Read other letters about this article

• Friday, November 28, 2008 09:25 AM

  I would quibble a bit with this point from Glenn.

  From the original post: The greater one's physical or emotional proximity to the attacks, the greater is the danger that one will seek excessively to empower and submit to government authority and cheer for destructive counter-measures which allow few, if any, limits.

  I've spoken before about how I was supposed to be in Tower 2 the morning of the attack. At no time, then or since, have I thought either the Bush Administration or Congress were responding to the threat involved either intelligibly or appropriately. Nor can I recall speaking with anyone else living in NYC proper who thinks this.

  I have, however, worked in domestic preparedness consulting in the past, so maybe I've just been better prepared for the reality that terrorism is an omnipresent danger that can only be managed and minimized, never completely avoided. My wife is an EMS with FDNY, thus would be among those running into bombings and such, and she's even less enthralled with the government's actions the last eight years.

  I'm sure there are plenty of counter-examples of NYCers who wanted martial law and mass arrests, and I recognize Glenn was speaking of the danger of over-reacting. I'd like to think that by and large American citizens are intelligent enough to recognize when something isn't working and decide to try something else, even if it does take nearly six years and gods know how many scandals for them to get the message. Hopefully that's what we're seeing right now.

  —Iokannan in the Well Read Iokannan in the Well's other letters
  Permalink
  Flag
  Click "Submit Flag" if you feel this post is inappropriate. Explain why below if you wish.

  Cancel