Terror

When a building explodes and collapses in NYC, everyone first thinks 'Terrorism'. People go scurrying for cover like it is the end of the world. Why is that? Are they still that skittish from 9/11 or from being reminded of it every 15 minutes by the government? This does not seem to me to be how New Yorkers would typically act.

History is going to remember the Bush administration as the 'Terror Administration'. Not the Administration which fought or conquered terrorism (as if that is even possible), but the Administration which used Terror (note the big T) to get its way in all things. It is not coincidental that whenever things get too hot politically, there is a new terror alert. I believe this is extremely unhealthy.

As a more personal example, I have several friends who had strong premonitions that there would be a major disruptive attack on or around July 4th. Is this realistic? The terrorists have shown themselves to be more concerned about their own timetable than any American holidays or key dates. I would bet that many of them don't know 7/4 has any meaning whatsoever just like 9/11 didn't for us not so long ago.

The reason my friends have these feeling is because they have it pounded into them day after day. These people aren't even very plugged in. They are not spending all day watching Fox News or even CNN. They aren't reading blogs. It just permeates the air. An irrational fear of Terrorist Attack. They didn't want to plan anything for the 4th because they felt like we would have no power. They warned my family about going to Rockaway Beach in Queens (where we had a fantastic time) because they were sure something would happen. This just isn't natural. We aren't meant to live this way.

However, if you can get people to feel this way all the time why would they mind losing liberties? They have already restricted their own liberty themselves. If the government can assure security for the people in exchange for a loss of liberty which is already perceived as being gone, then who is going to stand up and say no.

Am I saying there will never be another disastrous, tragic Terrorist attack? I would be surprised if that were true. Do I think the government should step back and not pursue the Terrorists and use the finest surveillance techniques to stop them? Of course not. But that doesn't mean they can't do that within the confines of the law and the Constitution. Oversight and separation of powers is written into our Constitution. It is not up to the Executive Branch to decide what laws apply or to shut out Congress and the Courts from their responsibilities of oversight.

Most of all, there is no reason the people have to be reminded at all times that they are imminently going to be attacked. We are not going to be made more vigilent and careful, we are going to be more pliant for an imperial take-over of our government.