I used to be skeptical of this stuff, too. Then, we had 18 years of no major terrorist attacks.
We had 17 years of no major terrorist attacks that involved airplanes prior to 9/11; if you count the foiled plot, you could bump it down to six: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_airliner_bombing_a...
And we've had plenty of terrorist attacks since 9/11, we just don't call them that - we call them "lone wolves":
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_Las_Vegas_shooting
Plus, the original topic is about foreign threats, not domestic.
Then major terrorist attacks don't exist.
> Plus, the original topic is about foreign threats, not domestic.
I wonder if RealID and facial scanning would help with these goalposts, they keep wandering off.
I hope my down-voters are very active in organizations that scrutinize our government. Otherwise, I see some hypocrisy.
[1] Sure, there are plenty of bad actors online. But, in a country of several hundred million, they’re still a fringe minority. (And, how many are state actors attempting to sow discord?)
Really? Even on HN there's certain freedoms that the majority wants curtailed. Reddit is a complete cesspool of pro-totalitarianism. Twitter is, well, Twitter.
It also ignores prior abuses of govt power entirely aside from terrorist threats, that might be fair reason alone to distrust the current mechanisms being applied.
I also donate regularly to the ACLU and EFF, and do what I can to impact local politics, although these issues don't come up as much there, so no need to expect hypocrisy just because people disagree with you. (And frankly, even if they aren't active in these organizations, I support anyone who desires scrutanization, even if only in spreading that zeitgeist online. A few people being the "Watchmen" is no substitute for a cultural awareness that govts. _require_ checks, balances, and a tight reign by the people.)
I’m not blind to the issues. I am just happy that I was born into a country like the USA. I could have had much, much worse luck. And, even with all the blemishes and the frustration of slow processes, I stay motivated to keep this government going as it was designed. And, in my opinion, it’s actually a better country than a few hundred years ago. That gives me hope.
If you're reading this, I highly recommend the game Papers Please[0]. It's not... fun per se, but it is engaging and very interesting. Definitely worth a try.
Maybe so, depending on how you define "major terrorist attacks", but that's only because that's when I started carrying my anti-terrorism charm.
You can't publish evidence of state war crimes without the CIA doing a character assassination job on you (pending a real assassination).
You can't travel anonymously.
You can't publish anonymously.
You can't make bank transfers out of the country for arbitrary purposes.
You can't deposit or withdraw cash above a trivial amount without significant scrutiny which is reported to the government. Financial companies failing to report can be criminally liable; it is illegal for them to protect your privacy.
It's illegal to not let the state know where you habitually sleep (state ID/driver's license requirements).
You can't drive from place to place without being subject to arbitrary "I smelled marijuana" search.
Every single phone call, SMS, and email is logged by the government.
Every single train and airplane ride is logged by the government in realtime, and government ID is required to board planes (and some trains).
Every single payment card swipe is logged by the government in realtime, and has been since 2008.
The government can, at any time, with zero burden of proof, freeze any/all of your payment cards and deposit accounts.
The government can, at any time, with zero burden of proof, freeze your ability to send/receive electronic payments.
You can't make private transactions (e.g. at a casino) over a trivial amount in cash without having to submit identity documents.
Our government runs a global network of extrajudicial torture prisons.
Our government regularly uses illegal and inhumane conditions against children to dissuade people from seeking human rights (specifically to asylum).
Our government runs an extrajudicial network of assassination robots that target citizens and foreigners alike, with basically zero oversight about who they kill or why.
Our government has been known to retaliate with bogus charges against anyone who stands publicly against their illegal activities, e.g. Joseph Nacchio.
I'm really confused as to what would have to happen for you to think that we do live in a totalitarian state.
Government watch lists / no fly lists which have little to no oversight and no appeal process.
National Security Letters (NSLs) which have overly broad powers, minimal oversight, and include permanent gag orders.
Today I learned the government expects me to sleep in my PO Box.
Also, even if you did have to provide your residence for your ID/DL, there's no law that says you have to get an ID/DL in the first place. Not having one will make life hard, but it isn't illegal.
Is this directly because of DHS, et al.?