From the the-government-can’t-give-you-safety,-but-it-can-take-your-rights dept
Tim Cushing
TechDirt.com
May 6, 2013
When discussing NYPD Police Chief Ray Kelly’s assertion that “privacy is off the table” as a result of the Boston bombing, I mentioned I hadn’t heard any public outcry demanding the government and law enforcement step in and do something (i.e., curtail civil liberties) in response to the tragedy. The responses we were seeing seemed to be nothing more than legislators and law enforcement officials pushing their own agendas.
This isn’t just me not hearing what I don’t want to hear. There’s actual data available that explains the lack of concerned noises from Americans. A CNN/TIME poll shows that nearly two-thirds of Americans aren’t interested in sacrificing rights to combat terrorism.
When given a choice, 61 percent of Americans say they are more concerned about the government enacting new anti-terrorism policies that restrict civil liberties, compared to 31 percent who say they are more concerned about the government failing to enact strong new anti-terrorism policies.
This is a vast improvement over 1996, when a post-Atlanta Olympics bombing poll showed only 23% opposed giving up freedom in exchange for fighting terrorism.
The Emergency Election Sale is now live! Get 30% to 60% off our most popular products today!