Privacy Has No Value

The Patriot Act has stirred controversy since it was introduced to Congress in October 2001. Critics of the the bill claim that it infringes on our right to privacy. Those critics forget that privacy comes at a cost. In The Cuckoo's Egg, Cliff Stoll tells a true story about tracing a hacker. He attempts to enlist the help of law enforcement and military officials but they constantly resist. Cliff then realizes that "[our] rights actually limit what police can do."

One of the responsibilities of our government is to protect our lives and property. That requires the government to take preemptive action. The government can't protect us if they can't prevent attacks against us. Taking preemptive action requires the ability to gather intelligence on reasonable threats. But intelligence gathering can't be limited only to previously determined threats. The government also needs the ability to identify new threats. This level of gathering intelligence requires an invasion of privacy.

There is nothing wrong with the government invading our privacy. We lose nothing if we have nothing to hide. Instead, we enable the government to fulfill its responsibility to protect our life and property.