The War On Our Freedoms: Civil Liberties In An Age Of Terrorism

by Richard C. Leone

In each generation, for different reasons, America witnesses a tug of war between the instinct to suppress and the instinct for openness. Today, with the perception of a mortal threat from terrorists, the instinct to suppress is in the ascendancy. Part of the reason for this is the trauma that our country experienced on September 11, 2001, and part of the reason is that the people who are in charge of our government are inclined to use the suppression of information as a management strategy.

Rather than waiting ten or fifteen years to point out what's wrong with the current rush to limit civil liberties in the name of "national security," these essays by top thinkers, scholars, journalists, and historians lift the veil on what is happening and why the implications are dangerous and disturbing and ultimately destructive of American values and ideals. Without our even being aware, the judiciary is being undermined, the press is being intimidated, racial profiling is rampant, and our privacy is being invaded. The "war on our freedoms " is just as real as the "war on terror " -- and, in the end, just as dangerous.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, History, Law

336 pages, Paperback

First published May 23, 2003

Reviews

[Kyle Kane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read, though it is a bit slow at times. Main issue for me is that, reading in 2026, it all seems so trite compared to what we see today.

However, still worth at least a skim through.

[Mary D · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of my sisters recommended this book to me. It is interesting and more than a little alarming; it was written in 2003 and it is somewhat gratifying to know that the watchdog groups and judicial system are righting some of the most serious infringements.

[Jenny Hooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not big on the politics, but interesting nonetheless