Earlier quoted context omitted.
Comparing death tolls is a facetious argument. DC ground to a halt during the sniper's shootings even though he killed just a handful of people. The whole point of terrorism is the psychological impact. Also, cars kill twice as many people as murderers each year. If we ignore the difference between accidents and malicious acts, and the deterrent effect involved, you can probably make a case that its not worthwhile to…
The point of comparing death tolls is not to ignore the psychological impact, but rather to argue that the psychological impact should be the target of the remedies. For a country like the United States, terrorism is an allergen, and the reaction to an attack is anaphylaxis. When a person is allergic to bee stings, the best solution is to convince the immune system that bee stings aren't really a big deal and should…
Re: Noam Chomsky: A Surveillance State Beyond Imagination Is Being Created
#81Amen - you don't fix people's irrational fears by encouraging and indulging them. That is, of course, unless you own a business selling anti-boogeyman traps.