[diggan]

> being a dissident may not be in one's best interest.

I agree, if you're not a fan of democracy, you might not want to be a dissident in the current American environment. If you are, then you most likely want to be a dissident, otherwise it'll slowly disappear before your eyes, and you'll be too late to be able to change it soon.

If you're in the latter camp, learn how to protect and hide yourself rather than becoming apathetic because you're afraid of the consequences.