Comrades,
There has been some discussions about the spy programs that the Federal government is running, whether through the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security, or the Department of Justice. These spy programs have infringed on The People’s Civil Liberties, which are to be protected from government intrusion. More specifically, the programs have unchained the previous restrictions that the Constitution has placed on the activities of the Federal government.
Those individuals, specifically those who are supporters of the programs and of the government violating the Constitution, bring up some silly arguments. Here is a classic example of such arguments that are presented:
Assuming that it is true that The People aren’t doing anything wrong implies that it is true that The People don’t have anything to hide; Assuming that it is true that The people do have something to hide implies that it is true that The People are doing something wrong.
This argument, or the form of this argument, is what we shall call the “Nothing to Hide Argument”. This is a fallacious argument, and one that is not difficult to show that it is a fallacious argument. All we have to do is change the term “The People” with “The Government”. We obtain this argument now:
Assuming that it is true that the Government isn’t doing anything wrong implies that it is true that The Government don’t have anything to hide; Assuming that it is true that The Government does have something to hide implies that it is true that The Government is doing something wrong.
The “Nothing to Hide Argument” is now flipped to face those who are defending The Government unbounding itself from the Constitutional limits placed upon it. How would the Government respond, or the defender of the Government violating their Limited Powers?
Here is a simple form of the argument that they would make: Assuming that it is true that both The Government does have a National Security Policy to hide & The Government does have something to hide implies that it is true that The Government is doing something wrong, implies that it is true that The Government does have a National Security Policy that is doing something wrong.
We immediately notice that there would be an asymmetry, or a one way street, between We the People and The Government. However, the Government is suppose to be of We the People, by We the People, for We the People, and all Power derived from We the People.
However, there is a counter to show that We the People have the same right or position: Assuming that it is true that both The People does have a Private Security Policy to hide & The People does have something to hide implies that it is true that The People is doing something wrong, implies that it is true that The People do have a Private Security Policy that is doing something wrong.
Thus, those who use the “Nothing to Hide Argument” against We the People are those Individuals who don’t believe in All Power Derived from The People, so they are Individuals who believe that All Power is Derived from The Government.
Comrade Conservative 