(no subject)
I am quite legitimately confused by the media hysteria about the latest foiled terrorist plot. Um... isn't this what the government is supposed to be doing all the time -- foiling terrorist plots? I mean, boston.com is now featuring a massive headline that says "Feeling the effects of a foiled terror plot"... accompanied by a devastating photograph of someone having to shockingly discard their shaving cream before boarding a plane.
And the articles themselves are trying so hard to seem like something horrible has happened, but all they can point to is long lines at the airport and people with acid reflux boarding airplanes without a bottle of Pepto.
How can you "feel the effects" of something that didn't happen?? Why are they reporting on this plot like there was an actual attack????????? If we are actually "at war with terrorists," as Bush constantly repeats, doesn't it stand to reason that the government should be pretty constantly stopping these attacks before they occur? I just assume that's what there doing; why is this such shocking news?
And another thing: if we are supposed to be extra superduper scared because the attack was foiled at the 11th hour, that makes even less sense. Haven't we learned enough about these terrorist cells by this point to know that the participants themselves do not get their direct orders until the last minute? How would the government arrest the participants if they don't even know who they are or what they're supposed to be doing yet?
I'm as scared of terrorism as the next person, and I already have a fear of flying that requires a mouthful of xanax to even get on a plane. But I just do not understand why this particular incident is being treated with such gravity. The plot was diverted! No planes were "blown out of the sky," as the reporting keeps saying over and over and over. But we're still supposed to be traumatized...
I don't get it!!!
And the articles themselves are trying so hard to seem like something horrible has happened, but all they can point to is long lines at the airport and people with acid reflux boarding airplanes without a bottle of Pepto.
How can you "feel the effects" of something that didn't happen?? Why are they reporting on this plot like there was an actual attack????????? If we are actually "at war with terrorists," as Bush constantly repeats, doesn't it stand to reason that the government should be pretty constantly stopping these attacks before they occur? I just assume that's what there doing; why is this such shocking news?
And another thing: if we are supposed to be extra superduper scared because the attack was foiled at the 11th hour, that makes even less sense. Haven't we learned enough about these terrorist cells by this point to know that the participants themselves do not get their direct orders until the last minute? How would the government arrest the participants if they don't even know who they are or what they're supposed to be doing yet?
I'm as scared of terrorism as the next person, and I already have a fear of flying that requires a mouthful of xanax to even get on a plane. But I just do not understand why this particular incident is being treated with such gravity. The plot was diverted! No planes were "blown out of the sky," as the reporting keeps saying over and over and over. But we're still supposed to be traumatized...
I don't get it!!!