Here, then, is one of the strange, if less explored, phenomena of our post-9/11 American age: in only one area of life are Americans officially considered 100% scared, and so 100% in need of protection, and that’s when it comes to terrorism.When it comes to the "war on terror," it doesn't matter what policy our leaders follow. All roads seem to end up in the same place!
For an E. coli strain that could pose serious dangers, were it to arrive here, there is no uproar. No screaming headlines highlight special demands that more money be poured into food safety; no instant plans have been rushed into place to review meat and vegetable security procedures; no one has been urging that a Global War on Food-Borne Illnesses be launched.
In fact, at this moment, six strains of E. coli that do cause illness in this country remain unregulated. Department of Agriculture proposals to deal with them are “stalled” at the Office of Management and Budget. Meanwhile, the super-toxic E. coli strain that appeared in Europe remains officially unregulated here.
On the other hand, send any goofus America-bound on a plane with any kind of idiotic device, and the politicians, the media, and the public promptly act as if -- and it’s you I’m addressing, Chicken Little -- the sky were falling or civilization itself were at risk.
~ from The 100% Doctrine in Washington by Tom Engelhardt ~
When Osama Bin Laden supposedly was on the loose, we had to be on guard for the next terrorist attack. When Osama Bin Laden supposedly was assassinated, we continue to have to be on guard for the next terrorist attack. Different scenarios, same outcome.
In discussions in DC for what we should do re Afghanistan, we see the same "logic" at work. If we stay and continue killing innocents, we are creating the desire for more people to join the terrorists to do us in. However, if we leave Afghanistan [in shambles], we are creating the desire for more people to join the terrorists to do us in.
As Englehardt aptly points out, when it comes to the issue of terrorism, our leaders seem more than willing to manufacture fear at every turn and yet, in other areas in which the people might have some legitimate fears, the leadership is completely ho-hum.
Kinda weird, isn't it?
It is sad how much fear drives our politicians and our marketplace, our society, and indeed our very own minds. Humans suffer from fear when we don't understand it, when we are at the mercy of our fear. Only by looking with the clear mind of courage can we begin to understand what is behind the fear, what keeps us trapped in the loop of hatred and blame.
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