I think the question is whether there's any evidence these laws have mitigated or prevented anything. After 20 years there should be a vast body of evidence to justify the second, third, and fourth order effects these pernicious laws have had on society.

Like the TSA, these laws are objectively a waste of time and money. Take a guess how many terror plots have been foiled by the DHS versus random members of the public. Confiscating someone's leatherman multi-tool at the airport doesn't count for much.

Instead of looking at the facts, we keep grasping for nonsense perpetuating the existence of a self-licking ice cream cone.