Liberté et securité - n'est pas la même chose

Would you rather be safer and less free...

or freer but less safe?

It seems that much of the debate in the U.S. right now about the domestic surveillance program, boils down to this question. In some countries, like Israel, they have decided that it is worth it to be a little (or a lot) less free in order to be more secure. For whatever reason, the debate has not been framed in this way. Perhaps because our present administration would rather simplify the issue by creating an atmosphere of fear (an atmosfear?), thereby silencing dissent.

I, for one, would rather be freer but less safe. Safety and security are transient anyway. Life is too short to live in fear.