I recently read an article by Amy Alkon regarding her experiences with a TSA agent violating her civil liberties by sexually molesting her.
Some might think Ms. Alkon's take on the incident (being subjected to a pat-down) is extreme and overwrought. You might even think that she deserves to pay the $500,000 lawsuit filed against her for taking her story to her blog and accusing the agent of rape. But whether you think her outcry was justified or not, if you read any dystopian novels, it probably gave you a little twinge of unease.
There are many dystopian novels out there, especially when it comes to Young Adult literature, and of those I've read, many of them deal with a society where people have surrendered their rights (in most cases, willingly) for the "protection" of the government.
In The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, children were sacrificed to a violent, sadistic game and forced to kill each other in exchange for the provisions the government provided.
In Matched by Allie Condie, people married not for love, but for biological and genetic purposes to produce the most viable offspring. The government tells the characters what to read, what to do and what to think. The consequences for going against the Society were severe and often included death.
In Delirium by Lauren Oliver, love is seen as a disease and people flock like sheep to be cured. Those who'd rather not be cured, are persecuted and exterminated.
These are just a couple examples, and each of them made me a tad uneasy when I read them because I see a parallel in our own society. Sure, it's just a pat-down right now (because why shouldn't we allow our persons to be violated just because we want to visit our grandma and paid an outrageous amount to do so?), but what else will we surrender for the "protection" of the government?
I'm not a radical or activist by any means, but I'm beginning to resent how much the government interferes in my personal life—something I will keep in mind this November.
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