In liberal democracies, most political acts are indeed legal, but some choose another way to influence political decisions instead. Terrorism is a seemingly violent method employed intravenously by fringe groups to draw the attention of others to their case. Dyck defines terrorism as “the threat or use of violence, usually directed against civilian populations, in order to create some form of political change” (Dyck 401). The acts of terrorism that occurred in the United States on September 11, 2001 are a powerful reminder of how some choose to resort to violence to make a political statement. The famous September 11 perfectly demonstrates how international terrorism acts as a catalyst for regime change. As these changes unfold, the central debate is how much one can sacrifice one's rights to protect oneself from terrorism. While on the one hand the suspension of these rights facilitates the fight against terrorism, on the other hand it entails a high democratic cost. In recent years, new body scanners have been installed in many airports which violate rights and freedoms. Counterterrorism tactics have exemplified how the government has gone too far in the fight against terrorism. Over the past 20 years, more than half of the world's poor countries have endured armed conflicts, associated with appalling human rights violations. These incidents were a catalyst for the recognition of terrorism as a global concern (Dyck 260). Yet, at times, we are left to feel that “one person's terrorist is another's freedom fighter” (Dyck 402). This shows how difficult it is to find a consensual definition of terrorism. The United Nations continues to classify events as terrorist activities, such as plane hijackings, but does not agree to change social procedures. The aftermath of the September 11 attack has led the government to attempt to change anti-terrorism policy procedures. Body scanners are becoming increasingly popular at airports to protect civilians from harmful threats that may arise on board the aircraft. However, the American government is justifying invasions in other countries as anti-terrorism measures and losing the respect of other governing nations. Works Cited Boyd, N. (2011). Canadian law: an introduction. (5 ed., pp. 105-116). Toronto, Ontario: NelsonEducation Ltd. Dyck, R. (2012). Studying Politics: An Introduction to Political Science. (4th ed.). Toronto, Ontario: Nelson.Mironenko, O. (2011). Body scanner against privacy and data protection. Elsevier, 232-244.Pankhurst, R. (2011). The legacy of 9/11: a decade of denial and destruction. Political theology