Homeland Security Over Due Process Rights example essay topic

1,152 words
On March 19, United States forces launched ground and air attacks on Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Here in the United States, Operation Liberty Shield, launched on March 17 following the decision to raise the homeland security advisory threat level to High (orange), is fully implemented. Liberty Shield is a unified operation that integrates selected national protective measures with the involvement of federal, state, local and private responders and authorities from around the country. Measures underway as part of Liberty Shield include: - Increased security at borders - Stronger transportation protections - Ongoing measures to disrupt threats - Greater protections for critical infrastructure and key assets - Increased public health preparedness Why would a country go to all of these measures?

Because in the United States it is clear we value homeland security of due process rights. In the second session of the One Hundred Seventh Congress of the United States of America, held on Wednesday January 23, 2002 an act to establish the Department of Homeland Security was held. It was to be ratified by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America during assembly. Cleary these individuals, elected by the citizens of the United States, thought best to do what elected government officials have always done: do what is in the best interest for the citizens they represent. So, today I stand before you strongly urging you to ignore any futile attempt by my opposition on my left and reveres the given resolution, because in America we should value the protection of our lives more than a few weak civil freedoms easily adjusted too. There are three reasons why you should in fact value homeland security over due process rights.

The first reason is that valuing homeland security over due process rights is in direct observance of the preamble and the constitution. "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America". The founding fathers wrote this piece in the 1700's and it still holds true today. But, notice nowhere did you find the word due process rights anywhere in the preamble I just read you. That's because it simply is not there. We will not violate the first amendment which says, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances", by valuing homeland security over due process rights.

By that same token, we will not take away these rights with bills like the Homeland Security Act; or with slight inconveniences like racial profiling that has already been approved in airports by security advisors. These measures keep the American people safer, and act as terrorist deterrents, one of our biggest threats at the moment. For the record let me define a terrorist as any one who is involved in a dangerous act against human life or potentially destructive of critical or key resources, or anyone who is in violation of the criminal laws of the United Sates. This definition of terrorism brings me to my second point on why we should value homeland security over due process rights, which is with new acts of terror we need to make the public feel safer. They need to know that they are safer, and live safer lives during a time when so many individuals have hatred toward United States. On Tuesday, September 11, 2001, the nation was shocked by the news of a terrorist attack on the United States.

Two airliners crashed into the World Trade Center, and one struck the Pentagon. If you refer to my definition a terrorist is merely someone who is in violation of the criminal laws of the United States. Should we have to live in fear in our own country of these cowardly individuals at the mere expense of feeble arguments about due process rights. The next time you go to an international airports, large cities, major international events, resorts, and high-profile landmarks, just know (audience) there is a poten tional threat. Terrorists look for visible targets where they can avoid detection before or after an attack. 34,562 people died in the United States last year from terrorism.

That's murder. Murder: The unlawful killing of one human by another, especially with premeditated malice. We the people of the United States can not value our individual rights of the safety of our country as a whole in times when men will make themselves human bombs, take to clock towers with guns, or place "dirty bombs" (or Radiological Dispersal Device) in public markets. To think for our selves first before our safety as a whole goes against being Americans, not to mention making us the most egotistical on the earth. The third reason why we must value homeland security over due process rights, is with citizens, there simply is no country. Sounds like an infantile concept but one overlooked far too often.

In order to form a more perfect union, we must create justice and provide domestic tranquility. In order for us to live safe lives we must trust homeland security over due process rights. Imagine a world where we cared about tending to everyone's feelings and desires about how they feel about how they feel the country is treating them. Meanwhile, we let national security slide, leaving doors open to mass chaos, carnage, death, destruction, terror.

Sounds like a biblical anarchy. Sounds like Sally Holmes, 62, a blind women from Memphis thoughts on the manner. By the way she is the white house psychic advisor. Though extreme, so are some of the arguments for why Mr. Strachan says we should value rights of an individual over the safety of the individual and the country they live in. We cannot let due process blur of vision of defending our beloved America.

In conclusion, we the people who established a more perfect union, and provided for the common defense, should value homeland security over due process rights because our forefathers founded a country based on this principal, because this is a time when America must fight terrorism, and because without protection of our country it will be destroyed. These beautiful concepts, ideals, rights, and securities like civil defense will mean nothing with out America viewing homeland security over due process rights.