If only it were true

John Adams (via Glenn Greenwald):

Fear is the foundation of most governments; but it is so sordid and brutal a passion, and renders men in whose breasts it predominates so stupid and miserable, that Americans will not be likely to approve of any political institution which is founded on it.

Unfortunately it isn't true, and many Americans seem so caught up in the fear of terrorism that they want their government to take away their liberties, torture every possible enemy, bomb civilians all over the world, and spend trillions doing it, if only it will somehow make us safe.

But there is no complete safety, and the quest for it can only lead to tyranny, permanent war, and political lunacy. The only way to stop the madness is to accept that we have to live with a risk of being bombed. I won't say that there isn't anything we can do about it, but the cost is just too high.