Down with Civil Liberties!

^{See also: Top 10 Urban Legends About Civil Liberties}

In his book Escape from Freedom (1941), psychologist Erich Fromm wrote:

These are the outstanding questions that arise when we look at the human aspect of freedom, the longing for submission, and the lust for power: What is freedom as a human experience? Is the desire for freedom something inherent in human nature? Is it an identical experience regardless of what kind of culture a person lives in, or is it something different according to the degree of individualism reached in a particular society? Is freedom only the absence of external pressure or is it also the presence of something-and if so, of what? What are the social and economic factors in society that make for the striving for freedom? Can freedom become a burden, too heavy for man to bear, something he tries to escape from? Why then is it that freedom is for many a cherished goal and for others a threat?

Is there not also, perhaps, besides an innate desire for freedom, an instinctive wish for submission? If there is not, how can we account for the attraction which submission to a leader has for so many to-day? Is submission always to an overt authority, or is there also submission to internalized authorities, such as duty or conscience, to inner compulsions or to anonymous authorities like public opinion? Is there a hidden satisfaction in submitting, and what is its essence?

The duty of an effective civil liberties activist is not just to convince people that they have rights; it's to help people want them. Most people who seek more government control over our lives do so for understandable reasons, and because these reasons can be understood, we must find a way to understand them. We must find a way to meet people where they are and persuade them of the most basic principles behind civil liberties, spreading the gospel of liberty as if our future as a liberal democracy depends on it--because it does.

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• Reasons to Oppose Civil Liberties