The definition of a terrorist is easy: someone who does something that the government does not like. Right now, for the United States, that definition mostly o

The definition of a terrorist is easy: someone who does something that the government does not like. Right now, for the United States, that definition mostly overlaps with what the governed people also do not like, such as ending people's lives and financial crimes and all that. The problem, at least for those not in charge, is that the definition can and does slip. The conundrum, at least for me, is that I am perfectly willing to accept that government--as an institution, not specifically any current government--is a good thing. Government can and should do things like build roads, provide mass transit, raise a military, promulgate regulations for things like the economy and the environment and the RF spectrum, and even make provision for health care and a social safety net. All of these things can and should exist in a modern country with a modern government. However, this only works if the people doing the governing recognize that they, too, are governed. Our (the United States) government has delegated so much to private entities and hidden agencies and "dark" budgets that the folks in those groups no longer need to feel as though they are limited. They _can_ do almost anything because our public government has _given_ them that ability. I don't think that the road to hell is paved with good intentions, just that a good idea can inevitably be twisted into something foul.