ROLE+OF+GOVERNMENT

==**//The Role of Government //Debate: Personal Freedom vs. Security **==

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==True individual freedom cannot exist without economic security and independence. - Franklin D. Roosevelt ==

**Discussion at Hand **

The utopia //Brave New World// has a balance between personal freedom and security. Because the government has complete control over the thoughts of upbringing on the individuals, they can afford to allow for some freedom. Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on who you talk to, the world we live in is not as simplistic because there is a constant struggle to balance individual freedom and national security. Which is more important? Especially in the United States, the government has been tightening up on our security, which results in less freedom for everyone. Are we willing to pay the price? This wikispace provides information about new US laws regarding security and articles and blogs that represent both sides of this debate in addition to an analysis of caste systems, both in the novel and in the world.

** The Caste System of // Brave New World // **

"Alpha children wear grey. They work much harder than we do, because they're so frightfully clever. I'm really awfully glad I'm a Beta, because I don't work so hard. And then we are much better than Gammas and Deltas. Gammas are stupid. They wear green and Delta children wear khaki. Oh no, I don't want to play with Delta children. And Epsilons are still worse. They're too stupid to be able to read or write. Besides they wear black, which is such a beastly colour. I'm so glad I'm a Beta" (Huxley 27-28).

 The inhabitants of the Brave New World are divided into several categories in descending order:  - **Alpha** - **Beta** - **Gamma** - **Delta** - **Epsilon**  These social levels are further separated by "plus and minus" distinctions creating in intricate hierarchical society. It is interesting to note that this social class system is artificially created and one's place in society is determined at birth where fetuses are tailor made for whatever role they will play later in life. Through hypnopaedia, each member of society is conditioned to accept their place without question and ingrained with various adages such as "//Community, Identity, Stability.//"

** Caste Systems in Real World Societies **

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Like the class structure of the Brave New World, one is assigned to a class at birth and movement from one level to another is impossible during one's life. Instead one must perform good deeds and live a moral life in the hope of being reincarnated into a higher caste during the next life cycle. ====== <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> __Indian Caste System Explained__

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 144%;">Current Infringements on Civil Liberties
<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px;">**Reproductive Freedom** <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 17.1px; line-height: 28px;">- Medicaid does not cover abortions under health plan. - Twenty-one states require state-directed counseling before a woman may obtain an abortion. - During these counseling the states provide anti-abortion biased materials in attempts to guilt the woman into keeping the baby. - Twelve states currently enforce mandatory waiting periods following state-directed counseling. This will end in long delays and higher costs. - Women have the right to make the decision on their own without government interference. <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px;"> [|Utah Woman]  <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 17.1px; line-height: 28px;">

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px;">**Wire Tapping** ** - Bush believed that Article II of the constitution gave him all the power he needed to wire tap. - Article two gives the president all necessary power to protect the nation from further attacks. - Wire taps are a direct contradiction to the Federal Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) of 1978. - Says there is a 15 day grace period where wiretapping is allowed, but after that warrants are required. - Government is obtaining no warrants and can subjectively wire tap anyone who is suspected of terrorist activity. - Congress has the right to regulate any constitutional power that is give to the President (i.e. wire tapping). [|Conflicting Beliefs on Wiretapping] ** <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px;">**The Death Penalty** <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 17.1px; line-height: 28px;">- Capital punishment is largely arbitrary and unfair. - Innocent people and severely mentally handicapped people are put to death more frequently than most would think. - People are put to death because they can not afford good legal counsel. - Trials are bias, and often suffer from discrimination. <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 120%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 144%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px;">**Body Scanners** <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 129.6%;">- Being placed in airports to look for weapons. - Shows everything from guns to cell-phones to the buttons on your pants. - The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) called it a virtual strip-search. - Female genitalia are not able to be seen however it shows the contours of your body. - It is an invasion of privacy and can leave a person feeling violated. - Can't detect low density materials or items placed internally. [|Do Scanners Work?] <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 144%;">

**<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 120%;">Interesting Articles and Links **
<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 120%;">India Unable to Do Away With Caste System This article discusses the issue of the caste system in India. Caste Prejudice "May Exist" in British Workplaces This article discusses the effect of the Indian caste system in Britain. [|Pros and Cons of Government Regulation] This paper discusses the overall debate through research. The "Government Regulation" section specifically talks about economic freedom vs. security. [|National Inequality of Individual Freedom] This article discusses the political divide in America in terms of individual freedom. [|Meltdown of Public Health and Personal Freedom] This article discusses health care and how it takes away personal freedom. [|Restrictions on Freedom of Speech] This article discusses both the pros and cons of the government regulating speech. [|The Google Predicament] This scholarly article discusses Google's "predicament" of freedom of speech on the internet vs. national security.

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 144%;">RSS Feeds, Blogs, and Podcast
<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 120%;">[|Beyond Growth] This blog discusses the development on personal freedom in society. [|"Social Media: Moving Towards a Brave New World?"] This link provides an entry, which is a direct connection between the present day and the novel.

Blog of Rights: these two blogs come from the American Civil Liberties Union and discuss the pros of each side of the issue through examples. rss url="feed://www.aclu.org/blog/project/free-speech/feed" link="true" number="10" [|National Security] <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> If you click on the link above it will take you to the second RSS Feed.

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px;">** Experts Challenge Homeland Security Strategy This podcast weighs in various criticisms of Homeland Security policies. ** <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> **Things to Ponder**

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,-webkit-fantasy; font-size: 16px; line-height: 23px;">- Are peace and security worth relinquishing certain privacies and rights? - Which is more important, the freedom of the individual or the greater good? - How far is too far when it comes into invasion of privacy? - Do you agree with this quote "Those who would give up essential liberty for temporary security deserve neither liberty nor security" (Benjamin Franklin)?

//Click on the discussion tab to react to the questions.//