exhibit title: order vs. individual freedom
exhibit description:
“Order vs. Individual Freedom presents a collection of images that reflect the ill-attempt by Puritans to find the appropriate balance between social order and personal freedom. Puritan society required that its members follow strict guidelines of social order. These rigid rules of conduct helped the Puritans endure the persecution they faced in Europe and, after they came to America, created a close-knit community able to withstand the harsh weather and Native American attacks common to New England in the 17th century. But communities that focus primarily on social order leave no room for personal freedom. Those who think or act independently.
eXHIBIT RATIONALE:
Freedom, order, and equality remain pivotal concepts for understanding American politics. All governments strive to maintain order, and most claim to respect individual freedoms in the process. Some, but not all, governments aspire to ensure equality. Government decisions to place strong emphasis on one of the values may result in the shortchanging of another. Stricter law enforcement measures may impinge on individual freedom. While many Americans would willingly grant their government extraordinary powers, believing these would never be used against law-abiding citizens like themselves, others see no conflict at all between civil liberties and national security. They would fight terrorism, not with new law enforcement tools, but with blanket restrictions on the minority groups to which the terrorists belong. “Just keep out the Muslims,” they argue, “and we’ll all be safe.”