Attempts to remain a liberal democracy may not survive the popularity of terror as a guiding force that directs the politics of the day. Placing of a people into a state of fear paralyses their ability to be rational in their democratic choices.
Our democratic choices lead us to select leaders that make laws. Some of these laws have been enacted to defeat an unknown enemy, as in the renamed Total Information Awareness program in America. It was renamed The Patriot Act and now moves are occuring to cement it into American normality.
The erosion of civil rights may indeed catch a few terrorists, but it has also placed innocents into incarceration. Freedom is not available to all citizens equally. And that creates a problem. Our best lawyers examine individual cases and we evolve better laws.
What is the effect of the Government having a complete awareness of every citizen's deeds? Is this our democratic choice? If your freedom is threatened, defend it.
