Have we ever NOT been at Homeland Security Threat Level Orange?

[Amber Lamps]

Originally Posted by askmrjesus

I looked at your link to the DHS timeline, and with a few exceptions, most of the threats were so vague, they were of no value to the average citizen. "We received intelligence that terrorists may be planning attacks somewhere in the US, around the holidays". OK, so, what, you want I should wear a hat today? What am I supposed to do with that information? Tell me what the fucking guy looks like, and I'll keep an eye out for him.

I think Homeslice is right. They have to look like they're doing something, so they made a chart. I'm not discounting the others measures they're taking, but a chart? Charts scare me. In my experience, when people have no fucking clue what to do next, they start making charts.

I don't disagree that the average American has a low degree of situational awareness. This isn't Israel, or the UK in the 70's. Shit, we can even concentrate on driving down the freeway without fucking it up. All the charts in the world aren't going to make up for that.

JC

So what should they do? Nothing? The public demands some sort of "visual" so they give it to us. What would satisfy you guys? What is your solution HS? How would you deal with this situation? Instead of standing aside and pointing fingers and calling people who are at least trying to keep us safe "ghey", why don't YOU do something?

JC I agree that the chart system may be flawed but what would you suggest instead? You realize that we are the reason for it don't you? We want to be "unaware", we don't want the dirty details, and we sure as hell don't want to have to actually DO anything. Listen to the complaints here about water bottles, etc.

I'm not saying that they are perfect or anything but unless you have a better plan, it's the best that we have to work with right now. Again, I understand that this is a flawed argument but since there haven't been any more attacks, they must be doing something right.

[askmrjesus]

Originally Posted by TIGGER

JC I agree that the chart system may be flawed but what would you suggest instead? You realize that we are the reason for it don't you? We want to be "unaware", we don't want the dirty details, and we sure as hell don't want to have to actually DO anything. Listen to the complaints here about water bottles, etc.

I'm not saying that they are perfect or anything but unless you have a better plan, it's the best that we have to work with right now. Again, I understand that this is a flawed argument but since there haven't been any more attacks, they must be doing something right.

I don't need a better plan, we already have one. It's been five or so years since the 9/11 commission finished it's report, yet we have yet to implement some of their most basic recommendations, (I'm not typing it all out for you, go look it up).

If you think a chart is the "best thing we have to work with right now", you are woefully uninformed.

JC

[Amber Lamps]

Originally Posted by askmrjesus

I don't need a better plan, we already have one. It's been five or so years since the 9/11 commission finished it's report, yet we have yet to implement some of their most basic recommendations, (I'm not typing it all out for you, go look it up).

If you think a chart is the "best thing we have to work with right now", you are woefully uninformed.

JC

This is why I've always demanded that these type of threads stay in the "War Room". I don't even want to see them.

I'm not saying that a "chart" is the best we have, I'm saying the DHS is the best we have. As far as implementation of the 911 commission's reports goes, well considering the opposition to everything that the Bush administration has implemented so far. Like someone else said, "damned if you do, damned if you don't"

To answer the question about "sacrifice", there are more ways to "sacrifice" than just blood. These people work 24/7 trying to keep us safe.