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Xander Johnson
Mrs. Wilson
HELA 10
29 February 2016

Current World Issue Essay

Privacy and security, two words that feel as though they should be synonymous yet sit on
two entirely different ends of a spectrum. Two words that seem to completely contradict each
other despite often being used within similar criteria. Both are things that people often desire to
have and yet these people seem to only be able attain one or the other. Can these words be
capable of going hand in hand with one another? The unfortunate answer to that question is
currently no.
Many people will often complain that the government is persistently invading their
privacy and they want it to stop. At the same time these people still want to feel safe and secure.
Unfortunately if the government is not surveilling you then they cannot guarantee your safety or
security. There are many people throughout the U.S. that are not willing to take the risk of losing
their security for the sake of privacy. It is thanks to this countries constant surveillance that it is
considerably one of the safest nations on earth.
There are still those who would take their privacy at any cost. These people believe that
privacy is one of their God given rights. As it was once said They who can give up essential
liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. (Benjamin Franklin)
People see their privacy as something that has been fought for in wars. This could be seen as true

if you look at war as fighting for an outcome that results in a lesser need for security therefore
decreasing the invasion of privacy.
What was this sudden manifestation of controversy over privacy caused by? The most
straight forward answer would simply be 9/11. In the world prior to the events of 9/11 security
was of far less concern to the people of the United States. The decade after the 9/11 attacks
reshaped many facets of life in America. Some changes were temporary an immediate
response out of concern for our safety while some proved to be more lasting transformations
in American life. (Jason Villemez) The main reason for all of the new found security protocols
around the U.S. was to prevent another event like 9/11 from ever occurring again. Over the years
peoples fear of another event such as this happening has diminished by an immense amount and
the have begun to want their privacy back.
Unfortunately the term security now holds a somewhat negative connotation to some
degree. The negative perception of security has been gained through many accounts of
government corruption and scandals mixed with the abuse of power over its citizens. One of the
largest controversies regarding security is racism. Tighter security controls can also be used to
target particular ethnic and religious groups in a way that is unfair and biased. (DebateWise)
These are some of the most recently seen deliberate uproars throughout communities. We Can't
Allow Security To Mask Racism. (Kathleen Wynne)
There are those who believe that The most important job of government is to secure the
general welfare of its citizens. (DebateWise User) These people believe that matters
concerning security should far outweigh any personal concerns regarding privacy. They also
would argue that privacy is not a right as it is never specifically mentioned in the U.S.

Constitution contrary to popular belief. We have forgotten how crucial it is for the government
to continue preventative measures. (Alyssa Luis)
With all of the major technological advances over the past couple of years there has never
been more speculation between these two alternatives. Many people throughout society still
either turn a blind eye to these problems that plague the nation while others simply dont realize
that they are occurring. Many view this new surveillance as a new form of controlling the
community and restricting freedom. If you want total security, go to prison. There you're fed,
clothed, given medical care and so on. The only thing lacking... is freedom. (Dwight D.
Eisenhower) These two words go hand in hand in establishing the American dream and yet they
still dont seem as though they can harmonize.

Citations
http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/security
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/911-to-now-ways-we-have-changed/
http://debatewise.org/debates/3040-privacy-vs-security/?action=history
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/11/20/syrian-refugees-kathleen-wynne_n_8613846.html
http://dailycampus.com/stories/2015/12/3/column-protection-is-more-important-than-privacy