It's actually made in response to this loathsome article:
Civil liberties may take a hitCathy Young, Boston Globe, September 19 2001
Perhaps most alarming to many civil libertarians, it's likely that the government will expand its ability to monitor electronic mail, which has been a controversial issue for some time.
Do I like the idea of the government intercepting e-mail? No. But, as long as there's judicial oversight and due process, that's no different from its longstanding power to intercept regular mail.
Do I like the idea of people being able to encrypt electronic communications so that they are beyond surveillance? Frankly, I found it scary even before Sept. 11 - precisely because of the threat of terrorism.
It is said that there are no atheists in foxholes; perhaps there are no true libertarians in times of terrorist attacks.
Even in the Declaration of Independence, the right to liberty is preceded by the right to life.
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timeasmymeasure
Re: But there are atheists in foxholes
Date: 2001-09-28 04:25 am (UTC)It's actually made in response to this loathsome article:
Civil liberties may take a hitCathy Young, Boston Globe, September 19 2001http://www.reason.com/cy/cy092401.html
and at this point I have to resist dragging out everyone's favourite Ben Franklin quote again.