Poll (McClatchy-Ipsos): Most Americans would trim liberties to be safer

[kpete]

Source: McClatchy


* Posted on Tuesday, January 12, 2010
By Steven Thomma | McClatchy Newspapers

WASHINGTON — After a recent attempted terrorist attack set off a debate about full-body X-rays at airports, a new McClatchy-Ipsos poll finds that Americans lean more toward giving up some of their liberty in exchange for more safety.

The survey found 51 percent of Americans agreeing that "it is necessary to give up some civil liberties in order to make the country safe from terrorism."

At the same time, 36 percent agreed that "some of the government's proposals will go too far in restricting the public's civil liberties."

The rest were undecided or said their opinions would depend on circumstances.

Read more: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/nation/story/82156.html

[Vincardog]

1. Those who would give up some civil liberties in order to make the country safe from terrorism will

neither safe nor secure.

[MineralMan]

8. Attribution, please...

[Vincardog]

17. Benjamin Franklin "Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety,

deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.

[MineralMan]

21. Yes, I knew that. I just wondered if you did, since you didn't

credit Old Ben.

[Vincardog]

24. IT was not an exact quote. Notice the lack of ""

[Deep13]

2. Most Americans are slaves to fear. nt

[Rosa Luxemburg]

29. exactly

too stupid to realize most of this terror thing is fake

[Rebubula]

40. 3000 dead on 9-11...

...as well as the victims of hundreds of suicide bombings would disagree.

[marasinghe]

45. make that 'most humans' & you'd still be spot on.

abjectly pathetic how sheep-like we are, as a species.
crawling insects display more independence & courage than we - supposed peak predators - do, collectively.
if one analyzes them far enough, our current crop of problems - the wars, health care, the economy - all ... have inherent fear & cowardice as a root cause.

[cali]

59. ridiculous anthropomorphic post.

[ChickMagic]

3. just shoot me

We've screwed the pooch as a nation, haven't we?

[PM Martin]

4. Who said that those

who "sacrifice liberty for security deserve neither"? They were right.

[lefty2000]

6. Ben Franklin n/t

[ixion]

16. and he was spot on

We shouldn't give up ANY freedoms.

[Burma Jones]

5. I think most Americans would trim other people's civil liberties to be safer

you know, those other people.....darker, scary looking people, hairy people, the kind of people Norman Rockwell never painted.

[Odin2005]

7. "The people will vote away their rights" -Ben Franklin

[Goldom]

9. Interesting that

the actual question was not "would you", but "is it necessary". Not making a point here, but it's a distinct question, might actually be a different result.

[daleo]

13. Yeah, the poll question seemed gamed

One could agree with it in principle, yet still not want to give up more liberties than is currently the case.

[Zoeisright]

10. Most Americans are stupid.

And so easily manipulated. It's so obvious that logical reasoning is no longer taught in schools in this country.

[FiveGoodMen]

18. Reasoning clearly isn't taught in American homes, either.

I was taught to be rational before I even started school.

I don't know whether formal education added to that or not.

[L0oniX]

35. American idiots!

[reggie the dog]

37. I have to agree that not much logical reasoning is taught

we cant have intellegent people running around can we.

[Fearless]

11. And healthcare to avoid "socialism"...

Education reform in lieu of "small government".
Sex and gender equality because of government "interference".
Gay rights because of the "sanctity of marriage".
Pacifism because it's "Anti-American"
Comprehensive sex education because of "family values"


...The list goes on and on and on...

:banghead:

[Roland99]

12. Greater odds of dying in a traffic accident or from lightning or slipping in the bathroom tub.

idiots.

[edbermac]

14. Let's start trimming liberties from Limbaugh, O'Reilly, Hannity...

I'm all for it! :patriot:

[kirby]

15. That is why the rights were put into the Const./BOR...

to protect against majority giving up the rights of the minority.

[FreeJG]

19. MOST Americans are stupid

[Hekate]

20. The sheeple have baaa'd to their masters. nt

[Soylent Brice]

22. fucking damn it. this is what's wrong with this country.

:banghead:

[LSK]

23. I would like to see poll results of the same question in the EU

[scytherius]

25. Wow. The terrorists won.

Can't say I am surprised but, well, they won. It's over. America is officially dead.

[Mari333]

26. instead of kids having to recite the fucking Pledge in the morning, how about

they start making them recite the Bill of Rights?

man oh man, this country.

[kelly1mm]

27. why is everyone surprised? Lots here on DU are more than ready

to take others civil rights away for perceived safety. Just look at any 2nd amendment thread.

[fascisthunter]

28. are there any people in that forum that want to ban all guns?

or are they just asking for more oversight?

[kelly1mm]

30. Some want to ban all guns, others just some. Even after the SC

has determined that the right to keep and bear arms is an individual civil right some here want to ban all firearms from civilians. Lots of examples in the gungeon if you want to check it out.

[Igel]

38. Most are willing to trade away some liberty.

Right, left, no difference. The objects of the fear are different, the responses are different in detail and, on occasion, in size. But lots, if not most, in both places are driven by the fears even as they yell out "fear monger!"

Find the fear and then look to see what they're willing to give up for it. Sometimes it's not obvious at all. Sometimes what they'd give up isn't immediate, but just made far more likely--not today, not necessarily tomorrow, but the system is weakened so that it's far easier to strip away a liberty.

Sometimes they're willing to trade it away if they think it won't hurt only protect them from some fear. Especially if it hurts an enemy that they fear. And if they actually get something out of it, not just safety.

Some don't think they're giving up a liberty. It's not one on their approved list. It's not one that they use, so who cares?

It's a fine line between being a democrat and being libertarian, finding the balance between them.

[Lugnut]

31. That's very disappointing.

There is no entity in existence that I know of that can keep everyone completely safe. People who are afraid can be controlled.

[shadowknows69]

32. Fuck this cowardly fucking nation we've become.

Benjamin Franklin is spinning in his grave.

[The abyss]

52. Most excellent!

[SemperEadem]

33. not me.

never will I agree that giving up liberties will make me safe.

Anyone who thinks giving up liberties makes sense needs to go live in a country where there are no liberties.

[L0oniX]

34. The mutha fuckin cowards need to read and respect some history.

It's all about control freaks and those that wish to be controlled. Fuck that shit!

A patriot is somebody who protects his country from his government. Or better yet: who has the guts to protect his country from its government. – Piotyr Dirk

[n2doc]

36. The people feeling this way don't deserve the sacrifices of their ancestors

Bunch of cowards. The ghosts of the Founding Fathers should come back and rip their heads off and piss down their throats for what we, collectively, have done with their nation.

[Deep13]

39. How to be SAFE in a Time of Terror (tm)...

Quit smoking, wear your seat belt, eat vegetables and exercise.

Biggest killers in this country are still heart disease and auto accidents.

[caseymoz]

41. That's the pioneering spirit for you.

So conservatives have brought us to this philosophy of individual liberties. You could break down our door, tap our phone, search us if we're on the street, make us disappear into unknown detainment camps . . .

. . . but just don't take our guns when you do.

[pinniped]

42. I'm not at all surprised either. The Merkan sheep are easily herded.

Pretty soon, cops won't even need a real reason, or have to make up a reason, to pull you over and search you and your car.

We can already assume that all of our electronic communications is monitored.

[frylock]

43. ask them if they'd be willing to give up american idle or their PS3 to be safer..

i think you'd find a different result. people have no fucking concept of what freedom means.

[winyanstaz]

44. I think this is propaganda and total bullshit

[bemildred]

46. Me too.

Any time anyone starts talking about what "Americans think" I figure it's bullshit.

[The abyss]

53. Yes –!

They want us to “believe”.

May we always think for ourselves

[LiberalFighter]

47. Those willing to give up some of their liberties should move the hell to another country!

[clixtox]

49. Our "liberties" are being, or have been, stripped away already!

Similarly to the prescient Jews, etc., in Germany in the 1930s, it is time to flee the USA.

The well hidden reality is that we are in the death grip of fascism now!

Believe it or not!

That is the only way we could be the leading terrorist nation on the world, the hub of the real, "AXIS OF EVIL".

Think about it!

[atreides1]

48. This is my opinion on that poll

It is better to die on your feet than live on your knees.
Emiliano Zapata
Mexican reformer & revolutionary (1877 - 1919)

[marasinghe]

50. and to repeat a milton quote from another thread:

"... better to be free in hell, than a slave in heaven ..."*

*paraphrased

[martymar64]

60. And to quote Jimmy Cliff . . .

"I'd rather be a free man in my grave, than living as a puppet or a slave"

[depakid]

51. And they'll likely get what they want- and what they deserve

Cowardice seems to have become ingrained in the national identity.

[boppers]

54. When did we give up the 2nd amendment on planes?

How long have we given up the ability for in-air firefights?

[New Dawn]

55. Most Americans are sheep.

[TheWatcher]

56. Then 51% of Americans Deserve Neither.

It's that simple.

Personally I think this is just more bullshit Propaganda, but if there is a KERNEL of Truth in this.....

Then this country is truly dead.

And I refuse to be a part of that 51%.

I have a message for these cowardly, weak, soft "51%".

You want tyranny?

Go For It.

That's not what the Forefathers, and those who fought and spilled their blood during the Revolution sacrificed for.

That is not what my Grandfather fought for when he served his country during World War II.

I won't submit to the twisted cocoon like "Just Keep Me Safe" Utopia world you want to live in.

If you want my final, ultimate word on the matter, look to the words of Patrick Henry.

If you find no value in those words, then you are of no value to me.

Or your country.

PERIOD.

It is time for the people of this country to GROW UP, WISE UP, WAKE UP, and STAND UP.

This Foolishness has gone Far Enough.

[sofa king]

57. Most of 'em would burn the observatory to avoid being hit by comets, too.

[Raine]

58. "It's better to die on your feet than live on your knees".

When did America become a country of sniveling whining crybabies scared of their own shadows :scared: ... the founding fathers would be ashamed. :-(

[hobbit709]

61. Better to die on your feet than live on your knees

[Jennicut]

62. I have a bigger chance of dying from complications from my diabetes then from terrorism

People are easily scared into complying these days though.