My point is, and I clarified it in a later post, is that this isn't about a pretense of safety for you or I.This is about five years from now when the police and politicians say we need to do more, that current measures are not enough.
It's also about 20, 30, 50 years from now, and how far the government has gone at that point, in the name of "protecting" people.
Look at Social Security, look at the income tax, These all started off incredibly small decades ago, and look at where they are at now. Is there any reason to think that beginning a surveillance-oriented society at any level of government will simply stop at some point? Is there any reason to think we won't reach a "papers please" society?
A child born today is not going to realize just how free and open our society used to be. For those of us of my generation it was very easy to point at the Soviet Union and East Germany and say "that's exactly what we don't want - common, normal people being watched by cameras everywhere, people being tracked, their activities and associations being tracked, etc.". Now it's not so easy, a child born today is going to grow up in the current "the government will protect you" atmosphere, and will not only be used to the cameras, but will be used to an intrusive government.
He gets it!
Unfortunately, your "reward" for "getting it" will most likely take the form of a bunch of ignorami taunting you with suggestions that you tighten the chinstrap on your tinfoil beanie.
Your consolation is that when a few years hence, they are staggering in circles, wondering what hit them, you'll be able to remind them that he who laughs last laughs best.
Yes, I realize this is faint consolation. Sorry, wish I had more for you, but hey, what can I say?