I am, generally speaking, very much a civil libertarian. I believe in due process, would be a tough juror in a difficult case, and very leery of government overreach.
I strongly support the police–when they are unfairly criticized. But I have no illusions that putting the power of the state into the hands of unaccountable individuals is very dangerous, and I believe that law enforcement bears watching. Power corrupts.
With all that said, I think that President Bukele of El Salvador has a very important lesson to teach us: civil rights only exist where law and order do.
Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele’s crackdown on street gangs has facilitated a dramatic drop in crime—but it has also come at a serious cost to democracy and human rights, writes @Gustavo_F_M. https://t.co/V0hi2l6nYD
— Foreign Affairs (@ForeignAffairs) March 20, 2024
Lots of people–most notably people who…
