No form of government can survive... when the life of the nation is at stake." Because I agree with Clinton Rossiter, I affirm the resolution that When the United States is engaged in military conflict, the demands of national security ought to supersede conflicting claims of individual rights.
Definitions from Encarta World English Dictionary
Engaged in Military Conflict means fighting open warfare.
Demands of national security means protection against loss, attack, or harm to the citizens.
Ought to supersede means that there is a duty or obligation to take the place or position of something.
Conflicting means not able to be followed or acted on, because each requires different and incompatible actions.
Claims of individual rights are demands for entitlements, freedoms, or privileges a person has.
Before I begin, I have an observation about the resolution. The demands of national security and claims to individual rights must be viewed as legitimate.
Graeme Garrard traces the origin of the Counter-En...
Phan studied the works of Enlightenment philosophe...
National Security Agency SealBecause the resolution says ought, we are debating about whether or not national security is a justifiable cause to limit rights.
I am upholding SOCIAL WELFARE as my value. Societal welfare is the conditions under which somebody may live satisfactorily in a community. The criterion upholding my value is the PRESERVATION OF SOCIAL ORDER. The United States has the obligation to its citizens to preserve the society by acting on the demands of national security.
Contention I: Government is created to preserve welfare by restricting individual rights.
Before government was created, we live in what John Locke called the state of nature. In this state of nature, humans were absolutely free. However, we are not able to enjoy these rights because we are not provided safety. We enter a government in order to preserve life, liberty, and property. Locke states: "[Man] gives up [self-power] to be regulated by laws...