Homeland Security: Part I

"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both."
Benjamin Franklin

The Department of Homeland Security is the largest restructuring of the federal government since 1947. The increased responsibilities and powers involve the combining of the following entities: the United States Coast Guard, the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, the Secret Service, the Border Patrol, the Civil Air Patrol, and many other executive branches. In all, over 100 government departments are combined in effort to ensure America's safety.
Homeland Security Threatens Civil Liberty

Yet our safety may come at a cost. The following are actions made by our government....to protect us.

The Real ID Act of 2005 is a law used to impose security measures and regulations for driver's license and state IDs. The following will be implemented:

• Establishing new national standards for state-issued driver licenses and non-driver identification cards.
• Waiving laws that interfere with construction of physical barriers at the borders.
• Updating and tightening the laws on application for asylum and deportation of aliens for terrorist activity.
• Introducing rules covering "delivery bonds" (rather like bail bonds but for aliens who have been released pending hearings).
• Funding some reports and pilot projects related to border security.
• Changing visa limits for temporary workers, nurses, and Australian citizens.
  

Homeland security - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There are many reasons to not support this legislation. You can read more about the Real ID Act, and how it will restrict our freedom here: Real ID Act 2005.


Homeland Security is also working on an EMD Safety Bracelet. This bracelet not only serves as airport identification, it acts as a taser. If you misbehave it will zap you. Here's what it will do:

• Take the place of an airline boarding pass

• Contain personal information about the traveler

• Be able to monitor the whereabouts of each passenger and his/her luggage

• Shock the wearer on command, completely immobilizing him/her for several minutes
(Want some torture with your peanuts? - Washington Times - Politics)

"EMD" stands for Electro-Muscular Shock Device. We would be required to wear this unit until the plane lands. This letter from the Department of Homeland Security shows great interest in using this technology to "temporarily restrain large amounts of people."

Should government force us to wear shock bracelets to board an airplane?

Do as big brother says; it's for your own good.

Finally there are the Biometric Identification Systems. These simply record our physiological data and use it as a security measure. Retinal eye scans, fingerprints, and facial features are placed into a database to use as identification.
Biometric Identification & Homeland Security: Biometrics Pros and Cons

However, there is a chance this technology will not promote our safety.

In 2006, Barry Steinhardt, director of the technology and liberty project at the American Civil Liberties Union, said that, "The provide one-stop shopping for terrorists who want to single out Americans for kidnapping or worse." (Amy Zalman, P.h.D, About.com)

There is also the chance of ID theft and the violation of privacy with biometric technology.

Then again, safety is more important than privacy. Is it not?