Terrorist victory

Re “Germany seeks expansion of computer spying,” Oct. 30

The debate over draconian security measures, which have the intrinsic potential to undermine fundamental rights, exemplifies how Germany is about to give the terrorists exactly what they want: the mass production of unreasonable fear. A cry-wolf approach is not particularly effective at uniting the German people against existential threats. The fact is that strategies like these are doomed to failure. Only an open society has the required capacity to respond appropriately to terrorism.

Michael Topfer

Dingelstadt, Germany