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Blog Post 1: Enemy of the State

Posted by Michelle Torelli in American Government - Herman on

​This film truly made me think about the society that we live in now- full of fear. The government is capable of hiding things from the public from corrupted actions such as portrayed in the film. The government in the film is demonstrated as a no-good criminal in which can over power all civilians; no one is safe, especially when one tries to do something for the right of mankind. 

There must be restrictions on the people of the US, but that leaves so much room for corruption. This may sound controversial, but I personally believe the government should have access to all records of privacy but the access cannot be granted without evidence or complete urgency of the threat to the country. Citizens can sometimes pose a threat to the country rather than outsiders.

Blog Post 1: Enemy of the State

Posted by Jordan McLaughlin in American Government - Herman on

I feel as if the government in this movie is portrayed on the extremely radical side of the spectrum, what makes me feel this way is that people in this movie don't know what is happening to and around them and the government is killing citizens. Which was a controversial topic when a terrorist who was a US citizen was killed and was big controversy, a guy in libia I want to say.
Individual Citizens privacy in this movie is not being respected and being used for purposes that are not condoned by the governments higher officials. Although I do believe that if this was used for the right situation and to curb terrorism then I think if your a terrorist you should be able to be tracked. Also I think they should track suspicious behavior. 
I think if you live in the states that they should have access they would need to find terrorist, so any possible documents that would link to a terrorist or help the government find terrorist should be viewable by the government. 
I believe if the government needs something to catch bad guys and protect our national security that they should be able to access whatever they need, so they aren't hassled by regulations and different things like can't listen to calls because of this, or can't use this because of that.

Blog Post 1- Enemy Of State

Posted by Mohamed Marzouk in American Government - Herman on

​ The Government is portrayed in a sinister way. Especially the NSA; they are shown to be ruthless with nothing other to complete their mission. In the beginning of the movie, there is a new legislation that is about to be passes. This could be a good or bad thing for the human population, so the agenda of the US Government might seem evil on the outside but to the American People's best interests at it's deep core.I feel like the Government can access too much about our lives too easily. I know, the Government can say it's a matter of National Security, but what is considered a "threat" anymore. The Government didn't respect anyone's privacy, it felt like what they were doing was to help their own cause. I feel like if the Government issued everything, they could look at it like they want to. In many schools, Teachers and other officials can look at a student's personal records whenever they want. If you are a felon or anyone who's trying to be above the law in anyway, I think the Government should be able to look up your personal information. But If they look up your information in order to save their own skin, then they shouldn't be allowed to do that. I think safety should be the number one concern for the US Government and if that takes lessening someone's freedom, then by all means, take it away. 

Blog Post 1 Enemy of the State

Posted by Chelsea Smith in American Government - Herman on

This was my first time watching this movie and from the first time seeing this I was amazed at just how much the government will try and get everything and anything they want. I feel as though the government has so much power that they abuse the power. If they need something instead of having a warrant they can parade a person's life with or without consent. 

With the citizens in this movie I think about how much Will Smith had to do just to try and stay safe. From the moment they broke into his house until the moment everyone was killed in the restaurant. When I think about how our privacy as a citizen is I think that we really don't have any privacy. Just from our technology the government was able to tap into Bobby's (Will Smith) life and find everything about him and more. Between his family, personal life, work, and any other aspect.After seeing this movie it made me think about how much the government does have on our lives and everything they can do. When I think about it our privacy really isn't private. I think that the government shouldn't be able to get such easy access to our lives. I feel as though it should remain our private life until the government needs reason to even try to dig into our life like that. Another point I want to make is how corrupt the government can be. All this running around that Bobby had to do in order to try and get his life back together is because of something the government did and was trying to remain hidden. So in that aspect the government is just as hard to be trusted with so many corrupt people in it. 

Blog Post 1: Enemy of the State

Posted by Aja Wallace in American Government - Herman on

This movie seriously made me angry at times. First off the government knows too much information when it comes to peoples personal lives. In some cases, yes that can be of some use if they are trying to catch a murder but in the movie Will Smith was only trying to help people, not kill anybody. The technology that the government was using to to track people down was just way too much, if anybody for that matter has to go thew all of that watching and spying to keep something a secret. Then maybe it should not be done! Another thing I did not understand is the fact that Will Smith knew the type of people he was woking with and the type of people he was around would bring him some many types of trouble involving the government. The government looked like fools, all of that was uncalled for, if their mothers saw the way they were all acting they would all be in trouble. The government should just leave everyone alone! In my opinion if any one works with a certain level of “life threatening” situations then that person, in this case Will Smith should have a certain level of knowledge that has to do with the job and keeping ones self safe. Which did not happen so that annoyed me and the fact that the government “had” the right to cancel credit cards. Where’s the privacy? Wait, there’s no such thing, and that’s not okay. For that matter the world should just know everybody's information so the government can find people more easy. Isn’t like Will was going to drop of the grid. They were tracking him by satellite I really don’t think he was going to get too far or anybody who helped him for that matter. And I don’t get why it took him so long to find out how they were tracking him but after he found out he was being tracked by clothes. Simple advice ,get naked! I don’t think anybody not even the government can track bare cheeks and if they can there is really a problem. The government should not have that much access to personal information. After the point of knowing where you are, who you are and what you do, if you are not in the current process of putting someone else's’ life in danger then your personal profile should not longer be of valid access. Which brings me to the point of how there are so many cameras all over and the government can calls other people in different parts of town. In tunnels where cars drive and even ask gas station stores for their video security tapes but when real murders happen nobody sees them! WHAT?! What is that? In the movie Wills’ individual freedom should have been off limits because he was in no way putting anyone else in danger. The only thing he was trying to do was stay out of danger. And if all of that technology was not what the government really uses, then they need to upgrade! There is no excuse for all the things that happen in this world an nobody does anything about it like the people who actually are doing bad things are nowhere to be found, that’s a bunch of B.S.. Something can be done, nobody just wants to do anything because they aren’t getting anything out of it. 

Enemy Of The State

Posted by Candace Blocker in American Government - Herman on

-how the government is portrayed in the film

to me they're portrayed as being corrupt, untrustworthy.


-how individual citizens' privacy is respected

It wasn't respected at all. They had camera's throughout his house and clothing. It was no privacy and no respect.


-your opinion on level of access the govt should have to your personal info

I feel as though because of 9/11 I know understand why government has so much information. But it should be a limit on how much they can access and view. 


-when individual freedoms can/should be restricted for safety of community

When can it? I don't think it will ever be able to. Because government wants to monitor just about every single thing and everywhere we travel. 

Enemy Of State Reflection

Posted by Yasmeen Brownlee in American Government - Herman on


Enemy of State was a fast paced movie of intrigue showing just how much power the government has over each US citizens "Privacy". As well as how much power they have that unless dealt with on extreme conditions they strength cannot be met. I never realized how far technology had advanced into each persons personal privacy. From satellites from outer space that brought google earth into creation, can be used against the average joe. Lets not forget bugs as well as cameras that can be snuck into a persons home as surveillance. The government is portrayed in the film as people who want to accomplish or go through whatever means they have to in order to get what it is they want. and Killing someone or even ruining their lives seem to all be likely solutions to their problems or what is portrayed in the movie. Though it is a pretty biased stand point only showing the government as people from a bad perspective on interested in saving their own rear ends. Though i'm sure all of the technology that they have can be used for good as much as it was used for bad maybe even more. I believe that it is true that the government should be aware that there is a limit to how much information that they are allowed to access or use against someone. They shouldn't be able to view personal information on a daily basis in less there is a valid reason for invading someones privacy. As well as laws and consequences for abuse the right of citizens for their own selfish and or greedy reasons. They should also have professional documents in which would allow them the accesses of personal invasion of privacy. 



Blog Post 1: Enemy of the State

Posted by Samantha Zeisloft in American Government - Herman on

In the movie enemy of state the government plays a cynical and overly involved role in the citizens lives. They not only have access to peoples phone conversations but also have cameras and agents everywhere and ready to capture or eliminate anything they don't like. The citizens have no privacy because their phones are being tapped when they don't know it and if the government wanted to keep an eye on them, they could easily have agents watching the individuals every move and accessing their information while they might not even know it. In my opinion the government shouldn't have that much access into its citizens personal lives but at the same time, i can see why they would want to keep tabs on certain people and listen into peoples conversations sometimes as a national security precaution but at the same time, its really not their place i guess. If the government was run they way it is in the movie, i really wouldn't want to live in the united states because the movie makes it seem like no matter what you do, you aren't really free and the government will be watching your every move and could easily get rid of you and make it look like an accident. I think that if a person has a criminal record that is really bad or threatening or could pose as a threat to national security, some sort of tabs should be kept on them i guess but I don't know, some of the stuff in the movie seems like it would go against peoples rights and what not. 

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