Cents Quote by Joseph Sobran
“The chances of your being harmed by terrorists are mathematically minute. The chance of your being robbed by your own government? That's easy: 100 per cent.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Political Satire on Security, 1998
Government oppression is certain, while terrorist threats are statistically negligible.
In simple terms: Governments are more dangerous than terrorists.
Key Takeaway
Question authority and protect civil liberties.
Themes
politics
security
government
terrorism
freedom
Mood
critical
skeptical
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- public policy debate
- civil activism
- media literacy
Key Concepts
probability
state power
civil rights
risk assessment
Questions to Reflect On
- What safeguards can limit government overreach?
- How do we balance security with liberty?
A Different Perspective
Overgeneralizing may ignore real terrorist risks.
![“...[T]he Constitution conferred only a few specific powers on the federal government, all others being denied to it (as the Tenth Amendment would make plain). Unfortunately, only a tiny fraction of the U.S. population today - subtle logicians like you - can grasp such nuances. Too bad. The…” quote by Joseph Sobran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e81/joseph-sobran-6902_amendments_t-he-constitution-conferred-only-a-few-s_384248.jpg)
![“...[T]oday's Washington is about as attentive to the Tenth Amendment as the Unitarian Church is to the Book of Revelation.” quote by Joseph Sobran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b72/joseph-sobran-6902_amendments_t-oday-s-washington-is-about-as-attentiv_404524.jpg)
