The Failed Pacifist

Police States are Easy

I came across this quote from a month after the Twin Tower attacks. It's nothing new, and is in fact ancient by Internet standards. That said, we forget its message at our peril. It's even more relevent today than when first spoken.

There is no doubt that if we lived in a police state, it
would be easier to catch terrorists. If we lived in a
country where police were allowed to search your
home at any time for any reason; if we lived in a
country where the government is entitled to open
your mail, eavesdrop on your phone conversations,
or intercept your e-mail communications; if we
lived in a country where people could be held in
jail indefinitely based on what they write or think,
or based on mere suspicion that they are up to no
good, the government would probably discover more
terrorists or would-be terrorists! But that wouldn't be
a country in which we would want to live.

U.S. Senator Russ Feingold - Oct. 11, 2001

posted by Doran @ 11:21 AM