Another Endangered Species  

With or without the Patriot Act, civil liberties in the United States are an endangered species.  Why?  

“Civil liberties” as most of us understand the phrase refers to personal rights and privileges, as envisaged by civil libertarians and enforced by government.  The right to privacy is one such liberty.  

Civil liberties are endangered, even if we did not have the Patriot Act.  Why?  Civil liberties are a function of wealth and space.  As wealth and space decrease, and foreign cultures represent proportionately more people, civil liberties decrease.  Society could not function otherwise.  

A wealthy society can spend money to accommodate dissenters, thereby sustaining the civil liberty of dissent and maintaining order.  But as wealth decreases, as is happening in the United States , less expensive means are sought to maintain order, like increased law enforcement or increased surveillance by technology.  

A concrete example:  a wealthy society can ignore complaints about fraud, but when fraud drains scarce money, there is intervention into people’s lives in order to reduce fraud.  One intervention is longer forms;  another is extensive background checks;  yet another is site visits.  

Space is another factor.  When one’s rights and privileges impinge on those of others, civil liberties have to yield.  An example is crowded freeways with the electric signs giving an 800 number to report drunken drivers.  

As land becomes more valuable and people add to their houses, the population density increases.  One consequence is more teenagers beating their acoustical drums and strumming their electric guitars at a neighbor’s houses.  

There are foreign cultures in which security is primary.  As immigrants bring these cultures to the United States , security has relatively more importance, civil liberties relatively less.  Also, there are cultures in which peaceful dissent is not as ingrained as in the United States , leading to a reaction by our society and government to ensure peaceful dissent.  

Society could not function unless civil liberties yielded, unless draconian measures were taken to deal with wealth, space, and immigration.  But such measures would contradict what civil libertarians stand for.

If you answer the multiple-choice questions below and e-mail to lessonanswers@mymontebello.com with “Lesson answers” in the subject field, you will be credited toward a “certificate of recognition in community affairs” to be awarded in 2007 by a local nonprofit organization.  

1. Which are three reasons leading to a reduction in civil liberties?

(a) Television addiction.

(b) A reduction in wealth in society.

(c) A large influx of cultures without a strong tradition in civil liberties or in peaceful dissent.

(d) A reduction in space in which to live and move about. 

2. What solution do you see to reverse the reduction in civil liberties?

(a) Limit population growth.

(b) Limit immigration.

(c) Add a Constitutional amendment.

(d) Increase school lessons about civil liberties.

January 24, 2008