Koz and Effect

Letter to Congress on security

As promised, the text of the email I wrote to the Honorable Jim Webb, Mark Warner, and Gerry Connolly, Senators and Representative, respectivally:

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Dear Sirs,

I am writing to you to share some of my concerns regarding recent decisions with regards to airline security and the general security approach of the United States in general.

Starting sometime after the discovery of bombs hidden in printers aboard cargo planes, the Department of Homeland Security through the TSA decided to implement full-body scanners and pat-down searches at all airports. Whatever the misconceptions and notions surrounding these techniques, I fail to comprehend the cause and effect between the attempted delivery method and the countermeasures used.

More importantly however, I am increasingly disturbed by the increasing willingness to infringe on privacy, courtesy, and respect, in the attempt to make us “safer”. It is my opinion that these measures are not only ineffective, but insulting to a society that supposedly prides itself on it’s freedom and liberty.

Throughout our history, we have trumpeted our ability to stand up to hostile action and adversity, and resist intimidation, fear, and danger in order to preserve the fact that our nation was created around common virtues, and not some racial or geopolitical basis. Our founders espoused mottoes such as “Give me freedom or give me death!” and “Live free or die.” to illustrate the fact that they believed that it was better to risk one’s life as a free man than to guarantee safety under oppression.

It is not an easy thing to be able to stand tall and say “I accept the risk” when such horrific implements can be used against us. But that’s just what we as Americans have done in the past, and has given us a reputation of bravery towards our ideals.

Our intelligence and police agencies continue to do their best to sniff out plots, worth together, and investigate wrongdoing. In every reported instance, we have either thwarted or quickly responded to every attempted act of terrorism, often through good old-fashioned detective work. This has shown to be a proven and effective method of dealing with the threats we face while maintaining a free and civil city, and we should continue to support these people where we can.

There will always be a residual risk however, one will, invariably, get through. It is in these times in which our fellow citizens, not our soldiers or police, will be tested. And just as those citizens in history decided it was better to risk their lives in war than live under oppression, so do we need to accept a degree of risk, however minute, in order to live according to the freedoms and liberties we all desire and espouse, that so many gave their lives for centuries ago.

Our world is in many ways, safer than it has ever been. Our time-tested and honed methods keep the likely-hood of being affected by such an attack to a tiny amount. It is up to us ordinary citizens to carry the rest, to resist the urge to investigate our neighbors, to spy on their conversations, to search them in public without probable cause. I ask you to help set this example and do your best to repeal these practices, and remind the rest of the world what it truly means to live in a free society.

Thank you for your time.

~Chris Kozlowski