Comments on: Vote: Who has the best “last word” on the crotch bomber?

By: Grant Hamilton

Grant Hamilton — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 15:07:41 +0000

I actually think they both make good points, but with slightly different angles. Perhaps I’m pulling back the curtain here, but I only included the word ‘vote’ to make sure people would read both links and comment. I think it’s an important discussion for our society — why are we cowed like sheep into safety-first queues that seem right out of Orwell?

(aside: many “quotes” that we remember have been mangled from the original phrasing to make them better stand-alones.)

By: thebanana

thebanana — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 14:16:24 +0000

Not too badly mangled. That was a quote from Ben Franklin I believe.

By: Colin

Colin — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 17:20:50 +0000

Any society that is willing to deny its rights to preserve its liberty deserves neither.”

– Some guy whose name I can’t remember and whom I have misquoted anyway.

By: Matt Goerzen

Matt Goerzen — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 16:27:34 +0000

“Once a society starts circumventing its own laws, the risks to its future stability are much greater than terrorism.” — Bruce Schneier

“The fault here is not just with our endlessly incompetent security services, who give the benefit of the doubt to people who should have been arrested long ago or at least had their visas and travel rights revoked. It is also with a public opinion that sheepishly bleats to be made to “feel safe.” The demand to satisfy that sad illusion can be met with relative ease if you pay enough people to stand around and stare significantly at the citizens’ toothpaste.” — Christopher Hitchens

They’re both right, really. This endlessly idiotic penchant governments seem to have to want to be seen to be doing something — no matter how useless or invasive — to stave off election losses bothers me. And we seem to be growing a generation of frightened child-like adults who are too overwhelmed to say “we deserve better.”

Take away the restrictions and instead teach passengers how to subdue a terrorist. If I see a guy trying to light his pants on fire, chances are I’ll do something about it.