«[A] professional colleague of mine was recently on a train to Chicago with his teenage son. They are of Mexican descent, but both are American citizens. Border Patrol agents boarded the train and conducted a similar inquisition. My colleague and his son were hassled quite a bit and told that they probably should keep proof of citizenship with them when they travel within the United States. When innocent American citizens are told they should have “their papers” on them, we live in a police state.
My experience last weekend reflects the essence of the problem. Why were the cops and the Border Patrol there? They were looking for illegal immigrants, drugs, and potential terrorists. It’s the perfect storm of statism that has brought us to this point. The combination of xenophobia, irrational fear of drugs, and the terror the State has whipped up about terrorists around every corner is the fuel on which this police state feeds. But a police state cannot emerge without many fellow citizens being willing to trade off their actual liberties for the false promise of security.
Since 9/11 the biggest threat to the American people is not radical Muslim terrorists, nor deranged domestic terrorists, but the terrorists with the blue uniforms, badges, and body armor. Their weapons of mass destruction are not bombs, but state-approved guns, latex-gloved hands, and a profound disregard for our rights. Until we stand up and say, “Enough!”these terrorists will keep winning and our rights will continue to be lost.»
As guerras militares ou quaisquer outras guerras (como a "guerra às drogas") são normalmente acompanhadas, no plano interno, pela redução do espaço de liberdade interna dos países que as travam, seja no caso do recurso ao recrutamento obrigatório, seja no plano de impostos mais elevados que são necessários para as financiar seja, ainda, "supostamente" combater as "quintas colunas" e "proteger" a rectaguarda. São sempre apresentadas como medidas transitórias, de "excepção", etc. Ora, uma qualquer análise rápida demonstra que esse recuo de liberdade nunca é recuperado em toda a sua extensão, findo o período de excepcionalidade que o Estado invocou para o levar a cabo. É disto que fala Horowitz.
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