--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We have less civil liberties than we had…" description: "\"We have less civil liberties than we had on 9/ 1 1 in some significant ways. But we are also, I believe, less safe as a result in many instances of the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/029/david-d-cole-50013_adopted_we-have-less-civil-liberties-than-we-had_1875184.jpg" --- # We have less civil liberties than we had on 9/ 1 1 in some… ![“We have less civil liberties than we had on 9/ 1 1 in some significant ways. But we are also, I believe, less safe as a result in many instances of the sacrifice in human rights, civil liberties, and the rule of law that (the Bush) administration has adopted.” quote by David D. Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/029/david-d-cole-50013_adopted_we-have-less-civil-liberties-than-we-had_1875184.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/029/david-d-cole-50013_adopted_we-have-less-civil-liberties-than-we-had_1875184.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/029/david-d-cole-50013_adopted_we-have-less-civil-liberties-than-we-had_1875184.jpg) > “We have less civil liberties than we had on 9/ 1 1 in some significant ways. But we are also, I believe, less safe as a result in many instances of the sacrifice in human rights, civil liberties, and the rule of law that (the Bush) administration has adopted.” [David D. Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-cole/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote argues that post‑9/11 policies have eroded freedoms and paradoxically reduced safety, highlighting a trade‑off between security and liberty. **In simple terms:** Security measures have cut freedoms and made us less safe. Key Takeaway Balance security with protecting rights. Themes civil liberties security government policy post‑9/11 human rights Mood concerned critical reflective Type political analytical When to use this quote - policy debate - public discourse - legislative hearings Key Concepts trade‑off rule of law civil rights Questions to Reflect On - How can societies protect citizens without sacrificing core freedoms? - What safeguards can prevent rights erosion? A Different Perspective Balancing safety and freedom is complex and often contested. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civil liberties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-liberties/) [Human rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-rights/) [Liberties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberties/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) [Rule of law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rule-of-law/) [Sacrifice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacrifice/) ## Related quotes > [It is aspiring tyrants who say that 'civil liberties end when an attack on our safety begins.' Conversely, leaders who wish to preserve the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-d-snyder/it-is-aspiring-tyrants-who-say-that-civil-liberties-end-when-an/) [Timothy D. Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-d-snyder/) > [The psychedelic issue is a civil rights and civil liberties issue. It is an issue concerned with the most basic of human freedoms: religious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/the-psychedelic-issue-is-a-civil-rights-and-civil-liberties-issue-it/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [We are working with the office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties in addressing the challenges with the social media companies to ensure that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-mayorkas/we-are-working-with-the-office-of-civil-rights-and-civil-liberties-in/) [Alejandro Mayorkas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-mayorkas/) > [“We’ve built a society that values civil liberties even at the expense of social order.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-wheelan/we-ve-built-a-society-that-values-civil-liberties-even-at-the-expense/) [Charles Wheelan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wheelan/) > [By international standards, many of the U.K.'s policies for civil society are exemplary. However, there are concerns about constraints on civil liberties - particularly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-mulgan/by-international-standards-many-of-the-u-k-s-policies-for-civil/) [Geoff Mulgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-mulgan/) > [The seemingly omnipresent storm clouds hanging over the Constitution often make it hard to find a silver lining. Every day, the front page of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-barr/the-seemingly-omnipresent-storm-clouds-hanging-over-the-constitution/) [Bob Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-barr/) > [The suppression of civil liberties is too many less a matter for horror than the curtailment of the freedom to profit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marya-mannes/the-suppression-of-civil-liberties-is-too-many-less-a-matter-for/) [Marya Mannes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marya-mannes/) > [Obama behaves like a centrist who leans tentatively left on certain social programs but boldly right on military force and civil liberties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-k-shipler/obama-behaves-like-a-centrist-who-leans-tentatively-left-on-certain/) [David K. Shipler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-k-shipler/) > [The history of America is to expand civil liberties in a responsible and civil manner. We need to remember that our wonderful Democracy with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcgreevey/the-history-of-america-is-to-expand-civil-liberties-in-a-responsible/) [James McGreevey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcgreevey/) > [The American Civil Liberties Union, has helped neutralize the Judeo-Christian underpinnings of our legal system by seeking new legal precedents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bright/the-american-civil-liberties-union-has-helped-neutralize-the-judeo/) [Bill Bright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bright/) > [Since 9/11 the United States has been followed by countries with bad records, such as the former Soviet Union countries, into erosions of human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-robinson/since-9-11-the-united-states-has-been-followed-by-countries-with-bad/) [Mary Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-robinson/) > [It is no response to assert that the Patriot Act has been useful; what you need to explain is how any particular safeguard would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-sanchez/it-is-no-response-to-assert-that-the-patriot-act-has-been-useful-what/) [Julian Sanchez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-sanchez/) > [I think when people talk about civil liberties, they sometimes forget that action taken to protect the citizen against physical violence and physical attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-howard/i-think-when-people-talk-about-civil-liberties-they-sometimes-forget/) [John Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-howard/) > [I was on the state board of directors of the American Civil Liberties Union.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-hill/i-was-on-the-state-board-of-directors-of-the-american-civil-liberties/) [Betty Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-hill/) > [Using a broad brushstroke, I think Libertarian - most of America are socially accepting and fiscally responsible. I'm in that category. I think, broadly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-johnson/using-a-broad-brushstroke-i-think-libertarian-most-of-america-are/) [Gary Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-johnson/) ## More by David D. Cole > [You need to fight cases in the courts, but you certainly cannot rely on the courts, you need to testify in Congress and lobby…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-cole/you-need-to-fight-cases-in-the-courts-but-you-certainly-cannot-rely/) [David D. Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-cole/) > [But no customer is going to buy based on their existing wage structure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-cole/but-no-customer-is-going-to-buy-based-on-their-existing-wage-structure/) [David D. Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-cole/) > [Historically, measures initially directed at foreign nationals have subsequently been extended to citizens. 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Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-cole/) > [You have to have a multipronged approach and a significant part of that is educating the public and change the culture so that people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-cole/you-have-to-have-a-multipronged-approach-and-a-significant-part-of/) [David D. Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-cole/) [Explore all 7 David D. Cole quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-cole/) ## More Adopted quotes > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [Somehow destiny comes into play. These children end up with you and you end up with them. 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