Dear Editor,
"Department of Homeland Security" sounds nice doesn't it? An organization dedicated to evaluating the threats posed against the United States by unknown enemies, both domestic and foreign.
On the department Web site (http://www.whitehouse.gov/homeland/) there is even a meter, color-coded to inform the common citizen at what threat level the homeland stands, updated daily of course.
One can even download the "Citizen's Preparedness Guide" which is a manual of what the humble U.S. citizen can do to help his country against the "enemy."
This all sounds vaguely familiar, perhaps this isn't the first time we've heard of such a department of government. History and literature are full of examples of other great homeland security ideas.
Just prior to World War II, Germany founded an organization designed to ensure that German citizens were doing their patriotic duty and to protect the homeland from domestic threats. We've come to know this government department as the "Gestapo" or "SS."
Also during WWII, America itself was concerned for homeland security and put into effect "Executive Order 9066" which interred in camps all Japanese-American citizens because they were of Japanese decent. The Nazi's had camps, too.
Literature offers us a wonderful example of homeland security. The Ministry of Love's function in George Orwell's "1984" was to protect the citizens from the "enemies" by ensuring everyone did their patriotic duty, and more importantly, were earnestly patriotic and loving to the government.
Recently the Department of Homeland Security, in conjunction with the CIA and FBI, was granted more freedom to use surveillance and wire-taps on US citizens to aid in the discovery of those who may be plotting against the United States. They watch us to make sure we are safe, just like they did in the camps perhaps.
I am not saying there isn't a threat to the freedom and security of America. There is a threat. With freedom comes risk; being free opens us to attack.
Freedom cannot be protected because the act of ensuring freedom will kill it. Cover a light and it cannot shine, smother a fire and it will no longer burn, try to protect freedom and it will cease to be.
Bruce Beckley
Junior
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