This was very recently posted today on the FBI.gov website:
I question the prudence of this statement. It is both extremely panic-inducing and incredibly vague.
One questions the purpose of it, given that we were all supposed to be being vigiliant, anyway.
“We’re really pretty sure we’re going to be attacked by the terrorists again over the next several days; the only thing we’re fuzzy on is where and how. Armed with this information (!), be careful.”
And another what-the-fuck? moment from this: the last part of the web address from this press release is “/skyfall.htm”
An obvious reference to Chicken Little’s “The sky is falling!”
Tell me about it. I’m due to fly from Baltimore-Washington airport to Buffalo on Saturday, then back on Sunday. I hated flying before, I figure to be catatonic by Saturday.
If you don’t hear from me again, it’s been nice knowing y’all.
Not really arguing, but let’s say this alert came out on 10 Sept. 2001. Would anything have changed? Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe someone would have reported something like the Customs agent who noticed a nervous guy trying to cross from Canada into the U.S., and then discovered a trunk load of bombs intended for Los Angeles Airport for the Millennium celebration. FWIW
I always wondered- is Maybe HazMat a little bit like being Sort Of Pregnant???
Okay, sorry Vi, I’m in a snotty mood. You raise a valid point. To be honest, I have several good reasons to want to drive and not all of them have to do with the WTC situation.
You know, I used to make a joke quoting that line from the first “Superman” movie, spoken by Christopher Reeves…**
**
For some reason, it sounds like gallows humor nowadays.
Actually, Cartooniverse, I’m jealous of those who can drive & train instead of fly. I have to do coast to coast jaunts, & I’d fall asleep driving, & Amtrak sleepers are too costly. Air travel was a hassle BEFORE Sept. 11th. I dread my next flight not out of fear, but because of lines, etc. Will just have to get used to it. Have a good, safe trip!
Thank you Vi, and you do the same. ONE of the reasons I chose to drive to Virginia Beach ( Not to mention Atlanta next week ) is the stress of going through security alone with 650 pounds of shipping cases, and one metal Magliner-type hand truck.
Under normal circumstances, that is difficult and I have to allow more time for it all to unfold, in case someone does wish to inspect ALL of the cases. That’s cool. Now, I am pretty much guaranteed that I will endure a detailed inspection.
OOOOOoooh, no I’m not trying to hijack this thread into a personal freedoms thread, I wholeheartedly invite such inspections. I would rather lose lots of time and gain my safety back, I really would. But, since I am given an alternative of driving myself to these locations, I chose to do so.
You don’t have that choice. Pack lightly on the carry-on bag and bring both your driver’s license and Passport. I keep my Passport on me at all times.
Give it 18 months, we will all have US Government-issued I.D. cards anyway.
Sorry, Milo, this has gone far afield and I forgot to actually address your O.P. Personally I think that it was bad form to release a document that scared Americans without giving more specifics. Tough call, man.
JUST TO BE HYPOTHETICAL, I HAVE NO DATA ON THIS HONEST, but if they released a similar document about, say, Corpus Christi, Texas then what? It’s a decent sized city without being a megalapolis like Boston/NYC/Philly/Washington D.C. Would one want to flee in the face of a warning? It would be uncontrollable panic.
Perhaps the way they worded it is in bad form, but the best choice from the perspective of public safety? EVERYONE has to be on alert. Period. You won’t have one area in massive panic/flee/danger mode, but we all have to be hightened in our approach.
Perhaps…this is just a test. A test to see if anyone’s listening when the government issues this kind of warning. A test to see if we will indeed take more precautions, be more vigilant, etc.
Milo, you’ve got to remember that this is the good old United States, home of the free and the brave…and one lawyer for every 4 citizens. Let’s just say another (God forbid) terrorist attack does happen this weekend here. Now had the FBI received warning that it would happen, no matter how vague, and they didn’t issue a warning, then one of the victim’s families would undoubtedly turn around and blame the FBI for the death because they failed to notify us of the threat.
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