In a piece for The Atlantic under the headline, “The Irrationality of
Giving Up This Much Liberty to Fight Terror,” Conor Friedersdorf resurrects the
idea that America experiences more deaths from disease and accidents, so deaths
from terrorism should not be such a national priority.
Giving Up This Much Liberty to Fight Terror,” Conor Friedersdorf resurrects the
idea that America experiences more deaths from disease and accidents, so deaths
from terrorism should not be such a national priority.
Friedersdorf cites deaths from car accidents, diabetes, and guns and
compares those numbers to the 3,000 killed on 9/11.
compares those numbers to the 3,000 killed on 9/11.
The problem I have with this argument is this: How painful and disturbing
would it be to have a loved one die in a car accident compared to a death at
the hands of a terrorist in an explosion that incinerated your loved one’s
body? In addition, one incident is an accident, the other is a fanatical, irrational act
with your loved one targeted for death simply because he/she is an American and
non-Muslim.
would it be to have a loved one die in a car accident compared to a death at
the hands of a terrorist in an explosion that incinerated your loved one’s
body? In addition, one incident is an accident, the other is a fanatical, irrational act
with your loved one targeted for death simply because he/she is an American and
non-Muslim.
To me, there is no comparison between those two situations. Accidents
happen. Terrorism should not.
happen. Terrorism should not.
Here’s a taste of Freirsdorf’s argument:
“When confronted by far deadlier
threats (than terrorism), Americans are much less willing to cede freedom and
privacy.
threats (than terrorism), Americans are much less willing to cede freedom and
privacy.
“…Irrational cowardice is
getting the better of our polity. Terrorism isn’t something we’re ceding
liberty to fight because the threat is especially dire compared to other
dangers of the modern world. All sorts of things kill us in far greater
numbers. Rather, like airplane crashes and shark attacks, acts of terror are
scarier than most causes of death. The seeming contradictions in how we treat
different threats suggest that we aren’t trading civil liberties for security,
but a sense of security. We aren’t empowering the national-security
state so that we’re safer, but so we feel safer.”
getting the better of our polity. Terrorism isn’t something we’re ceding
liberty to fight because the threat is especially dire compared to other
dangers of the modern world. All sorts of things kill us in far greater
numbers. Rather, like airplane crashes and shark attacks, acts of terror are
scarier than most causes of death. The seeming contradictions in how we treat
different threats suggest that we aren’t trading civil liberties for security,
but a sense of security. We aren’t empowering the national-security
state so that we’re safer, but so we feel safer.”
