# Homeland security needs a mascot??? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 11, 2004, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-needs-a-mascot/259394 "2004-08-11T18:29:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-needs-a-mascot/259394/1 "2004-08-11T18:29:08Z")
Give me a fucking break. How silly can they be? > [@](#): > > WASHINGTON – The Homeland Security Department is enlisting new allies in its effort to prepare the nation for another terrorist attack: your kids and your boss. > Starting next month, children in grades four though eight and employers nationwide will be asked to help get families and companies better prepared to respond to a crisis. > > In schools, on the Internet and in television and radio ads, kids will be introduced to a Homeland Security mascot in the form of a dog, an American shepherd. [http://www.theolympian.com/home/news/20040809/topstories/117208.shtml](http://www.theolympian.com/home/news/20040809/topstories/117208.shtml) I don’t know about you…but I think it’s fine for my 10 year old to be oblivious to twat. What the hell is an american shepard anyway? Are they creating dog breeds now? ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-needs-a-mascot/259394/2 "2004-08-11T18:37:37Z")
> [@](#): > > Starbucks will offer communication plan templates at its stores, and Nextel will distribute them at NASCAR races. There have GOT to better ways to get this message out there. ---
**Author:** ![Wolfian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Wolfian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfian)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-needs-a-mascot/259394/3 "2004-08-11T18:44:14Z")
Remember. Only you can prevent terrorism. Meh, its’ a new world. Our grandkids (Creator willing) will look back and laugh at this the way we laugh at duck and cover drills. As long as the government doesn’t tell kids to keep an eye on their brown friends, whatever. ---
**Author:** ![TwoTrouts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9adbd/32.png) [@TwoTrouts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwoTrouts)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-needs-a-mascot/259394/4 "2004-08-11T18:44:19Z")
An _American_ shepherd? I thought they would use [this](http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2004/04/18/movies/20040418_MICKEY_SLIDESHOW_1.html) as the mascot. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-needs-a-mascot/259394/5 "2004-08-11T18:47:27Z")
[quote] I don’t know about you…but I think it’s fine for my 10 year old to be oblivious to twat. [quote] Not I I would prefer my child to be aware of the world around them. Even that young. It may be a little silly, but cute mascot animals are a pretty time-tested way to pass a message along to kids. > [@](#): > > What the hell is an american shepard anyway? [This](http://www.giveusahome.co.uk/breederspages/breedpages/northamershepherd.htm) is an American shepherd. > [@](#): > > Are they creating dog breeds now? If by “they,” you mean “dog breeders,” then yes. Of course they are. That’s what they do. Please note that this breed originated in 1968. In conclusion, lame-assed OP. Blind partisan hacking. Par for the course. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-needs-a-mascot/259394/6 "2004-08-11T18:49:28Z")
> [@](#): > > I don’t know about you…but I think it’s fine for my 10 year old to be oblivious to twat. Not I I would prefer my child to be aware of the world around them. Even that young. It may be a little silly, but cute mascot animals are a pretty time-tested way to pass a message along to kids. [This](http://www.giveusahome.co.uk/breederspages/breedpages/northamershepherd.htm) is an American shepherd. If by “they,” you mean “dog breeders,” then yes. Of course they are. That’s what they do. Please note that this breed originated in 1968. In conclusion, lame-assed OP. Blind partisan hacking. Par for the course. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-needs-a-mascot/259394/7 "2004-08-11T18:51:55Z")
Me ogre. Me no code. Me smash keyboard with blunt object. Rowr. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-needs-a-mascot/259394/8 "2004-08-11T18:54:28Z")
> [@Ogre](#): > > snip… > [This](http://www.giveusahome.co.uk/breederspages/breedpages/northamershepherd.htm) is an American shepherd. > If by “they,” you mean “dog breeders,” then yes. Of course they are. That’s what they do. Please note that this breed originated in 1968. > > snip What’s the name of that breed again? My puter says _ **North** i_ American Shephard. Is my puter wrong? ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-needs-a-mascot/259394/9 "2004-08-11T19:08:43Z")
🆒 [http://www.brevard.edu/science/students/pics/kittle\_kismet\_snarling.jpg](http://www.brevard.edu/science/students/pics/kittle_kismet_snarling.jpg) :eek: :dubious: 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-needs-a-mascot/259394/10 "2004-08-11T19:20:21Z")
> [@Reeder](#): > > What’s the name of that breed again? > > My puter says _ **North** i_ American Shephard. > > Is my puter wrong? What’s your point? That a dog which was bred in the United States shouldn’t be called an American Shepherd? Are you always this hopelessly pedantic, or do you save it up to try to make your more obscure points? Truth is that the breed has several alternate names: North American shepherd, American shepherd, and even “miniature Australian shepherd.” But what does it matter? They could have used a English mastiff for all I care, and all that matters to you is that the administration is trotting out a new program, which is always an excuse for you to break out the tinfoil beanie. ---
**Author:** ![MrManfrengenfrensen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MrManfrengenfrensen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrManfrengenfrensen)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-needs-a-mascot/259394/11 "2004-08-11T19:21:10Z")
I think this is a great idea. My friends and I used to delight in making fun of McGruff the Crime Dog singing the “Users are Losers” song when I was young. Hopefully, this campaign will be equally silly, and the kiddies will have their own amusement. ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-needs-a-mascot/259394/12 "2004-08-11T19:25:20Z")
> [@Reeder](#): > > Give me a fucking break. How silly can **they** be? (bolding mine) Think you have the wrong pronoun there… ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-needs-a-mascot/259394/13 "2004-08-11T19:35:08Z")
> [@Ogre](#): > > [This](http://www.giveusahome.co.uk/breederspages/breedpages/northamershepherd.htm) is an American shepherd. I like how the life expectancy is listed as “12-12 years”. If your dog lives to 13, do you have to shoot it? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-needs-a-mascot/259394/14 "2004-08-11T19:47:09Z")
> [@](#): > > In schools, on the Internet and in television and radio ads, kids will be introduced to a Homeland Security mascot in the form of a dog, an American shepherd. Not an ostrich? ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-needs-a-mascot/259394/15 "2004-08-11T19:52:34Z")
> [@MrManfrengenfrensen](#): > > My friends and I used to delight in making fun of McGruff the Crime Dog singing the “Users are Losers” song when I was young. You were one of those young cynics who responded to gradeschool anti-smoking campaigns by drawing a poster of McGruff holding a pack and saying “Take a Bite Out of Cigarettes” weren’t you? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-needs-a-mascot/259394/16 "2004-08-11T19:55:52Z")
Perhaps they can recycle all the unused Mr. Yuck stickers: [http://jaltproductions.com/bossunderground/images/mr-yuck.gif](http://jaltproductions.com/bossunderground/images/mr-yuck.gif) Waste not, want not, I always say. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-needs-a-mascot/259394/17 "2004-08-11T19:57:16Z")
I thought they were bringing back Bert the Turtle! [http://www.cddc.vt.edu/host/atomic/civildef/duckncvr.htm](http://www.cddc.vt.edu/host/atomic/civildef/duckncvr.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-needs-a-mascot/259394/18 "2004-08-11T20:06:27Z")
> [@Reeder](#): > > I don’t know about you…but I think it’s fine for my 10 year old to be oblivious to twat. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-needs-a-mascot/259394/19 "2004-08-11T20:13:27Z")
> [@Lord Ashtar](#): > > 😕 “The War On Terror” ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-needs-a-mascot/259394/20 "2004-08-11T20:14:39Z")
_Reeder:_ Earmuffs. _Reederkid covers ears with hands_ _Reeder:_ Twat. Twat. Twat. Twat. Twat. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-needs-a-mascot/259394.md?page=2)