Christie Extols Policies Which Place Civil Liberties into a Coffin
New Jersey Governor and likely 2016 Presidential candidate Chris Christie (R-NJ) is a vocal fan of the surveillance state, and on Monday, he expressed a need to invest even more in American “intelligence capabilities.” Christie’s comments are in response to the ongoing debate occurring in the Congress, as provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act are set to expire at the end of this month.
In a common refrain, Christie harkened back to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, stating that, “Everyone will remember 9/11, but have forgotten what 9/11 felt like.” He also stated that “We acted differently, we conducted our lives differently. We were reticent. We were scared to do things as a people. That’s a stealing of our liberty too.”
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Christie went on to critique the arguments of opponents of the domestic spying programs, saying that while Rand Paul and Ted Cruz claim that the founders would be opposed to NSA surveillance capabilities, “The founders made sure that the first obligation of the American government was to protect the lives of the American people.”
Christie concluded his argument by employing a one-liner, explaining that “You can’t enjoy your civil liberties if you’re in a coffin.”
As much as Christie claims that terrorists stole Americans’ liberty on 9/11, he is absolutely correct. The thousands who perished in the Twin Towers had their most principle right (the right to life) stolen from them. However, where Christie goes wrong is that it would only allow the terrorists another victory to have the nation cower in the face of these attacks and surrender the essential liberties upon which the country was founded.
If Governor Christie wishes to understand the most important tenets which went into the formation of the United States, he needs only look to two of the most commonly repeated quotes by Patrick Henry and Benjamin Franklin.
In a 1775 speech to the Virginia Convention, Henry stated his most famous quote during a debate concerning whether to send Virginian troops for the Revolutionary War. His exclamation to “Give me liberty, or give me death!” is believed to be derived from Act II, Scene 4 of Cato, a Tragedy. The phrase “Liberty or Death” was also featured on the Culpepper Minutemen Flag of 1775, in addition to the iconic “Don’t Tread on Me.”
The quote by Franklin that, “Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety,” was first written for the Pennsylvania Assembly in November 1755 in its Reply to the Governor. Franklin used derivations of the quote throughout his life, including a variant in his famous Poor Richard’s Almanack in 1738.
What is significant in these two memorable quotes in regard to Governor Christie’s argument that is liberty is insignificant in comparison to security, and that the founders recognized this. In short, it confirms that this is merely part of the story and needs larger context. While the Constitution was to give the government few powers, a common defense was indeed one of, if not the, most important. Senior Fox News Judicial Analyst Judge Andrew Napolitano has often lectured on the Constitution arguing that the first priority of the government is NOT our security, but our individual liberties, or our natural rights, and those rights are to be guaranteed.
However, as Henry and Franklin reveal, this defense should not ever trump our essential liberties, not the least of which are those explained in the Fourth Amendment. If we are to forfeit liberty in the face of fear, that liberty is nearly worthless.
When the colonists organized to revolt against the British Crown, they were no doubts in choosing liberty over security. There was no greater security at the time than being ruled by the world’s greatest empire. Needless to say, the revolutionaries found another right to be more important than such a secured guarantee.
If we are truly to continue in the footsteps of the founders in pursuit of liberty and freedom, we must never tremble and sacrifice our principles due to fear. As much as Governor Christie claims that he is only defending the memories of 9/11 victims, he is in fact doing just the opposite by so willingly throwing the virtues of liberty aside for a mere blanket of security.
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