The Restriction of Civil Liberties during Times of National Crisis

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How would you feel if your individual rights and freedoms were stripped from you during a national crisis? In many countries, the people’s individual rights and freedoms are supposed to be protected by the government. But, in some cases, those individual rights and freedoms were taken away from the people during a national crisis. Some examples of these actions are Hitler overtaking complete control over Germany and outlying country’s, the Japanese internment during WW 2, and the FLQ crisis in 1970. Limiting a person’s individual rights and freedoms is something that I don’t believe in, even during a national crisis.

First of all, Adolf Hitler started an international incident when he stripped the rights and freedoms of people from outlying countries. That is, he started World War 2 by overtaking country’s surrounding Germany. When Hitler took complete control over these other countries, he had complete control over the people in these country’s. He made all the decisions for the people whether they be bad or good towards them. The people had no control or say over anything, and there wasn’t anything they could do about it. Therefore, I disagree with Hitler in his actions towards the people, in that they were stripped of their individual rights and freedoms.

Secondly, during World War2, the Japanese people who had immigrated to Canada were stripped of their individual rights and freedoms. On the west coast of Canada, where the Japanese immigrants were situated, all of the people were put either in internment camps or sent back to Japan in fear of being spy’s or inside people. The Canadian government believed that the Japanese people were a threat to our society. The belongings from the Japanese people were confiscated by army officers. The officers could basically take what ever they wanted. The Japanese people were powerless. So, I disagree with the government for stripping the Japanese immigrants of their individual rights and freedoms because in the end, the Japanese people turned out to be innocent of all accused charges.

Finally, the people of Canada were stripped of their personal rights and freedoms during the FLQ crisis. In 1979, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau took the individual rights and freedoms away from the canadian people. His actions were justified, because of two kidnappings, from the terrorist group FLQ, of two government officials. For example, army officials were allowed to enter anyone’s house at any time, cause they might suspect that the people are part of the FLQ, and might have the kidnapped government officials.

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