Liberty vs. Safety

A while back, I was going through security at the airport, and I remember a lady thanking one of the security officers for "keeping us safe". "Because we're too incompetent and weak to do it ourselves" I thought.
Benjamin Franklin said this nearly 300 years ago, and it's exactly what's happening today:

"They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety"

The Government can't be everywhere at once (Thank goodness!), so they can't protect you in every circumstance. The purpose of the law isn't to catch criminals in the act as much as it is to bring them to justice afterwards. It's the citizens responsibility to protect himself, his family, and look out for those around him.
So the next time you hear a politician talking about how we should "give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety", think of this quote.
~Paul