# Aren't you North Americans worried about the , you know, "threat"?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arent-you-north-americans-worried-about-the-you-know-threat/90643>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [October 31, 2001, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arent-you-north-americans-worried-about-the-you-know-threat/90643 "2001-10-31T02:20:11Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arent-you-north-americans-worried-about-the-you-know-threat/90643/41 "2001-11-01T02:14:06Z")

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Nope, not worried at all. And I live exactly 9 blocks from the entrance to a military installation that houses a Chemical Weapons Command–among others.

This just reinforces my opinion that the “reality” of television bears practically no relation to the ordinary life I know. Of _course_ people are still furious and wrenched by pity over the 9/ll attacks. The anthrax stuff? Further attacks of some other kind? Literally EVERYONE I know is just staying generally aware and going on with life.

My (governmental) employers handed out haz mat gloves for anyone handling mail or packages. The unanimous reaction was, “appreciate the concern but this is overkill.” They’re bright, informed people and _they aren’t scared_. They aren’t even flapped. It’s bizarre, contrasting their calm good sense with even local TV stations that are dredging for anthrax-related stories.

It’s just the new reality. New dangers, to be weighed in context, but no big deal. A lot of people have carried on life under much worse conditions. Terrified? Fuggedaboudit.

Veb

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**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arent-you-north-americans-worried-about-the-you-know-threat/90643/42 "2001-11-01T14:19:30Z")

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“Worried?” I’ve been volunteering to taste people’s’mail for them at work, and I spend my lunch hours striding up and down in front of Grand Central Station going, “WELL?!”

Of course, I’m not exactly the Self-Preservation Poster Girl . . .

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**Author:** ![JCThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dc4da7/32.png) [@JCThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JCThunder)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arent-you-north-americans-worried-about-the-you-know-threat/90643/43 "2001-11-01T23:31:45Z")

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Thought I might give some more details here…

Just heard on CNN that the Federal Gov has information that terrorists are targeting 4 bridges for the week beginning Nov 2nd. They are the San Francisco Bridge & the Bay Bridge (SF), the bridge between San Diego & the nearby island (?), and a bridge in Los Angeles (not sure which one).

Does anyone have more specifics?

And, more importantly, to get back to the question at hand, any Californians avoiding these bridges this week?

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