So, how does this 'bomb' thingy work?

[jsbowden]

Apparently, yesterday, in the UK, you fine folk were attacked by The Short Bus Brigade. The only casualty was one of the would be bombers who managed to not quite blow himself all the way up. Not a single device went off properly.

Okay boys and girls, the terrorists are now down to the exceedingly shallow end of the gene pool, where even tadpoles fear drying out. Can we quit fucking panicing on this side of the pond yet? Please? I'm tired of watching the sheeple around me continuing to clamor for more and more useless infringements on our civil rights in the name of Doing Something! Security Theater is pointless, expensive, and only inconveniences us.

Quiet honestly, I'd rather we just armed everyone at the door in airports. You no longer have to try and guess who might be dangerous. Open the borders. Let everyone in. Quit treating terrorists like they're special and treat them like the ordinary criminals they are.

One day, I'm going to post the contents of a message I sent a couple days after Sept. 11 to a mailing list inhabited by friends. It wasn't popular with them, I doubt it'll be popular here, but even 4 years out, I still think I was right.

Comments

[robeli.livejournal.com]

Despite gov officials saying everything is just fine here, we are on Orange PLUS (apparently we have pluses and minuses in that coding system now too). And, all major cities have increased security at our metro's and NYC is starting random bag searches in the subway and buses. But don't worry - everything is just fine here except your right to freedom.

[mdevnich.livejournal.com]

Ooh! Is it "double-super-sekrit-orange-plus"? Thaat would make a great soft drink name.

[prince-eric.livejournal.com]

'Sokay, we're going to be safe once we finish up this bit of business in the legislature.

[theweaselking.livejournal.com]

"Republicans said there had been no documented instances of civil liberty abuses since the act was originally passed in 200" - gee, when part of the problem is the investigation and detainment of people without proper documentation, YA THINK?

[prince-eric.livejournal.com]

More fundamentally, "We're doing this, and you can't tell anyone about it, even a lawyer" kinda covers a lot of crap.

I'm afraid that it'll take repeated cases of people coming forward and saying "Hey! We got fucked!" and dealing with the fallout ("You weren't supposed to tell anyone about the double-super-secret probation!") before this gets changed.

The willingness of people to do that, and for the great unwashed masses to actually say something other then "Well, you musta done something wrong, otherwise they wouldn't have suspected you, now, would they?" is left as an exercise for the reader.

[silmaril.livejournal.com]

Just an etymology question---whence the word "sheeple"? I can figure out the "sheep" part, but...

[jsbowden.livejournal.com]

Sheep + people = sheeple

[silmaril.livejournal.com]

Oh. Maybe it's a "duh" moment, but I like it.

[cmseward.livejournal.com]

It may be religiously insensitive, but I'm fully behind the idea of announcing that any terrorists/terrorist wannabes caught in the act will be shot with bullets (etc.) dipped in pig blood, and/or buried with the carcasses of pigs, or something else not kosher, in an effort to reduce the number of zealots who are in it for the "getting to heaven immediately" part. (And doing it, too, so it's not an empty threat.) Use their own zealous nature against them.

[rgovrebo.livejournal.com]

Just videotape that and release it on the net.

[turnberryknkn.livejournal.com]

Quit treating terrorists like they're special and treat them like the ordinary criminals they are.

I think there's something very, very important that I agree with captured in that sentence.

Compare and contrast, for example, how we chose, as a country, to deal with the Oklaholma City bombings, vs. how we dealt with 9/11...

[rgovrebo.livejournal.com]

One day, I'm going to post the contents of a message I sent a couple days after Sept. 11 to a mailing list inhabited by friends. It wasn't popular with them, I doubt it'll be popular here, but even 4 years out, I still think I was right.

I want to see this.

Since you asked:

[jsbowden.livejournal.com]

Date: Wed, 12 Sep 2001 14:41:40 -0700 (PDT)
From: Jamie Bowden <ragnar@sysabend.org>
Reply-To: gamers@usgamers.com
To: "'gamers@usgamers.com'" <gamers@usgamers.com>
Subject: RE: Gamers:: RE: Terrorist attack

On Wed, 12 Sep 2001, Matthew Zeher wrote:

: I apologize if my words seem as if they are the random ranting of
:one filled with the "sickness" of bloodlust. But I disagree slightly. I can
:not advocate the senseless and random taking on innocent life. However while
:you believe Rob's shame is what defines it us as civilized. I believe that
:his shame is completely unnecessary and unjustified. Chris has the "HONOR"
:of inflicting great casualties upon the enemies of the United States in the
:name of preventing this abhorable activity in the future. I could only wish
:to be a part of a task of such importance. Bloodlust and vengeance maybe
:characteristics that are uncivilized in nature but we are not in a civilized
:conflict. And they are characteristics that when properly focused may give
:us the STRENGTH and RESOLVE to see this through to the end. At this point
:it's not our Compassion for Humanity that is being tested, it's our
:Perseverance. If our desire for Vengeance can strengthen our resolve, so be
:it! In that there is no SHAME!
: We will be inflicting brutality upon our enemies but that brutality
:is not senseless, their brutality was. Pacifism and Compassion cannot be
:aloud to cloud our judgment and the following condemnation. There is no
:shame in WANTING to destroy those that are your enemy, those that would
:visit pain and suffering upon all that you love and hold dear. Feel PROUD of
:that emotion. Feel PROUD that blood still pumps in your veins. Feel PROUD
:that you can have the strength and focus to protect those that you love and
:still have sensibility to remain civilized.
: Sorry john if it sounded like I am attacking your ideal. I
:understand what you're getting at and admire it in a way. I just have a
:different outlook and wanted Chris to understand just exactly how much we
:support him, his actions and whatever emotions he might feel. :)

Mindless patriotism is not the answer. Do you think the people who used
loaded planes as guided fuel air bombs thought they were being less than
patriotic and fulfilling their duty?

I've stayed out of this for the most part. I have friends and coworkers
who actually work in the big five sided building that had a B767 rammed
into its west facing wall. We weren't sure if we were ever going to see
them again. Fortunately, they are fine. Not all were so fortunate.

Tommy, have you heard from Vivian?
Note: evilxyzzy is the person I'm asking here, as his sister works in aforementioned building, and has for over a decade.

Turning the other cheek would be as wrong as nuking all of Asia Minor and
North Africa. The answer lies in the cold process of Justice, not the hot responce of revenge. Find them; bring them here by any means. Put them in front of a judge and jury. Let the evidence speak. Grind them to dust under the wheels of democracy.

If a foriegn govt. harbors these criminals, after they've attacked a US
Military installation (and make no mistake, the Pentagon counts), we
simply consider that an act of war and continue appropriately from there.
We do not start from there. Acting no better then those who killed
thousands of civilians just because we can makes us into what we're
fighting against. They win by default.

I'm dreading what effect this is going to have on our civil liberties. No good will come of this. And yet another of their goals comes closer to fruition as we erode our basic freedoms.

Jamie Bowden

--
"It was half way to Rivendell when the drugs began to take hold"
Hunter S Tolkien "Fear and Loathing in Barad Dur"
Iain Bowen <alaric@alaric.org.uk>

I took a lot of flack from people I've known for a very long time over that message. I still stand behind it.