TERRORISM: Seriousness and potential strategies

From: Smigrodzki, Rafal (SmigrodzkiR@MSX.UPMC.EDU)
Date: Tue Sep 18 2001 - 14:47:35 MDT


Phil Osborn wrote:

(Naturally, I would like to see that Clean Card combined with a universal
social contract, but it's likely that this would have to come later and
separately.)

Anyway, the above is an actual solution to terrorism that could work,
without violating anyone's civil rights, and without any huge, possibly
useless, military operation. Comments?

#### I love your proposal. Voluntary testing in a "truth machine" (be it an
MRI "brain fingerprinting", testing for the P300 response, narcoanalysis,
MEG, or a combination of these and novel techniques), after which the
successfully tested person would be allowed more access to e.g. certain
private venues or sensitive public areas, is *the* answer to a lot of our
problems. I would be willing to pay a premium to live in a community where
all inhabitants would be tested (including me) for certain antisocial
tendencies. I would be more confident dealing with a business whose
proprietors are certifiably honest. Flying in an airplane whose pilot is not
a nut trying to commit suicide (like this Egyptian guy a year or so ago),
would be easier on my nerves, too. And, last but not least, I would never
vote for a politician saying he won't be tested, because this would "violate
his human dignity", or some other flimsy excuse.

All this could be done privately, with no need for extensive governmental
intrusion. Persons who have something to hide would not become my neighbors,
business associates, or friends, without me being aware of it and freely
consenting to it. It would be based on voluntary decisions of all involved
and would greatly expand the scope of possible social arrangements, just
like the development of reporting agencies (e.g. Experian and the MIB)
allowed the existence of modern credit and insurance industries.

I am looking forward to a future of (almost) total transparency, with all of
us knowing all there is to know about everybody, including those in power.

Rafal Smigrodzki

And, be the way, MIB is Medical Information Bureau.



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