Freedoms or Protection

Hersh, Seymour. “Annals of National Security: The Online Threat.” The New Yorker. November 1, 2010. Web. February 25, 2011.

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The National Security Agency, better known as N.S.A., is a government agency that helps to protect America from outside threats. Seymour Hersh writes about one of these threats that is not often thought about much, the possibility of a cyber-war. In his article, Annals of National Security: The Online Threat, Hersh explores the possibilities and likeliness of a cyber-war ever breaking out and ultimately portrays the feeling that he is not worried about it. He conveys his point of view as a normal American citizen who has just thought about the issue sensibly. He attempts to send a message to the audience that says we are confused as to what cyber war actually is. Hersh successfully does this by the use of several examples involving what is actually called cyber espionage rather than it’s mislabel of cyber war. He then moves into the topic of cyber espionage and begins to describe it as something that is completely unwanted, yet almost impossible to defend against. He quotes people in his article that say the only way that agencys like the N.S.A. could improve defense techniques would be to take away some of our online privacy.

Hersh doesn’t seem to be supporting or against the extra protection from cyber espionage, so in this way he challenges the audience. He doesn’t bring any bias into play and provides the audience with enough information to make a choice for themselves about this controversial issue: Would you rather be protected online, or have your freedoms and rights? This article is very culturally significant because it brings two things into play that are important to us as Americans, first off our protection. Though our lives may not be at stake when the issue is cyber espionage, our money or information is. Secondly, as Americans our country was founded on the basis of being denied our basic rights, so we clearly care about those. So with both of those things being important to us, the question that Hersh challenges readers to answer is: which do we care about more? Hersh clearly states that in order to be better protected online we would have to give up some privacy. It’s definitely a major issue that deserves some real thought, especially since the Obama Administration is currently trying to pass legislation that would allow policing of online communications by law enforcement officials.