Security Theater
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The Atlantic covers news, politics, culture, technology, health, and more, through its articles, podcasts, videos, and flagship magazine.
When people say "we must act now!" they are usually wrong. When people say "we can't look weak!" it's usually time to discount whatever else they say.
Protecting modern presidents is a legitimate and crucial goal. Here is some of what it ends up meaning in practice.
Americans have often thought of themselves as level-headed and BS-detecting. What would a modern Mark Twain or Will Rogers make of policemen all dressed up for war?
Another poisoned fruit of the post-9/11 sensibility
A word we should use more frequently ("filibuster"), and one we should use less ("tough")
I'm glad we have this information; I am sorry we are getting it from Hong Kong.
What the PRISM leaks have in common with the Pentagon Papers
The good and bad of today's political news
Air travel as indicator of fray points in society
Why not call it 'spatial profiling'?
"At this point I was shaking in my boots. I was absolutely concerned they were going to plant something in my aircraft."
Stop-and-frisk, in the skies
The TL;DR version of stop-and-frisk taking to the skies
"I figured at this point that I was being hijacked by drug dealers who were going to steal my plane." But no, it was the Feds.
A message I have been waiting to hear.
One more reason why it matters that the open-ended "war on terror" come to a close. Plus the "war on drugs."
"My dad fought a war so this can never happen in America. I will not dishonor my father's memory by giving up what he fought for. No, sir. With all due respect, I will not consent to a search without a proper warrant."
We all notice the parts of security-overreach that affect us.
Readers debate who is really to blame for yet another minor "air-rage" episode.
What Bartleby the Scrivener foresaw about modern air travel