Does State Surveillance Protect Our Freedoms?

Glenn Greenwald (left) and Michael Hayden (right)

Former CIA and NSA director Michael Hayden and Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz argued that, “Be it resolved state surveillance is a legitimate defence of our freedoms.” Journalist Glenn Greenwald and Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian argued against.

“It is the security practitioners, those rarely in the headlines but whose craft and energy quietly break new ground, who keep us safe or put us in peril.” ~ Michael Hayden

“Surveillance equals power. The more you know about someone, the more you can control and manipulate them in all sorts of ways. That is one reason a Surveillance State is so menacing to basic political liberties.” ~ Glenn Greenwald

“The state now is moving much more from reacting to violence to a proactive, preemptive, preventive mode of intelligence gathering.” ~ Alan Dershowitz

“Every other country in the world looked at us as a role model for privacy and freedom. And we dropped the ball.” ~ Alexis Ohanian

The pre-debate results was 33% pro, 46% con, 21% undecided. The post-debate results was 41% pro, 59% con. The team opposed to the resolution won with a 13% vote gain. “Be it resolved state surveillance is a legitimate defence of our freedoms.”

More at Munk Debates: State Surveillance

Source: C-Span: Munk Debate on State Surveillance

Download or Play State Surveillance Part 1
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Music includes Buffalo Springfield - For What It's Worth, 1,000 Paper Cranes - Baghdad Suite, David Rovics - Who Will Tell The People, Capitol Steps - Bye Bye Big Bird, Beastie Boys - In A World Gone Mad..., Miley Cyrus - Wake Up America, All Quiet on the Western Front, Mamborama - Es Solo Musica, Jan Hammer - Miami Vice, Charlie Parker - Embraceable You, Fletcher Henderson - My Pretty Girl