# Did the House of Representatives cave in to the terrorists?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-house-of-representatives-cave-in-to-the-terrorists/88140>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [October 18, 2001, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-house-of-representatives-cave-in-to-the-terrorists/88140 "2001-10-18T03:06:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\
**Post date:** [October 18, 2001, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-house-of-representatives-cave-in-to-the-terrorists/88140/1 "2001-10-18T03:06:29Z")

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The House of Representatives closed and went home because of the anthrax threat. Yet the senate stayed in session. Did they duck and run?

Should they have or should they have thumbed their nose at them?

Is it better safe than sorry?

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**Author:** ![Gundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Gundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gundy)\
**Post date:** [October 18, 2001, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-house-of-representatives-cave-in-to-the-terrorists/88140/2 "2001-10-18T03:36:45Z")

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I’m on the fence. Certainly shutting down for a couple-three days seems pragmatic, BUT - the Senate sent out a strong message to panicky Americans to _go on with their lives_ by doing just that themselves.

Here in Chicago, we’ve had a couple of scares on the trains and such…someone called the cops over dried guacamole. People are flipping out. The staffing agency I work for has had umpteen interview cancellations because people are afraid to come downtown. These people watch the news and see the House shut down, and they have their fears affirmed.

I read on CNN that bin Laden smugly said that they are already winning this conflict because the American economy has gone into a tailspin and people are afraid. Can the House be helping our cause shutting down like that? I dunno.

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**Author:** ![Chrystie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/edb3f5/32.png) [@Chrystie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chrystie)\
**Post date:** [October 18, 2001, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-house-of-representatives-cave-in-to-the-terrorists/88140/3 "2001-10-18T04:00:03Z")

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You know, when I read the reply stating that he wasn’t sure how held felt, I couldn’t agree more, at first. It seems that as “Americans” we do just that, we sit right smack dab in the middle of the fence, all of the time, regardless of the issue at hand.

But you know what, I’m glad we do. We don’t panic and blow ourselves up in the name of Ala. We at least take methodically planned measures before making worlding fools of ourselves over people whom wish we were dead, yet we still feed them… sorry, went off on a Bin Laden tangent.

Actually, when I seen “today” that the house was closing shop for a few days, at first I agreed - better safe then sorry, but after thinking a little bit more about it, I have to admit I was disappointed. They tell us not to panic, and what do they do… well, they sure didn’t set a very good example for us to follow (they are suppose to be our leaders, right?!?) and it only gave old Osama one more last great laugh. Let’s just hope we get the last one, seriously.

Disappoined in Maryland  
Chrystie