FEMA aids the Terrorists:

The underlying strategy of terrorism is not to topple governments, but to strike fear into the hearts of the population as a whole. Fear, not just of the potential of another attack, but also, inadvertently, of a population’s own government. Fear of excessive measures to deal with terrorists, but also, fear of failure to act effectively in the wake of another attack, thus undermining the credibility of that government.

FEMA represents that second fear. It recently came to light that the trailers FEMA provided for the victims of Hurricane Katrina had cancer-causing formaldehyde gas at 75 times the federally-allowed maximum for workers. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/19/AR2007071901039.html?sub=AR) Many people got sick, and one even died. What’s worse, FEMA knew about the problem, but refused to take action to remedy the situation. Lawyers advised against testing trailers because that would create a situation in which FEMA would have to do something – and we all know how FEMA feels about doing anything. A FEMA lawyer even wrote: "Do not initiate any testing until we give the OK. . . . Once you get results and should they indicate some problem, the clock is running on our duty to respond to them."

This is not just an outrage, but a demonstration of the weaknesses in our country’s ability to respond to a crisis. Not only did FEMA fail to get people out of harm’s way – they belatedly moved them into further harm’s way and did nothing about it. This undermines the average citizen’s faith in their government to respond and assist in the next crisis – be it a terrorist strike, a viral outbreak, or another hurricane. This creates the very fear terrorists hope to create within our society – fear that our government is not only helpless to prevent an attack, but also the fear that our government will not be able to effectively respond to an attack.

If the government is serious about the war on terror, it should step up its ability to respond and take care of its own.

Blogging from the UK

I am in London this month for school, so I have a unique perspective on what’s going on back home, seeing it from across the pond. Also there is first hand experience on the current events in England.

For instance, the failed car bomb outside Tiger Tiger nightclub—I nearly went there that night, but opted for something closer. The next morning, the streets around my school in Trafalgar Sq. were blocked off to preserve the crime scene, it was blocks away.

The Brits have taken the attempts in stride, but it’s clear the attack is ever present in the back of Londoners’ minds; just as it's clear that radical Islamic fundamentalism is prevalent in a deadly way here.

I suppose some solace can be taken in the speed with which law enforcement tracked down five of the plotters, no doubt aided by the presence of closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras on nearly every London street corner. The cameras are Orwellian, for sure, but proved their value. It’s a useful reminder that the relationship between safety and civil liberties is indeed one of balance, where conflicting goals are weighed against each other. Each has its place.