As people discuss what went on Friday in Newtown, Connecticut, there’s one aspect that sometimes gets overlooked. One reason that things like this happen in America is something very near and dear to us: freedom.
From 1976 to 1983, Argentina was under a brutal military dictatorship. Thousands of people were killed, many more “disappeared.” When democracy returned to the country in 1983, it wasn’t long until the crime rate soared. Pornography overran the newsstands. Drug activity increased. Some Argentines in the 90s told me that they would prefer a return to the military dictatorship: “At least you were safe.”
One of the safest places I’ve ever visited is Cuba. Civilians don’t carry guns. They don’t even carry knives. Armed police are quite visible, especially in the major cities. Petty crime occurs, but the crime rate for violent crime is quite low.
Would Americans be willing to trade civil liberties for safety? Possibly. We do it at the airport. We willingly submit to searches that would be illegal elsewhere. We put up with bizarre restrictions, all in the name of security.
Another example is the Patriot Act. After the attacks of September 11, 2001, the public was frightened enough to allow the government to give itself broad powers, infringing on rights of privacy and due process. All in the name of safety.
I’m not advocating anything here. Just analyzing. Serious “solutions” to violent social problems would probably require further limitations on personal liberties. The American public will have to decide if such solutions are worth the price.
Tim,
i just thought you would find this interesting–it’s a graphic that compares any given individuals threat of being kill by acts of terrorism to other likely causes of death.
http://llwproductions.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/infographic-the-risk-of-terrorism.jpg
A lot has been justified in the name of keeping us safe from terrorism.
(An obvious problem is lack of citation for the numbers though. But the numbers certainly don’t strike me as implausible.)
–guy
This is a most difficult and complex subject, certainly not one that can adequately or fully be addressed in this forum. It’s important to understand that it’s more than about violence, mental illness, safety or freedom but rather more about the kind of society that we have slowly and maybe inadvertantly nurtured in the name of individual liberty that allows events like these to occur. Abherrant behavior under the guise of individual rights has become the norm in our quest for individual self-realization permeating every aspect of our society, even church. We should not be so surprised and disgusted at this franskenstein monster we have created.