This isn't really a St. Paul topic. Yet the events in the Russian school does give us pause as to the security of our schools and other public spaces. Regardless of the amount of money dedicated to protect the public from a terrorist event, it is not possible to stop it from happening. All these efforts do is require them to think of another way to do it. A St. Paul writer, Vince Flynn, was about to publish a book in September of 2001 where terrorists used airplanes to fly into the World Trade Towers in New York. (See how I brought this back to St. Paul?) A writer could envision this but the people responsible for protecting us couldn't? Interesting enough, Vince uses contacts at the FBI and CIA in doing his research on possible story lines. If we want to make sure St. Paul is really safe, we would need to prevent all vehicles from entering the city. We would need to search every person and all trucks and containers as they are about to cross into the city. We would have to close both airports and shoot down anything that came close to our air space. Yet it would be possible for someone to come up with a way to do damage to the city. Maybe a spray of lethal Saran Gas sprayed upwind? Nothing, I repeat nothing, will stop someone intent on doing harm. All we are doing is creating fear. Maybe that is just part of this administration's plan to win November's election. Mike Fratto Payne Phalen
>>> Erik Hare <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 09/09/2004 9:39:06 AM >>> Terrorism is a tactic. It has been used by the Huns against the Romans, by Francis Marion in our revolution, and by Michael Collins to achieve the liberation of Ireland. More importantly, in a desperate attempt to bring this back to an appropriate topic, it has been used by Tim McVeigh and the Columbine shooters. Their purposes are not particularly clear, but instilling fear in the population to gain some kind of attention for some reason was definately there. When we talk about a "War on Terror", we're talking about a war on a tactic. It's a tactic anyone desperate enough can use. Those who might want to disrupt our lives could come from any place, at anytime. And the most likely people to do it are roughly as pale as the general population. To make Saint Paul safe from "terror", I'm afraid, is not possible. Long after bin Laden is caught (which is to say October) there will be someone else, and then someone after that. While the fear of Moslem groups is running especially high, there is no evidence to date that they know enough about our general culture to be effective outside of airports, which they clearly have studied extensively. Worrying about things beyond that which has happened brings you immediately to an infinate list of possibilities. Worrying about just what has happened leads you to letting the MAC take care of it. Pick one. I'm going with the latter, if for no other reason than I refuse to let those bastards win by disrupting my life. Erik Hare [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.comcast.net/~wabbitoid/ Irvine Park, West End, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA, North America, Earth Fine Amish furniture, cedar chests, and crafts http://www.harmonycedar.com _____________________________________________ To Join: St. Paul Issues Forum Rules Discussion Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] _____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/ _____________________________________________ To Join: St. Paul Issues Forum Rules Discussion Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] _____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/
