Rotello and Fear

A reader writes:

Reading Rotello's argument I found myself reminded of the Patriot Act. Both opt for security over freedom, and both are rooted in a paranoia and sense of hyper-vigilance where the world can be viewed only as a series of threats.  There's no victory, no end-game. Had Rotello had his way, even a gay community with no extant HIV could only peer out at the rest of the world terrified that another virus was about to descend. Without enforcing constant background checks and latex, the viral terrorists would return.

The real parallel strikes me as between dated safe sex campaigns and the terror alert system. Both rely on fear that has been replaced among most people with cynicism. Which makes effective disease and terror protection actually harder. If authorities are honest with people, they tend to get better results in the long run.