The Religion of National Security
Anyone who’s camped out at a folk music festival and has been woken up at 2 a.m. by a blaringly rendered version of “Bella Ciao” knows that trumpet players are terrorists. But the Trump administration is taking that a bit literally: The Department of Commerce announced in early August that it plans to implement a […]
The Department of Commerce has proposed a 25 percent tariff on brass instruments, citing national security concerns regarding America's dependence on foreign copper alloys. This new policy highlights how the term "national security" has evolved from its original meaning of defending against threats to encompass a wide range of ideological and global concerns.
Since the founding of the United States, leaders have invoked "national security" to justify various policies, but it wasn't until the New Deal era that the term's meaning expanded to include ideological and global aspects. The Cold War further solidified the term's significance, leading to the creation of numerous governmental structures dedicated to national security.
The September 11 attacks marked a turning point, as the attacks and the subsequent war on terror transformed national security into a dominant force in American politics and society. Critics argue that this expansion of national security has resulted in a fear-based, hyper-security state that prioritizes security over other governmental priorities, leading to policies that may not necessarily benefit the public.
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