Liberty vs. Security
Assignment 2 - Liberty vs. Security
1- Identify the arguments for and against having a national I.D. card. Would such a card make you feel more secure? What personal concerns might you have about such a system?
A national identification card would be used to prove our identity to government officials. There are various arguments for and against having this identification card. The arguments in favor are that it would be easier to identify and control immigration. The arguments against a national I.D. card are that it would be difficult to ensure that the majority of the population would register for it. Some, such as the homeless, might have trouble proving their identities in order to receive a card because of a lack of Social Security numbers or birth certificates. Also there is no point in having a separate national identity card when the state driver's license system is already in place. This card can be used to track individuals, if the government chooses not to create this database, then it might be too easy for people to commit fraud by having multiple cards with different identities. I know that having an identification card can make us feel more secure but still I don’t think it would stop crime.
2- The government routinely reviews email in general for threats to national security. Do you believe that this surveillance should be increased and extended to phone calls, in order to better identify terrorist threats?
In my opinion, the idea that global surveillance, whether in the form of cameras or eavesdropping on phone calls, would be better to identify terrorist threats is difficult, if not impossible to prove. An intelligent concentrated attacker determined on causing destruction will still find a way to evade detection in order to cause havoc. You can plant a camera on every street corner, or tap on to suspicious phone calls, supposed to detect suspicious behavior. But, no amount of security will address the underlying issue, the terrorism,
1- Identify the arguments for and against having a national I.D. card. Would such a card make you feel more secure? What personal concerns might you have about such a system?
A national identification card would be used to prove our identity to government officials. There are various arguments for and against having this identification card. The arguments in favor are that it would be easier to identify and control immigration. The arguments against a national I.D. card are that it would be difficult to ensure that the majority of the population would register for it. Some, such as the homeless, might have trouble proving their identities in order to receive a card because of a lack of Social Security numbers or birth certificates. Also there is no point in having a separate national identity card when the state driver's license system is already in place. This card can be used to track individuals, if the government chooses not to create this database, then it might be too easy for people to commit fraud by having multiple cards with different identities. I know that having an identification card can make us feel more secure but still I don’t think it would stop crime.
2- The government routinely reviews email in general for threats to national security. Do you believe that this surveillance should be increased and extended to phone calls, in order to better identify terrorist threats?
In my opinion, the idea that global surveillance, whether in the form of cameras or eavesdropping on phone calls, would be better to identify terrorist threats is difficult, if not impossible to prove. An intelligent concentrated attacker determined on causing destruction will still find a way to evade detection in order to cause havoc. You can plant a camera on every street corner, or tap on to suspicious phone calls, supposed to detect suspicious behavior. But, no amount of security will address the underlying issue, the terrorism,