As is placing network hardware to connect people around the world. What a ridiculous statement.

No, the ridiculous thing is pretending that the rest of the world views technology the way that you (and many others - myself included!) think that it _should_, rather than in the way that it _does_. You may believe, with some justification, that authorities _should_ treat "running a Tor node" and "running network hardware" as equally responsible for the data transferred on them - but the fact of the matter is that they _don't_, and so caution is advisable.

> What a ridiculous statement.

"Hi, welcome to Ben Gurion airport! Has anyone else besides you packed your luggage, or have you left your luggage unattended, or out of your sight, for any instant of time?"