Comments on: Obama’s speech encourages civil libertarians http://www.bloggernews.net/120978 High-quality English language analysis and editorial writing on the news. Thu, 16 Feb 2012 01:45:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Becky http://www.bloggernews.net/120978#comment-1246456 Becky Sat, 23 May 2009 16:47:39 +0000 http://www.bloggernews.net/120978#comment-1246456 The claim of Cheney is that the threat of Islamic terrorism is so unique, that inorder to preserve America and our liberties, it is necessary to "modify" certain liberties. One thing that on one ever seems to want to consider is whether the tragdy of September 11 is signifigant enough that on a utilitarian basis it justifies chucking some rights and liberties. What if every few years we were to suffer a loss of 3000 citiziens--is that a risk and cost we are willing to take for keeping our liberties? We are willing to accept 35,000 motor vehicle deaths a year and do not feel that it is sufficiently high that the government should drastically restrict the driving habits of Americans. The most un-american of the Gitmo ways, is the detention of some people regardless of whether or not they are acquitted by some tribunal or can even be taken before one. There is no doubt some of these guys are extraordinarily dangerous. But, we release dangerous criminals in the criminal courts every day. That is one of the costs of having a robust justice system. It is not different to release a murderer who we don't have the goods on, and releasing these terrorists who we can not convict. The claim of Cheney is that the threat of Islamic terrorism is so unique, that inorder to preserve America and our liberties, it is necessary to “modify” certain liberties.

One thing that on one ever seems to want to consider is whether the tragdy of September 11 is signifigant enough that on a utilitarian basis it justifies chucking some rights and liberties. What if every few years we were to suffer a loss of 3000 citiziens–is that a risk and cost we are willing to take for keeping our liberties?

We are willing to accept 35,000 motor vehicle deaths a year and do not feel that it is sufficiently high that the government should drastically restrict the driving habits of Americans.

The most un-american of the Gitmo ways, is the detention of some people regardless of whether or not they are acquitted by some tribunal or can even be taken before one. There is no doubt some of these guys are extraordinarily dangerous. But, we release dangerous criminals in the criminal courts every day. That is one of the costs of having a robust justice system. It is not different to release a murderer who we don’t have the goods on, and releasing these terrorists who we can not convict.

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