Uploaded February 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
Be alert to the use of the words "extremism" and "terrorism". Be alive to the fatal notions of emergency and exception. Be angry about the treacherous use of patriotic vocabulary
-Timothy Snyder
——
This passage warns us to be skeptical when governments or leaders use words like “extremism,” “terrorism,” “emergency,” and “exception” to justify actions that strip people of rights. These terms are often used not to protect the public, but to consolidate power, silence dissent, and justify authoritarian measures.
Throughout history, leaders have invoked “national security” or “patriotism” to push through surveillance laws, restrict free speech, or target specific groups. The danger lies in how easily these labels can be applied to anyone who challenges power, from journalists to activists to everyday citizens.
- Question how words like “extremism” and “terrorism” are being used in the media and by politicians.
Ask: Who is being labeled an extremist? Who isn’t?
-Resist “emergency” measures that erode civil liberties. Once power is expanded, it rarely shrinks back.
-Push back on patriotic rhetoric used to justify repression. True patriotism means protecting democracy, not blind allegiance to the state.
- Support independent journalism that challenges these narratives and exposes government overreach.
Be alert to the use of the words "extremism" and "terrorism". Be alive to the fatal notions of emergency and exception. Be angry about the treacherous use of patriotic vocabulary
-Timothy Snyder
——
This passage warns us to be skeptical when governments or leaders use words like “extremism,” “terrorism,” “emergency,” and “exception” to justify actions that strip people of rights. These terms are often used not to protect the public, but to consolidate power, silence dissent, and justify authoritarian measures.
Throughout history, leaders have invoked “national security” or “patriotism” to push through surveillance laws, restrict free speech, or target specific groups. The danger lies in how easily these labels can be applied to anyone who challenges power, from journalists to activists to everyday citizens.
- Question how words like “extremism” and “terrorism” are being used in the media and by politicians.
Ask: Who is being labeled an extremist? Who isn’t?
-Resist “emergency” measures that erode civil liberties. Once power is expanded, it rarely shrinks back.
-Push back on patriotic rhetoric used to justify repression. True patriotism means protecting democracy, not blind allegiance to the state.
- Support independent journalism that challenges these narratives and exposes government overreach.
