They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.

-Benjamin Franklin

I've been thinking about this quote a lot since September 11th, and I'm not sure whether or not I agree yet. Think about it: our forefathers gave their lives to preserve our liberties, our freedom from unauthorized searches, etc., and now we're giving up some of those freedoms to feel safer.

But are we really safer? All this security at airports and theme parks, essentially everywhere we go - I know that it doesn't make me feel safer. To me, if someone wants to hurt us badly enough, it'll happen. But I'm not going to live my life in fear, waiting for them to do it, either. And since it seems I have no choice in giving up my freedom to carry a purse without having Disney security going through it everytime I visit, does that mean I don't deserve that freedom?

On another note, I've started an NCIS fic at FF.net. Just in case you're interested... Oh, and I'm out of school for two weeks. Woot!

Your thoughts on that are really interesting. I think the security they're using these days is completely useless. For one thing if someone wanted to tote weapons somewhere they'd take a train...no carry-on check. And you're absolutely right...if someone wants to hurt us, they'll do it. There are people that are smarter than security men even if people don't like to believe it.

Totally agree with you Audrey. (I feel like I'm talking to myself. Should I be afraid?) I have the same policy with death. If it's gonna happen, it's gonna happen, and there's not a darn thing I can do about it, so let's live with it. Then again, I'm trying not to live with the fact that I can't seem to find contentment anywhere I go....don't see an end to the dilhemma, but won't accept it as my life's meaning yet either. :)