Questions: Society & Politics

Ben Franklin once wrote "those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."

But he was referring to the gov of the colony of Pennsylvania accepting money from the British Penns to not raise taxes on the Penny family colonial holdings in order to raise money to defend its borders during the French & Indian (Seven Years) War.

But can you really say you're free if you're in danger from crime, for example? If kids have to go to school in de facto prisons with armed guards, bullet proof glass, etc, churches need armed guards, some people saying they only feel safe if they're armed in public, etc are we really free?

Isn't freedom from such fear we need to be armed everywhere and turning schools into fortresses and churches protected by guns true freedom?

Should Bosnia and Herzegovina become a member of the European Union?

I'm hearing theft is high in stores in my area. The more people succeed in theft, the more will join. Why pay for anything, if can get it free? It means the honest people pay for item pay more

Penalties for tax evasion are high... much higher than theft. I'm curious, if someone steals electrical supplies from big box store... I hear that is a big theft item... and tax was due... is that tax theft?

and thus punishable under tax code?