I wouldn't have brought them up if they weren't examples: TSA: making searches mandatory just in case there's a hijacker DHS: vastly expanding federal police

I wouldn't have brought them up if they weren't examples: TSA: making searches mandatory just in case there's a hijacker DHS: vastly expanding federal police powers just in case there's a terrorist in the country War on Drugs: fund expensive and invasive federal and state police operations just in case someone overdoses Iraq invasion: invade Iraq just in case there are weapons of mass destruction Afghanistan occupation: stay there just in case the Taliban permits Wahhabi radicals to use the country as a home base for planning and training. Okay, in this instance, it's "avoid doing stuff online just in case newspapers are right that my government is surveilling my actions." In this case, it's a radical life change that has little upside. She did not abandon her blog on a whim; she hated that she felt she was forced to do so. But the risk was overblown: when the police kick down the door of Pamela Jones, I assure you they already have me and perhaps you (in the Netherlands) in prison as well.