Are these two quotes basically saying the same thing?

Question

- "The need to be vigilant in the age of terrorism is one thing. Photographing the license plate of a poor sucker who tried to beat a yellow light in stop-and-go traffic is another." Tom Knott
http://washingtontimes.com/metro/20050112-101257-4152r.htm

==AND==

- "Besides tolerating the intolerable, I really wonder why more Americans -- and more people in the media -- also don't grok that things like the TSA no-fly list aren't examples of strength. They're blatant signs of helplessness and weakness (as well political bigotry in this case). How "strong" is it to pick names out of a hat and say their bearers can't get on airplanes? That is desperation. That is from hunger. That is what you do when you don't have Clue One about who or what the real threats to "national security" might be."
http://www.clairewolfe.com/wolfesblog/00001928.html

Answer 1

I believe so. Ticketing traffic violators is more of a "revenue enhancement device" than a fierce, no-nonsense attack on "crime". The second is merely stating that doing anything, even if it is not effective, is better than doing nothing. The relationship here is that keeping traffic violators in line by stopping them, embarrassing them, and "taxing" them is somehow effective in curbing traffic violations. I don't believe it is. A day-trip to the local morgue is probably way more effective to make drivers REALLY THINK about how dangerous their actions are to others and to themselves. The second statement could be easily depicted as a guy who thinks he's keeping his home and family safe by putting locks on everything in the house, and leaving the front door wide open to the whole wide world to just walk right in and look around, and do whatever they please...