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Comment by chris_mahan | Hacker News Reader

if there was a terror group operating in the US, killing 10,000 children a week in all states with bombs, chemicals, and biological weapons, and you tried to stop the government, police, army, and other federal agencies from doing everything possible to stop that and save the lives of 4 year-old kids, you'd likely find yourself in jail or dead.

People in America who grew up on Nintendo and Xbox don't have a clue how stupidly brutal the world can be. This is why these "highly educated people" are "actually for it".

I will grant you that these activities should be under the oversight of the US government, State governments, who represent the People of the United States. The FBI is such a federal government agency.

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If a group of terrorists develop the capability to kill 10,000 children a week, they are probably in league with the same US government.

Just a question, why would the terrorists be targeting children in particular? Why not a mix of infants, children, adults, and elderly people? Your scum-sucking interest in over-reaching government intrusiveness is leading you to come up with demented and perverse scenarios focused on children.

Dude clean up your mind.

I say that because I have a child.

If there was a terror group operating in the US doing all you claim, access to their phones would provide us with no protection whatsoever. We have absolute, concrete proof of this thanks to the 9/11 Commission Report. The NSA knew where Mohammed Atta was. They knew exactly what he was planning. And they kept it secret. They are so afraid of revealing their methods and capabilities that there is literally NO tragedy so great that they would be willing to speak up to prevent it. When the CIA and FBI both asked the NSA for their information about Atta, the NSA refused to supply it or even warn them.

I think people have a very good handle on how brutal the world can be. In fact, they believe it to be quite a bit more brtual than it actually is. There have been ONE really major terrorist attack in the US in the past century. And having access to every single one of their conversations did not do anything to prevent it. Having separate entrances for pilots and passengers on planes would have prevented it completely, though.

If I had a pet dragon, I could fly to Europe without paying the airlines.

Clearly, it's reasonable for people not to expect to have to pay airlines for travel to Europe.

if.

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