They Who Would Give Up Essential Liberty

Ben franklin s famous liberty safety quote lost its context in 21st century he once said.

They who would give up essential liberty. He who sacrifices freedom for security deserves neither. They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. Thomas jefferson also said. Quotation 1381 from michael moncur s cynical quotations.

Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both. He is saying that no one. Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. We say that we have to be willing to give up some of our freedoms so that the government can protect us from criminals and terrorists.

It is interesting to see where the main lines of disagreement lay between the colonists delegation to london and the crown in early 1775 which one would think would have been the last opportunity at some kind of reconciliation before independence was declared and war broke out. Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security will not have nor do they deserve either one. Benjamin franklin historical review of pennsylvania 1759 us author diplomat inventor physicist politician printer 1706 1790.