MSNBC 'Discovers' Post-9/11 Power Grabs Weren't Just About 9/11
MSNBC, ever the intrepid chronicler of the obvious (eventually), details how tools forged in the fires of 9/11 to combat terrorism were later wielded against domestic dissent. The Patriot Act, we're reminded, expanded government surveillance and broadened definitions of 'terrorism'—useful concepts when, say, suppressing protest or demonizing political opponents. What the piece conveniently
sidelines is that this infrastructure wasn't just waiting for Trump; it's seen extensive use against environmental activists, indigenous land defenders, and minority groups for decades. It's almost as if the 'war on terror' was always a flexible legal construct, rather than a specific response to a specific threat. How wonderfully adaptable these emergency powers become, especially when deployed
against movements the establishment finds inconvenient—whether it's 'Antifa' or, one might suggest, critics of unchecked police brutality or foreign policy. Who knew that giving the government immense, broadly defined power might lead to its expansive application?