>> Terrorism isn't about death, it's about terror, putting people in a state of fear. The war on terror isn't about preventing death, it's about preventing fear.
Then it is the greatest irony of all time that people have become more fearful of surveillance and persecution by their own governments than some terrorists who live overseas.
The vast majority of people don't live in fear of their governments because they don't care. In fact, fear of government controlling out lives is mostly an American collective psychosis. (even then limited to internet activists, survivalists, gun horders etc.)
Not to say it's without merit, but this really doesn't preoccupy people's thoughts in other countries. I've tried to explaining to Japanese and British people that we have guns to prevent potential government oppression and to be able to take our personal protection into our own hands. They look at you ask if you're crazy/paranoid.
The whole slippery slope stuff doesn't resonate at all.
The whole thing basically boils down to:
"If I were to potentially at some point in the indefinite future plot anti government activities through my email I want to be sure that big brother doesn't read it"
It's because they're not infected since childhood with the particular American psychosis we call individuality and damn anyone else cause I got mine. That's very American.
Then it is the greatest irony of all time that people have become more fearful of surveillance and persecution by their own governments than some terrorists who live overseas.