I often used the phrase “nothing in life is free” when trying to teach my children to look beyond the word “free” so often used in advertising. This includes freedom, which has the highest cost of anything we could wish for or want.
Our forefathers knew the price when they set out to fight for independence for themselves and their children from the tyranny of British rule. The price was only their lives, which they were prepared to pay on the battlefield or on the gallows for treason if they lost. Yet, they signed up to pay it.
Today, our freedom has the same price and we must be prepared to pay it because, one way or another, we will pay.
With a world full of extremists wishing to kill Americans all over the world we have thousands of our troops prepared to pay that price on our behalf while thousands of Americans fail to see how our troop’s service contributes to our freedom. In fact, even when the fight comes to our front door, many still fail to see the cost of freedom.
The most recent example is the full body scan or pat down at our nation’s airports.
The question is; do these scans or searches violate our 4th Amendment rights? It reads; “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”
In an ideal world I would say that the scan or pat down do violate these rights, but we live in a world where people carry explosives hidden on their body onto airplanes, busses, and into crowded markets and public places with the intent to kill or maim innocent people every day. That’s hardly an ideal world.
So, what are we prepared to pay for our freedom to travel? We can pay by submitting to the scan/pat down or we can pay by risking our lives.
Since I don’t have to travel much it would be easy for me to say that the scan/pat down is an acceptable price for our safety. However, putting myself in place of those who do travel often, I have to agree that they sound invasive and demeaning. I suppose if we had a squad of Adonis look-a-likes to frisk the women and a squad of Aphrodite look-a-likes to frisk the men it might be different, but even this wouldn’t make everyone happy. So, is there an alternative?
I don’t believe that these precautions eliminate the risk altogether because time and again when we’ve built a better mouse trap the enemy has built a better mouse. So, having faith in God (I’m not religious by any stretch of the imagination, but I am faithful) and in our fellow man is the only alternative I can think of that would allow us to eliminate the scan or pat down.
What I mean by “faith in our fellow man” is that we must all become vigilant (not vigilantes) and observant to the threats around us. We must be prepared to take the appropriate action when we observe a threat. This action would most often be notifying the authorities (remember I said no vigilantes), but could entail physical action when there’s no other alternative. The terrorists insist on treating us like combatants, so we must be prepared to act like combatants.
If we allow the scan or pat down to continue, our enemies have already won by getting us to give up our right against “unreasonable searches” to protect us from their threat.
So what price are you willing to pay for your freedom?
If we want semi risk free flying, we must pay by accepting the scan or pat down or we must be willing to pay by defending our rights, even if that means dying or killing for them. I am willing to act like a combatant if the terrorists are going to treat me like one. I don’t want to die or kill for my rights, but if forced to do so, I believe I will.
Patrick Henry said to the Virginia Convention on March 23, 1775, at St. John's Church in Richmond, Virginia; “...The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides, sir, we have no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! ... Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”
The choice is ours.
