from work. He told Marcus, “’God, what are we doing to this country, Marcus? Your generation deserves to inherit something better than this” (Doctorow 134). Mr. Yallow did not think that the government gone too far until it directly affected him. Some Americans are like Mr. Yallow, they do not realize how bad the situation is until they experience the bad themselves. This is how one man feels about airport security, media type="youtube" key="v_j1rCpPZLs" height="315" width="420" With so many different opinions and views to what point is “too far”, the question is when will Americans as a whole decide that too many rights have been taken away?

Security over time has taken over more and more rights, but we need to stop it from excessivly removing rights. There is a group of people in //1984// called the proles. The proles are people who are the working class. They live in poverty but they are not bound by the same rights as normal Party members are. The proles make up about 85% of the population in Oceania. Winston knows that if any hope exists in overthrowing Big Brother and the Party, it lies in the hands of the proles. Winston understood, “But the proles, if only they could somehow become conscious of their own strength, would have no need to conspire. They needed only to rise up and… they could blow the Party to pieces tomorrow morning. Surely sooner or later it must occur to them to do it” (Orwell 69-70). There is allegedly a secret group that works against the government but they are all Party members and do not have the power to overthrow the Party. In //1984//, the future of their nation lies in the hands of a group that doesn’t care about the Party because they are free from it. The only thing that can bring the Party down in //1984// is a group of people but for today’s society, according to American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), a group who is determined to preserve individual rights and liberties, the way to stop security from going too far is by knowing your personal rights. “If government agents question you, it is important to understand your rights. You should be careful about what you say when approached by federal, state or local law enforcement officials… Over the past two years, the FBI, for example has significantly increased its use of ‘voluntary’ interviews – especially within specific racial, ethnic, and religious communities…” (“Know”). The ACLU says that security is increasing and the best thing that you can do is know your rights and what the country stands for. media type="youtube" key="e2RreqB9C4I" height="315" width="560" In //Little Brother//, Marcus’ dad told Marcus about how to deal with the world that they live in. “’You’re going to have to learn to live with the fact that we live in a different world today. You have every right to speak your mind of course, but you have to be prepared for the consequences of doing so. We’re in a lifeboat now, and once you’re in a lifeboat, no one wants to hear how mean the captain is being’’ (Doctorow 217). Mr. Yallow’s opinion is that there is nothing more to do than to sit back and try to blend in with everyone else. Mr. Yallow had given up at this point and was tired of trying to stop something that he didn’t think could happen. The place where we go next in our struggle with a balance of rights and security is unknown but it starts with an individual citizen and goes from there.

In today's society, security is chosen over rights because to most Americans safety is a priority, but we don’t know when will security go too far and completely get rid of rights, and what people can do to make sure that security does not take away all rights. Different people would argue that security has or has not gone too far in regards to rights, but the fact is that security levels are increasing and //1984// and //Little Brother// have brought attention to that. What //1984// and //Little Brother// did not tell the reader was the point where the American people of today would stand up against the overpowering security. What actions that need to be taken from here is a debate but the basis always starts with an individual who wants to bring about change. Really look deep inside to find out which should be on top, security safe, but oppressive, or rights, not guaranteed safety but freedom.

Works Cited

//Blogspot//. Web. 14 Feb. 2012. [].

//Blogspot//. Web. 14 Feb. 2012. [].

Bowman, Brent. Cartoon. //Back Porch Comics//. Web. 14 Feb. 2012. [].

Condon, Stephanie. "Poll: 4 in 5 Support Full-Body Airport Scanners - Political Hotsheet - CBS News." //CBSNews.com//. CBS News. Web. 14 Feb. 2012. [].

Condon, Stephanie. "SOPA, PIPA: What You Need to Know - Political Hotsheet - CBS News." //CBSNews.com//. CBSNews, 18 Jan. 2012. Web. 14 Feb. 2012. [].

Doctorow, Cory. //Little Brother//. New York: Tom Doherty Associates, 2008. Print.

"Encumbered." Def. 2. //Merriam-Webster.com//. Merriam-Webster. Web. 14 Feb. 2012. [].

Galganov, Howard. "Security OVER Freedom - Too High a Price to Pay." //CanadaFreePress.com//. Canada Free Press, 24 Nov. 2010. Web. 7 Feb. 2012. [].

Goodman, Amy. "Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act Raises Fears of New Government Crackdown on Dissent." //Democracy Now//. 20 Nov. 2007. Web. 14 Feb. 2012. [].

Jaspers Moriarty & Walburg. "When Is a Law “Unconstitutional”?" //Jaspers Moriarty & Walburg, P.A.// Jaspers Moriarty & Walburg, 7 Sept. 2011. Web. 14 Feb. 2012. [].

"Know Your Rights When Encountering Law Enforcement." // Aclu.org //. American Civil Liberties Union. Web. 11 Feb. 2012. [].

McGreal, Chris. "'Don't Touch My Junk' Passenger Sparks Revolt against Airport Searches." //Guardiannews.com//. Guardian News and Media Limited, 19 Nov. 2010. Web. 09 Feb. 2012. [].

Orwell, George. //1984//. New York: Signet Classic, 1949. Print.

Parker, Jeff. Cartoon. //So...What's Your Story?// Florida Today. Web. 14 Feb. 2012. [].

"TSA: TSA Travel Assistant." //TSA | Transportation Security Administration | U.S. Department of Homeland Security//. U.S Department of Homeland Security. Web. 14 Feb. 2012. [].

[]. "Airport Security is a Joke!!" Youtube. Web. 14 Feb. 2012.

[]. "JFK told us the TRUTH." Youtube. Web. 14 Feb. 2012.

[]. "The True Face of Our Government!" Youtube. Web. 14 Feb. 2012.

Zyglis, Adam. Cartoon. //So...What's Your Story?// Buffalo News. Web. 14 Feb. 2012. [].

Works Referenced

Doctorow, Cory. //Little Brother//. New York: Tom Doherty Associates, 2008. Print.

Orwell, George. //1984//. New York: Signet Classic, 1949. Print.

United States. Cong. //The Constitution of the United States of America.// Cong. Bill. Washington: U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1976. Print.