Two major events occurred recently that highlight the sad American response to perceived threats. In both cases the sad American response is to "feel better" about the situation without really making any significant improvement in security.
"Feeling better" is a childish substitute for learning from history, when trying to develop an effective public policy.
Part One: "Run Away, Run Away !!!"
Security at America's capitol ( DC ) appears to have been planned by the authors of "Monty Python and the Holy Grail". This marvelous comedy ( the movie, not the guv'ment; although it's sometimes hard to tell the difference ) has several scenes where the Grail questers respond to threats by screaming in unison, "Run Away, Run Away!!!" and then doing what they scream.
With a new, massive Homeland Security bureaucracy this was the best they could do when a small plane violated the security airspace around Washington, DC.
Why is it more safe for everyone to run OUT INTO THE OPEN?
As a lay person I've come to realize that security is based on a priority of responses based on the engagement of the threat.
There used to be a time when the threat of a flying bomb caused us to build and occupy reinforced bunkers. Civilians in WWII London built their own below ground bunkers in their yards if they couldn't get to the underground mass transit tunnels.
What happened to all those nuclear bunkers, for congress critters, from the cold war?
If they lack the bunkers, might it be a good idea to retreat INSIDE the buildings with the most inert mass (heavy stone)?
This would seem to me a better priority than running into the open before the approaching predator has struck. I'm sure many predators would appreciate their prey exposing themselves, so the predator could change course and not have to fight past any substantial barrier, to kill the meat.
[ May 21, 2005: even if the congress critters were running outside to get into bunkers, this doesn't seem such a hot idea. These teens figured out a neat scheme to kill their fellow students - don't you think the adult predators could use the same tactic? With all the billions of Federal debt spending your children will have to pay for, might a few secured tunnels be better than an open air sniper arcade? ]
Once a predator has struck his select prey, a stampede (to the next available defensive position) becomes appropriate, as a second priority. Once the predators of Columbine High School had penetrated INTO the first defense (school building), a student stampede AWAY might have saved many - yet they did just the wrong response, locking themselves into the building, becoming a captive buffet to the predators who could crack the shell.
But maybe I'm objecting to the "Run Away!!!" scheme too much - if our reps can be picked off easier, we'll have the term limits many have been calling for, to improve our Republic.
Part Two: Identify the Innocent ( all others lie )
In close conjunction with the "Run Away!!!" security paradigm, Congress adopted Real ID (isn't that a GREAT "feel good" name? You haven't been "real" until the guv'ment told you) which creates a de facto national / universal Federal ID - the particular State ID forms may vary, but it's all linked to a central Federal database.
Of course it's all to improve YOUR security.
Again, as a lay person, I've learned these things about a central, mandatory guv'ment ID ...
1) The Nazis made everyone carry "papers" in the Motherland and the occupied territories, yet the armed resistance still persisted, blowing up or otherwise destroying stuff the Nazis didn't want destroyed. If the Nazis couldn't stop armed violence against the state with universal ID, why do we think the glorious American guv'ment can do any better? Just because we're the "good guys?"
2) ALL the Sept. 11 terrorists had US guv'ment issued identity papers - they may have stayed beyond the time limits specified in the documents, but they had the paperwork to prove it.
Guess what, boyz and gurlz, Real ID will just raise the price, or change the tactics, predators use to get that same ID that says the guv'ment recognizes them. "Sleeper" predators will work very hard to have a "clean" identity outside the US, then get the appropriate American papers.
Or save the hassle and just idle across our southern border with enough portable funds to do their damage.
Have you EVER heard of people "branding" the predators to protect the herds? No, it's always the herds that get branded so their owners know who belongs to which owner. Predators don't apply for valid ID; or do so under false, "clean" identity - the wolf wears the most attractive sheep skin.
Here's an idea: all the DC critters can run outside and wave their Real ID as the predators home in on the meat outside of it's shell.
A final movie allusion: Homeland Security has become the "dentist" from The Marathon Man who drills into the protagonist's tooth marrow (with no pain killer) while repeatedly asking, "Is it safe?" The protagonist has no idea why he's being tortured, or being asked "Is it safe?".
Homeland Security is drilling deep into my family's funds, and I have no idea how they are keeping me safe. What I'm seeing doesn't convince me.
At least the threats are color coded - that "feels good". Maybe that would help in Israel, color code the Palestinian threat?
Maybe Feng Shui could have saved the Titanic? What's that saying about "rearranging the deck chairs?"
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