15 comments

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  Don Marti

  11 months ago

  "The surest defense against terrorism is to refuse to be terrorized." -- Bruce Schneier (You link to one, but this also appears in another essay from him on this subject.)
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  Todd

  11 months ago

  Eh, I don't mind more attention being paid to terrorism than to traffic fatalities. The traffic deaths are (generally) accidents that would have been prevented if it were possible to do so. Those that aren't accidents are generally due to negligence and stupidness, not malice.
  
  Terrorism is born, at least in some part, out of malice. It makes sense to take greater steps against those displaying malice than against those showing negligence or foolishness... it's likely to be more productive.
  
  But, yeah, toning it down would be great.
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  Drew

  11 months ago

  It's ironic that the whole terrorism fraud is perpetuated to allow Americans to continue terrorizing each other on the roads. People are willing to be subjected to or allow any infringement upon their rights, heinous levels of debt and outrageous crimes against humanity so long as they can drive oversized cars, too fast, to the next intersection. It's a modern insanity.
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  gregory

  11 months ago

  what is the dept of homeland security, except the institutionalized free of death... land of the surveilled, home of the fearful... i ain't proud, it is embarrassing
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  james

  11 months ago

  speak for yourself todd. i'd much prefer a war on stupid people over a war on terrorism. terrorists don't drive 45 mph in the fast lane and refuse to move.. EVERY DAY.
  
  i may sound like i'm joking but i'm not. the threat of terrorism has been SO over blown it's ridiculous. and that's the point of this article i think, it blew straight over your head.
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  Andrew

  11 months ago

  It makes sense to take greater steps against those displaying malice than against those showing negligence or foolishness... it's likely to be more productive.
  
  Actually, I believe the opposite is true. It's much easier to fight against negligence and foolishness: you just need to inform people and make them aware. But there's no easy answer against malice.
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  Dan Rande

  11 months ago

  This is long overdue. The whole war on terrorism has not only been greatly hpyed but it has proved counterproductive. By overreacting we've actually aided the enemy.
  
  Incidentally, another comparison that should be made is with the numer of people killed by guns.
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  JD

  11 months ago

  Do not confuse genuin fear and calculated fake fear to promote fascist laws...
  History showed us many times how the people in power used scarecrows to keep the populations in submission.
  Same old, same old...
  "There are terrorists sleeper cells everywhere!!! Be afraid!!! We can protect you, but you will have to pay a price (your liberty)..."
  Sounds like Mafia protection to me.
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  Brent

  11 months ago

  Are you kidding me????!!!! Yea, might as well have turned our backs on Japan when they attacked Pearl Harbor. Perhaps if we ask nicely, the psyco muslim jihadist wont attack us again. Pretty please!! Dont hurt us!!! And the threat of terrorism has been overblown? Tell that to the peoples families who died on 9/11. Or better yet, move to the middle east and see how much love you get over there.
  I have no problem getting in my car every day, knowing full well that i may be involved in a car accident. We all take that risk. Thats why they are called accidents and not
  "on purposes". What I dont expect to happen is to go to work and have some arab bent on the destruction of America drive a airplane thru my building.
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  Katie

  11 months ago

  Anyone remember that part from "V for Vendetta" where Chancellor Sutler says "I want everyone to know how much they need us!"?
  
  Yeah, that's what hyping up the "war on terror" has accomplished, and that's why we have given up our rights. It's ridiculous.
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  Sighorny Beaver

  11 months ago

  Oh, you are all SO wrong! What about when tom ridge instructed us to all go out and buy plastic sheeting and duct tape?! Home depot, 3M and their stockholders made out like bandits, didn't they?! What about Haliburton's no bid contracts and missing pallets of cash, and their new AMERICAN prison camps?! What about blackwater, the private army of the elite? What about globalization and NAFTA? Just LOOK at the the wonderful things fake terror has spawned! You should all be ashamed of yourselves and be grateful to the elite who ALLOW you the privledge of living unshackled in this great christian land (at least until it's inconvenient for us to have you around). You are all trash!
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  Ventrue

  11 months ago

  "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."
  
  Someone should do a good t5anslation of "Homeland Security" into german and compare it to a few titles found in nazi germany.
  
  Not all germans were nazi's, not all arab or muslims are terrorists.
  
  Real security comes from knowing that what ever happens you can deal with it.
  
  Anyone feel that way right now?
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  Steve R.

  11 months ago

  For years I have complained that Orwell's 1984 has arrived. The creation of a new bureaucracy (Homeland Security) that overemphasizes threats is depressing further proof.
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  BecauseBushSaysSo

  11 months ago

  It's well known that our government knew about Pearl Harbor before it happened. And I know our government was in on 9/11. So why do we have to fear muslims? Because Bush says so. We should be fearing our government. Both parties for that matter. For those people who think 9/11 was the work of 19 terrorist just think of "Ten floors a second" when you think about the WTC and tell me fire did that. Fear Our Government not muslims.
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  Jaxplane

  11 months ago

  BecauseBushSaysSo is the fanatical side of trying to instill fear into the american people. Fear our Government not the terrorists. Yes believe the terrorist dont exist, 911 was the US government killing 3000 americans so we could start a war to line the pockets of the corporation. So yes, lets fear one another, fear your neighbors, the doctors, the educators fear everyone...but dont fear islamic faciest terrorists. Instill paranoia of everyone rather than doing what can be done to secure our country.
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