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Sunday, November 14, 2010

Giving up liberty for security

Ben Franklin's famous line about liberty and security has even more meaning in the age of post-9/11 fear.

Too bad most people don't take a stand like this guy did.
TSA Encounter at SAN



In 1755 (Pennsylvania Assembly: Reply to the Governor, Tue, Nov 11, 1755), Franklin wrote: "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."

This phrasing was also the motto in Historical Review of Pennsylvania, attributed to Franklin

It's important to note that this sentiment, with many variations, was much used in the Revolutionary period by Franklin and others.
http://www.ushistory.org/franklin/quotable/quote04.htm

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