State Terror Lurks in Plain Sight: The US and Israel's Slippery Slope
As a war correspondent who has spent years documenting state terror, I've seen the signs all too often. It starts with subtle changes in language - security, order, deterrence - all used to justify brutal policies. In Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Chechnya, and now the US, I've witnessed how governments use propaganda to convince people that violence is necessary, that dissent is treason.
The tactics are always the same: arbitrary detention, secret evidence, militarized policing. The tools may change, but the goal remains the same - to silence those who speak out against injustice. In Gaza, Israeli soldiers kill, torture, and imprison Palestinian doctors, journalists, teachers, activists, and scholars simply because of who they are.
In the US, I've watched as CEOs, academics, journalists, and government officials have allowed fear to override decency and moral authority. Claims that certain people are dangerous are used to justify draconian laws and policies that erode civil liberties. The surveillance state has become normalized, with lists being drawn up of "loyalty tests" reminiscent of the red scare.
The most chilling thing is what happens to society when democratic states adopt the methods of tyrannies. Fear becomes internalized, and we begin to censor our own thoughts. We wonder if the law will protect us if they come for us one day.
State terror does not make a state safer; it makes them weaker. Their global credibility frays, and they sacrifice the legitimacy that distinguishes them from the regimes they claim to oppose.
We should be listening urgently to all those who have lived through state terror - the hundreds of testimonies I've taken over the years are an early warning signal we cannot afford to ignore. The morning they came for me is a phrase that haunts many survivors, and it's a phrase that I know well.
As we stand at the precipice of this slippery slope, we must ask ourselves: what kind of society do we want to be? One where dissent is silenced, or one where freedom of speech is protected? The choice is ours.
As a war correspondent who has spent years documenting state terror, I've seen the signs all too often. It starts with subtle changes in language - security, order, deterrence - all used to justify brutal policies. In Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Chechnya, and now the US, I've witnessed how governments use propaganda to convince people that violence is necessary, that dissent is treason.
The tactics are always the same: arbitrary detention, secret evidence, militarized policing. The tools may change, but the goal remains the same - to silence those who speak out against injustice. In Gaza, Israeli soldiers kill, torture, and imprison Palestinian doctors, journalists, teachers, activists, and scholars simply because of who they are.
In the US, I've watched as CEOs, academics, journalists, and government officials have allowed fear to override decency and moral authority. Claims that certain people are dangerous are used to justify draconian laws and policies that erode civil liberties. The surveillance state has become normalized, with lists being drawn up of "loyalty tests" reminiscent of the red scare.
The most chilling thing is what happens to society when democratic states adopt the methods of tyrannies. Fear becomes internalized, and we begin to censor our own thoughts. We wonder if the law will protect us if they come for us one day.
State terror does not make a state safer; it makes them weaker. Their global credibility frays, and they sacrifice the legitimacy that distinguishes them from the regimes they claim to oppose.
We should be listening urgently to all those who have lived through state terror - the hundreds of testimonies I've taken over the years are an early warning signal we cannot afford to ignore. The morning they came for me is a phrase that haunts many survivors, and it's a phrase that I know well.
As we stand at the precipice of this slippery slope, we must ask ourselves: what kind of society do we want to be? One where dissent is silenced, or one where freedom of speech is protected? The choice is ours.
I'm getting the chills thinking about how things have escalated in both US and Israel. It's crazy how easily fear can be used as a justification for suppressing free speech and civil liberties 
. Remember when Edward Snowden came out in 2013? 
That was like, the wake-up call we needed to realize our governments were really watching us all the time 
. I'm worried that if we don't take a stand now, it's gonna be too late and we'll lose everything we hold dear 
. It's wild how some people can just get away with using propaganda and manipulating public opinion 
. We need to keep pushing for transparency and accountability from our leaders 
.
... how the US got involved and then withdrew, only for things to get worse... it's like they never actually cared about the people. And don't even get me started on the Israel-Palestine thing 
... it's just so frustrating that no one ever wants to talk about it in a serious way. I mean, what's going on with those lists of "loyalty tests"? Sounds super suspicious to me 
...
i was living in egypt during the revolution and saw firsthand how propaganda was used to whip up fear and control people's minds it started with small things like "security" but soon became all about crushing dissent and opposition
and before u know it ur living in a society where its not safe to speak up anymore
. we gotta be careful not to let our freedoms slip away, fam 
. i mean, i'm all 4 freedom of speech and all that, but also i wanna see us work together as a society 2 protect each other's rights 2, u feel? 
. I'm concerned that the normalization of surveillance states and draconian laws can lead to a dystopian future where dissent is indeed silenced 
. As someone who's spent years studying the effects of propaganda on public discourse, I believe it's essential to listen to the testimonies of those who've lived through state terror – their voices are a crucial warning signal 
.
.
.
. I mean, come on, arbitrary detention and secret evidence? That's some serious Orwellian stuff 
. And what's with all these "loyalty tests" being drawn up? It sounds like they're more interested in controlling people than actually keeping us safe 
.
. The surveillance state becomes normalized, and we lose our civil liberties. And let's not forget about the propaganda – it's like they're trying to convince us that violence is necessary or something 
. Newsflash: it's not 
.
. So, what's it gonna be? Are we gonna stand up for our values or are we just gonna sit back and watch as our freedoms get taken away? 
what's scariest is how normal it's becoming to accept these things as "just the way it is" 
we need to wake up and stand together against this state of terror it's like, we're already living in a world that values profit over people and freedom over facts 
did u no about the patriot act passed back in 2001 & the USA PATRIOT Act Extension of 2005? 
its scary to see how things have escalated now