Michael Chertoff didn't consider WMD?

Michael Chertoff’s concerns (Washington Post 11-3-13 “Invading our own privacy”) over the increasing invasive nature of public recording technology and its effects on “our culture” and “laws” should be dwarfed by humanities increasing capacity to produce weapons of mass destruction -- using the range of other dual use technologies increasingly affordable and available to all.  The exponential growth of bio, cyber, nano, and even conventional technologies makes virtually anyone with a grudge a lethal superpower.  

While expansion of public recordings impinge on our sense of privacy it could be our greatest tool in identifying and preventing potentially catastrophic consequences of violent extremists.   The WMD threats we now face are far more dangerous to privacy, freedom and prosperity.

Our culture cherishes our independence from one another (and other nations) as much as we cherish freedom and security.  The debate Americans must have is not about balancing a freedom/security dilemma.  It should highlight the trilimma that we really face.   We can’t have freedom, security and independence.  We can only have two in our technologically and biologically interdependent world. 

As Wood Allen once said “Humanity stands at a cross road. One road leads to utter hopelessness and despair, the other, to complete annihilation.”  He hoped “we have the wisdom to choose the right path.”  

I’m surprised Mr. ‘duck tape’ Chertoff missed this obvious reality.