Drawing the Line:Security Vs. Civil Rights Persuasive Essay by cee-cee

The author discusses the problems arising from the need for increased security and police activity in the light of rising crime rates and terrorism. However, according to the author, increased surveillance and police activity results in infringements of hard won human rights and civil liberties. The author of the paper contends that the parameters of the security apparatus must be carefully set, the boundaries between freedom and safety delineated in ways that do not blur the lines between public and civil rights. The writer also addresses the tendency for law enforcement agencies to judge segments of the population on the basis of race or religious background and how this also creates a situation where infringement of basic civil rights and liberties is possible. The author makes a personal statement at the end of the paper when he writes: "A society that loses its liberty is a police state. Modern day America is moving closer each day to that terrible point. "