# Office of Homeland Security... **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 21, 2001, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-of-homeland-security/82951 "2001-09-21T03:08:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-of-homeland-security/82951/1 "2001-09-21T03:08:09Z")
Anyone else scared? It sounds sinister as hell. Anyone wanna start a pool as to when they’ll put an Office of Proper Thought into the cabinet? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-of-homeland-security/82951/2 "2001-09-21T03:17:15Z")
He’ll have an office right next to the Drug Czar. Feel better now? ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-of-homeland-security/82951/3 "2001-09-21T03:23:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ElvisL1ves \* > \*\*He’ll have an office right next to the Drug Czar. > > Feel better now? \*\* Much. We’ll be protected from All Evil if we just Sit Quietly And Think Doubleplusgood Thoughts. ---
**Author:** ![Pogue\_Mahone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/dc4da7/32.png) [@Pogue\_Mahone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pogue_Mahone)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-of-homeland-security/82951/4 "2001-09-21T03:46:09Z")
Scares the hell out of me, too. We are going to militarize the FBI. Police will be operating more and more like occupying troops, seeing anyone who opposes them – or doesn’t fully support them – as the enemy, worth “taking out.” ---
**Author:** ![Demise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/34f0e0/32.png) [@Demise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Demise)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-of-homeland-security/82951/5 "2001-09-21T03:50:01Z")
I can see no good that can come of this. I can imagine, however, many bad things. Maybe I’m just being paranoid. ---
**Author:** ![milroyj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@milroyj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milroyj)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-of-homeland-security/82951/6 "2001-09-21T03:56:07Z")
Oh chill out guys and girls. There’s a legitimate need for someone to coordinate our domestic security efforts. The traditional Defense Dept. has always been focused on defending from foreign attacks, Russia, China, whatever. This time, we were attacked with the use of people and assets within the US. Sounds prudent, to me, not Orwellian. Jeez. ---
**Author:** ![milroyj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@milroyj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milroyj)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-of-homeland-security/82951/7 "2001-09-21T03:59:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Demise \* > \*\*I can see no good that can come of this. I can imagine, however, many bad things. Maybe I’m just being paranoid. \*\* Increased security at airports, or nuclear power plants, or in Washington, NY, Chicago, or LA? No, no good could come of that :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![meara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@meara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/meara)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-of-homeland-security/82951/8 "2001-09-21T04:05:53Z")
The news of the Homeland Security position saddens me, but for a different reason. I’m a Pennsylvanian and don’t want to see Tom Ridge go. He’s a great governor and we’ll miss him. ---
**Author:** ![Milossarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Milossarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Milossarian)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-of-homeland-security/82951/9 "2001-09-21T04:06:07Z")
I have a lot of questions about this new Cabinet position meself. If I’m understanding correctly, it will be coordinating the domestic national security efforts of agencies such as the FBI, CIA, NSA and various law enforcement. Perhaps even the military, if need be. That’s a damn power cabinet post! It would appear to me that in certain ways, it is above the others. And that it will by necessity have a highly secretive element to it. Probably a lot more like the CIA than the FBI. ---
**Author:** ![Determinist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c37758/32.png) [@Determinist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Determinist)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-of-homeland-security/82951/10 "2001-09-21T04:08:34Z")
> [@](#): > > Increased security at airports, or nuclear power plants, or in Washington, NY, Chicago, or LA? No, no good could come of that I agree, God forbid that we increase security at any of _those_ places. ---
**Author:** ![Demise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/34f0e0/32.png) [@Demise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Demise)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-of-homeland-security/82951/11 "2001-09-21T04:08:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by milroyj \* > **Increased security at airports, or nuclear power plants, or in Washington, NY, Chicago, or LA? No, no good could come of that** Right, because we have to have a _new_ service that takes care of those, otherwise they wouldn’t exist. :rolleyes: Oh wait, they already do. ---
**Author:** ![Demise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/34f0e0/32.png) [@Demise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Demise)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-of-homeland-security/82951/12 "2001-09-21T04:09:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Determinist \* > \*\*I agree, God forbid that we increase security at any of _those_ places. \*\* God forbid we let the agencies taking care of those places improve secruity themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Demise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/34f0e0/32.png) [@Demise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Demise)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-of-homeland-security/82951/13 "2001-09-21T04:11:23Z")
erm “security” ---
**Author:** ![milroyj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@milroyj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milroyj)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-of-homeland-security/82951/14 "2001-09-21T04:19:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Demise \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Determinist \* > > \*\*I agree, God forbid that we increase security at any of _those_ places. \*\* > > God forbid we let the agencies taking care of those places improve secruity themselves. \*\* What’s so bad about a high-level, even Cabinet-level given the current situation, coordinating it all? Yes, the individual agencies will work to increase security around the country, the new office or agency will make sure everyone’s on the same page, sharing information and best practices, etc. Why immediately leap to the idea that the Secretary of Homeland Security is somehow a threat? ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-of-homeland-security/82951/15 "2001-09-21T04:21:56Z")
I agree **milroyj** , you said: > [@](#): > > Oh chill out guys and girls. There’s a legitimate need for someone to coordinate our domestic security efforts. The traditional Defense Dept. has always been focused on defending from foreign attacks, Russia, China, whatever. This time, we were attacked with the use of people and assets within the US. Sounds prudent, to me, not Orwellian. Jeez. Thats is a good truth. There is obviously a need for an organization such as this forming one. They have been professing no impact to freedoms. This is a security measure that needs to be addressed and this appears to be a solution. I may be selectively hearing things, but I do not get the impression we are going to lose more freedoms. If you are talking about getting your bags searched whilst going into a large city…no, I don’t think that is the case at all. This looks more like a subliminal presence that is forming, not a physical police state. I do not believe that will happen. That is not the USA. nough said. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-of-homeland-security/82951/16 "2001-09-21T04:49:33Z")
No cabinet position is “above the rest.” They all come under the same boss: the Prez. And anyway, he doesn’t take orders from them. ---
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-of-homeland-security/82951/17 "2001-09-21T04:51:44Z")
Smart money says the missile defense program will fall under this new department. ---
**Author:** ![JamesCarroll](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@JamesCarroll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JamesCarroll)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-of-homeland-security/82951/18 "2001-09-21T05:17:41Z")
I agree that the name definitely needs a little reworking. Maybe its the word “homeland”, but it sounded like something Hitler might have had. My first thought was replacing it with “Internal”, but then suddenly visions of Stalin dances through my head. I also think that those who see it as some kind of “Office of Appropriate Thought” need to take another toke of that stuff they wanna legalize. We’ve got enough government agencies coming at you right now as it is. I think Tom Ridge will do a good job, but I hafta wonder if W didn’t really want Rudy to head the new cabinet. I think he would have been a much more logical, emotional, and visionary leader. But by the same token, since much of this department’s work will be “low-key”, Rudy might not have been the right choice. Anyways, that’s my 1cent. The other one went into the Red Cross jar at my bank. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-of-homeland-security/82951/19 "2001-09-21T05:54:54Z")
Yeah! Why not just call it the office of “national security” and be done with it? ---
**Author:** ![JamesCarroll](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@JamesCarroll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JamesCarroll)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-of-homeland-security/82951/20 "2001-09-21T06:13:03Z")
Well, I think because we already have the NSA. I think he could have elevated the NSA to Cabinet status, but I think the focus of the OHS will be different. I think one of the first things that will happen is that airline security will fall under OHS. The FAA has obviously f-ed this up, but giving it to the DOJ would be to much of a burden. I would also expect it to take over certain areas of other departments like Energy (the los Alamos fiasco and nuke power plant security) and Commerce (encryption and computer techs). Its only 5 hours after his speach so it’ll be interesting how the dept turns out. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-of-homeland-security/82951.md?page=2)