Security v Freedom
The choice in the upcoming US presidential election is the same as the choice has always been, one between security and freedom. Of course, it is a misleading choice since both parties promote essentially the same security policies that keep in place the police state. Republicans, Democrats … neither will rescind the Patriot Act or fundamentally change policing in the country. Nobody is suggesting any meaningful reforms to the mass incarceration system. Every politician wants to appear tough on crime, tough on foreign adversaries, tough on drugs, just generally tough.
In the wake of the Sept 11, 2001 attacks in the US, the security side of the security v freedom debate became hyped up to encompass a baseless fear of immigrants, fear of cultural change, fear of losing White privilege, fear in general.
Although the differences in security policies, beyond the rhetorical, is insignificant, the freedom side is not. On the issue of personal freedom, we have stark policy differences concerning personal autonomy, healthcare and expression. One side is just fine with the state controlling women’s bodies, with school systems being banned from teaching real history, from people who do not present as straight and White being further marginalized, restricted, pushed out of public view.
Outside of the false narratives of political parties, we do have the ongoing tension…
