Lies

Secrets are kept by everyone. Lies are used to perpetrate them. Lies can keep one safe. Because of this lies must be protected. Throughout the ages, people have protected their lies. As is clearly demonstrated in the crucible. Paris must protect the lie that the church is just. After the Salem Witch trials and many had already hanged, Paris feels obligated to continue to hang people because it would be unfair to those already dead. H'es also afraid that people will see this as an act of weakness, and they will find the church to be the unjust system it is. "... for if he even bring one of those to god- that confession surely damns the others in the public eye, and non may doubt that they are linked to hell..."(Paris, Act 4, 232). He needs to protect the lie that the church is still strong and upstanding when its not. He doesn't want its justification to be questioned by the public.

This tradition of lies carried over into the 1950's with McCarthyism. McCarthy lied all about people being communists. He protected this lie to keep his power, his reputation and keep his career. “He denied requests to see the documents by claiming that they were secret documents given to him by his net work of informants” (Great fear 205). He's protecting the lie that there is no evidence of the so called "names" to be communists, and that there is no list of names. Just like Paris from the crucible, McCarthy protected the lie to keep his system strong and upstanding. If people found out his system would be teared down, but if the lie stays protected he keeps his power.

Even today lies are still being protected constantly. The US government protects lies about terrorists. The government lies about terrorists attacks keep the power of the government. It gives a reason to tap into phone calls giving the government lots of power. "The NSA's deputy director, wrote that the agency has 'contributed to keeping the U.S. and it's allies safe from 54 terrorist plots."... Asked for clarification of the surveillance programs' record, the NSA declined to comment." (1. Claim on Attacks thwarted.). The decline to give evidence is an abuse of power, used to benefit the government. They use this to create an enemy, to manipulate the American people. Protecting the lie keeps the government in the power it wants to be in. The lie perpetrates to prevent being taken down by the American people. And this perpetrates the lie that terrorists are an extreme threat to American lives. Lies are protected throughout history and they will continue to. Because keeping a secret can be the key to safety and power.