Look at the US example, TSA according to my experience is a gigantic program to get underintelligent unfriendly people into federal health care. Do we really think that these morons "make America safer" ?
In truth I think they do but not nearly on the scale that the illusion would have us believe.
The more serious issue is the powers of the US Patriot Act. Whenever "patriotism" starts to enter the dialogue, I get very worried and alert as to what civil rights and freedoms as guaranteed by the Constitution are about to be taken away in the name of "fighting terrorism".
I first ran across this image on the way to Yosemite National Park at a small wayside gas station run by a New Zealander who'd been there for 30 years. I bought two of the T-shirts and have worn them in the US since, without result except for people who ask where they can get one, (available on the web by typing in
fighting terrorism since 1492).
The poster says it all and it is not just applicable to the US. The message applies everywhere but it is the US which takes away its citizens' freedoms in the name of terrorism. It is at once respectful of the original dissidents and poignant in its very current message.
