Any society that will give up a little liberty to gain a little security will lose both.

Hello, I am Benjamin Franklin—a Founding Father of the United States, a writer, inventor, and above all, an unyielding advocate for liberty.

Among my most enduring words is this:

"Any society that will give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both."

When I first spoke these words, I sought to warn my contemporaries of a timeless danger: the temptation to trade freedom for safety. During the birth of this nation, we faced immense challenges, with some advocating for the security of British rule rather than the uncertain but noble path toward independence.

I understood then, as I do now, that liberty is the foundation of a just and prosperous society. To compromise it, even slightly, for the illusion of safety is to risk losing both.