Will Americans ever change their minds and ideas about privacy with respect to security? Arguments have been raised in response to the declaration by President Obama defending the National Security Agency on the massive collection of phone and internet data on a daily basis. However, the agency and the federal government have embarked on a surveillance program to continually thwart terrorist attacks in the country. Because the public security strategies of tracking phone calls and Internet data by the government help provide peace and safety of lives and properties, it is therefore not a means of invading the American’s privacy.
Security will reduce the possibility of terrorism in the country. The fact remains that as much as we all aspire to have all the privacy we desire, we always required the assurance of a total security of our lives and property and we wouldn’t ever want to give in any of those to terrorism attacks. However, the threat in the nation could become at an alarming rate if precautious measures are not taken into consideration. As a result, President Obama has declared that using some forms of security will attempt to thwart terror attacks. (Jake & Superville, 2015) Indeed, when security measures are used to follow up the possibilities of terrorism, it would be very difficult for any kind of threats to face the American citizens. Statistics have shown that about 62 percent accepts federal government to investigate threats posed by terrorists. (“NPR, 2013”) President Obama had warned that it would become very difficult to detect any kind of threats against the U.S since the top-secret tools to target these terrorists have been published thoroughly. (Jake & Superville, 2015) This implies that as much as detectives are trying to develop great means of improving the security in the country, the terrorists are extensively deriving means of thwarting these strategies. Therefore, it is important to take the security of the United State into serious consideration.
Certainly, the strategy of tracking the communication channels will help observe suspicious behaviors and communications. Reports have shown that terrorists start their operation through conversations over the phone or the internet. As a result, the National Security Agency (NSA) has consistently collected phone records as well as internet data from U.S service providers to detect any suspicious conversations that could adversely affect the security of the people. (Jake & Superville, 2015) Anyone who tries to make an attempt to disrupt the peace of anyone or cause any kind of security threat to a person, society, or nation would start over phone conversations or internet data intercommunication. This is the reason why President Obama has also pointed that potential attackers will only find other means to communicate, since the internet and phone will be a target against them.
Furthermore, surveillance program will help monitor service or internet providers who are not based in the U.S to track security threats. Terrorists are smart and intelligent. They use several means possible to get their operations into success. There had been reported cases that extremists use external internet service providers to the U.S to get their operation done. (Jake & Superville, 2015) A program will help stop this. NSA program is targeted at the seizures of websites and internet providers in order to track crime related conversations or behaviors. In addition, surveillance program will also help track all internet providers and get which of them is used as an aid for the terrorists.
However, opponents have argued that the steps taken by the federal government on security are chimerical. (“Eddington, 2015”) This is absolutely untrue! The federal government’s strategy had worked over time to reduce the insurgence of terrorism in the country and that’s why people can freely move around today in America.
In the same way, opposition to the call to rise for security has been argued that some of the measures taken by the federal government is a means of invading privacies. Most especially the use of monitoring conversations through the internet and phone calls. It is not ordinary for the U.S president to defend the NSA, and then challenge the whole country to appreciate the security offered to his people in spite of the indirect intrusion to their privacy. The government had been faced with difficulties even after the Boston bombings and that is why every strategy to ensure such incident never occurs again is of great importance to the community and the nation at large.
Intuitively, when we are faced with terrorism, we blame the government security agency for it. No wonder the president warned that we should balance our security and privacy with a zero inconvenience. We ought to appreciate the good works of the government, they are fighting hard against these bad folks in order to save our lives, homes and properties. Their strategies are not a means of invading any kind of privacy.
In conclusion, privacy is important to everyone, as well as security. But we do not want to overlook some fair intrusion of ordinary monitoring, for our own safety by the government. The government is not looking into those businesses, family or romantic conversation people may be having, they are looking into whether the individual’s motive is an attempt to intrude the safety of the community or the country at large. Our security will only help us to live a safe life and our family is sure of moving anywhere without fear of uncertainty. Security must be accepted and privacy must be bent on security motivations. We must accept security, we must be ready to face the bad guys against our peace and self confidence at public faces, we must acknowledge the level of jobs done by the federal government to help us live peacefully, saving our lives and property. We must join hands to help the government increase, improve and enhance safety in our country henceforth.
Work Cited
- Can Privacy And Security Go Hand In Hand? (2013). Retrieved October 22, 2015, from https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=190682869
- Eddington, P. (2015). Secrecy, Privacy and the Future of American Liberty. Retrieved October 22, 2015, from https://www.huffingtonpost.com/patrick-g-eddington/secrecy- privacy-and-the-future-of-american-liberty_b_7812016.html
- Jake L. & Superville D. (2015). Obama Defends NSA, Says America Has To Make Choices Between Privacy And Security. Retrieved October 22, 2015, from https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/07/obama-defends-nsa_n_3406448.html