FC: Why liberty suffers during wartime -- a historical view

http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,47051,00.html

    Why Liberty Suffers in War Time
    By Declan McCullagh (declan_at_wired.com)
    2:00 a.m. Sep. 24, 2001 PDT

    WASHINGTON -- Anyone worried about the fate of civil liberties during
    the U.S. government's growing war on terrorism might want to consider
    this Latin maxim: Inter arma silent leges.

    It means, "In time of war the laws are silent," and it encapsulates
    the supremacy of security over liberty that typically accompanies
    national emergencies.

    Consider this: During all of America's major wars -- the Civil War,
    World War I and World War II -- the U.S. government restricted
    Americans' civil liberties in the name of quelling dissent, silencing
    criticism of political decisions and preserving national security.

    [...]

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Received on Sep 24 2001