America is a nation of compromise.

In the name of freedom, sometimes it is neces

sary for the people of the nation to cede some minor rights, even if we object t
o the moral implications of such sacrifices. While this concept seems absurd and
anti-American in its inherent nature, we already have surrendered several freed
oms in the preservation of the greater good, whether that good be moral or utila
rian. Sometimes, such restrictions seem inconvenient: but overall, they have bee
n exercised in the best interests of the people, and have done more good than ha
rm. For example, though the First Amendment promises the right of free speech, o
ften this prerogative has been curtailed in the form of obscenity laws - but onl
y to protect the public from the opprobrium of pornography and slander. Similarl
y, one cannot blow through red lights, dump industrial solvents into rivers, or
engage in coital interactions in public without consequences. For the ensurance
of our own protection, we must be willing to sacrifice some of our liberties.
One of the most troubling compromises we have yet to reach concerns the responsi
bilities of the