Remember: our rules allow pointed disagreement, but require respectful discussion.
--
I agree with Mr. Atherton that both averting disaster and preparing for
potential disasters should be on the agenda of the city. I believe there has
been some work in this area over the past few years, as I am aware of several
drills that have taken place on the weekends in some buildings - including
Pillsbury Center; I think the work that has been done is at the federal level,
but couldn't say for sure.
I don't know why another list member feels that it would be impossible to
duplicate what happened on the east coast - it's depressingly easy, and the fact
that the larger buildings are in the center seems somewhat irrelevant to me,
unless I missed something.
We've been naive about security for years, and making no changes in the name of
"not giving in to the terrorists" is foolish; why be an easy target? We don't
necessarily have to impune civil liberties to be better about security.
European countries have dealt with the issue for decades, and other than an
oppressive tax system I don't feel any less "free" in Europe than I do here.
The French were able to stop a planned airplane attack on the Eiffel Tower a few
years back because they are serious about security. Security in European
airports are part of their police force, and are specialists with a lot of
training in security. In Minneapolis, our airport security amounts to little
more than low paid clerical work (it's not the individual workers that are to
blame, it's the security guidelines).
In order to get serious about security, we need elected official who take it
seriously, so that each level of government will perform the piece of the
overall task that is appropriate to that level.
David Piehl
Central / 8th Ward
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