“One of the assurances I keep hearing about the U.S. government’s spying on American citizens is that it’s only used in cases of terrorism. Terrorism is, of course, an extraordinary crime, and its horrific nature is supposed to justify permitting all sorts of excesses to prevent it. But there’s a problem with this line of reasoning: mission creep. The definitions of ‘terrorism’ and ‘weapon of mass destruction’ are broadening, and these extraordinary powers are being used, and will continue to be used, for crimes other than terrorism. Even as the definition of terrorism broadens, we have to ask how far we will extend that arbitrary line.”
