ABSTRACT
The purpose of democratic government is not to bully people to push them around for its own ends but to provide individuals with the necessary structure so that their opportunities for personal fulfillment are enhanced. Violent extremists so disrupt the orderly workings of society that effective governmental action is a necessity if the people are to enjoy the fruits of civilization. Clearly, terrorism cannot be ignored on the theory that to deal with it effectively threatens the civil liberties of our citizens. Yet unchecked terrorism is, by itself, a threat to the values of a democratic society. As democratic societies hold a common respect for the unique worth of each individual, terrorism rejects that concept of personal worth. It is destructive of democratic institutions which have taken centuries of persistent effort to develop. Combating terrorism has not been undertaken without cost to democratic values.
