The Impact of Terrorism on Liberty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The Impact of Terrorism on Liberty - Essay Example Yet, to be effective in the fight against terrorism, the terrorist must be well defined and the target needs to be focused. Terrorism is by its nature an act that feeds on the public's fear of violence more than it relies on the violence itself. To confront these fears we react in numerous ways to diminish the possibility of a senseless and unwarranted attack on our population. In a free society, we leave ourselves open to be penetrated and we remain perpetually at risk. Our freedom of movement, loose borders, and laws guaranteeing individual liberty place a heavy burden on the organizations the public expects to protect them from a surprise attack. To reduce the terrorist threat, it becomes necessary to erode the liberties that the same organizations are sworn to protect. This dilemma manifests itself in a debate over this tradeoff as liberty is sacrificed for security. At what point does the security become more troublesome than the fear Is the security worth the cost To sufficiently analyze the debate that surrounds this question, it is first necessary to frame the question with a well-focused definit ion of terrorism. The objectives of the terrorist must be considered as well as their motivation. ... The importance of the debate can not be overstated. The founding principles that reside in the Constitution of the United States are at stake. Freedom of speech, association, and movement become at risk as laws are enacted which silently chill the document's intentions. This slow creep into heightened security does not repeal, but rather steps on and renders meaningless the 4th Amendment. The debate is a high stakes debate and one we can not afford to get wrong. It is generally accepted that the public wants universal freedom as guaranteed by the Constitution. It is also understood that the public requires security and is willing to compromise their liberty when necessary in extreme and demanding circumstances. Determining the point that additional security is no longer worth the loss of liberty is an arduous task that is of great concern to everyone. Getting it wrong could mean the meaningless and unnecessary loss of lives or liberty. The necessary information to analyze the debate that surrounds this issue comes from a consensus viewpoint of government and international agencies as it pertains to the definition of terrorism. A recent study from the University of Chicago and other relevant academic works will be used to define the motivation of terrorism. Laws such as the Patriot Act and Homeland Security Act will be analyzed to grasp their reach. The viewpoints of the Department of Defense, Department of Justice, and State Department will be considered as well as credible opposing viewpoints. A realistic assessment that the increase in security has had on the daily lives of Americans will be considered as well as the implications it has on the future. An attempt will be made to separate the reality from the political rhetoric as the question is