Civil Liberties

Understanding civil liberties is important in order to fight for our rights as United

States citizens. Civil Liberties emphasize the freedom of the individual. In many other forms of

governments the importance of the individual has disappeared. The individual lives for the state.

Here in a democracy, the government still exists for the individual, but that does not mean that

we do not have to watch and that we do not have to examine ourselves to be sure that we

preserve the civil liberties for all people, which is the basis of our democracy.

Civil liberties are “rights or freedoms given to the people by the Constitution,

common law, or legislation, allowing the individual to be free to speak, think, assemble,

organize, worship, or petition without government (or even private) interference or restraints.”

Civil liberties are designed to protect individuals and should not be confused with civil rights

which forms a broader concept and are designed to protect groups of people from unlawful

practices like discrimination.   

History shows that silencing the use of civil liberties—including the right to free speech,  

right to a fair trial and the right to equal protection under the law— has often followed national

crises. During the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln suspended the writ of habeas corpus on several

occasions, holding suspected traitors without trial even though only Congress can authorize such

action. During World War I, more than 1,100 people were jailed or fined under the Sedition Act,

which essentially made it a crime to criticize the government or the war effort. The law was later

declared unconstitutional. In 1918, a series of strikes, riots, and bombings culminated in the

Palmer raids. Horrible civil liberties violations ensued as law enforcement officials led raids on

suspected radicals in dozens of cities, arresting more than 6,000 people, many without a warrant.

During World War II, President Roosevelt issued an executive order for the internment of

Japanese Americans on the west coast.

The inclusion of civil liberties in the constitution gives the people a peace of mind. It sets

restrictions on what the government can do to the people. The people have the protection of laws

to safeguard themselves from being abused by the government. The time has come for us to

stand up and fight for what we believe before it is too late and liberty is lost forever. Next, I will

continue talking about civil liberties in order to give you an excellent understanding of our

fundamental rights.