In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.

Calming down?

opentopopentop Member Posts: 143 ✭✭✭
edited September 2001 in General Discussion
Okay, I know we need to be diligent, careful and on alert for the possibility of further terrorist attacks. That's as it should always be in this day and age but let's be careful not to panic or go overboard. The media is focussing on the whole "crop duster" issue and the possibility of chemical and biological attacks by terrorists. I know it's a possibility and we should be prepared for it but we must guard against hype. Today in LA, there was some sort of chemical spill in our new subway system (the most worthless addition to LA I can remember by the way) which spread fumes in the tunnels that some people said made them feel light headed or mildly ill. Suddenly everyone was running around saying we're under chemical terrorist attack. Come on people! I know we're smarter than that! Firstly it's highly unlikely any terrorist would choose the LA subway's total of 15 miles of tunnel and less than 1% of the population using it daily to stage an attack using chemical weapons. I'm sure they'd do it in NY or DC where it'd have potential to do some real damage. All this hype is becoming more of problem exacerbating the real threat.
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • opentopopentop Member Posts: 143 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Another example: Last night CNN and MSNBC reported during commercials in their regularly scheduled segments, "Breaking News: Afghans Torch US Embassy". It wasn't until they actually returned to their news programming some 20 minutes later, that they bothered to mention that our embassy there had been abandoned in 1987 and was empty. Now if I'd have just turned on the news at that time and heard that "headline", I'd have thought we had another Tehran on our hands. As far as I have always known, attacking an operating embassy is an act of war. It's almost as if that's the kind of sensationalistic feeling CNN was trying to provoke. I agree burning our embassy empty or not is another bull * example of the crap some Afghan extremest's will do to "protest" the U.S., but it's hardly "breaking, headline news".
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • bhale187bhale187 Member Posts: 7,798
    edited November -1
    In Central IL we had a guy at the landfill puncture a unmarked tank of somekind and instantly got very ill. ESDA, Fire Dept, Sheriff and everybody else got called-still haven't figured out what the crap is, but rumors are flying all over about a bio/chemical attack. Sounded to me more like some joker didn't want to pay for proper disposal of some nasty chemical so he dumped it out there and this poor guy just busted open the wrong container.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • opentopopentop Member Posts: 143 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Unfortunately, I'm affraid we're in for a lot more of this kind of thing in the coming months. Let's just hope that for the most part, most people can keep a level head. It's just this kind of "chicken little" stuff that the terrorists hope to foment. They're probably sitting in their little enclaves laughing their * off everytime they hear about this kind of thing. Let's hope they won't have any * to laugh off pretty soon, if you get my drift.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • opentopopentop Member Posts: 143 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Exactly, trust dano to boil it all down to a few simple but poiniant words to sum it all up.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • dhdh Member Posts: 127 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    We have had the same things going on here with the public cringing at every little thing that goes on.I work 3 miles from Texas City and belive me if anything happens at the chemical plants it will automatically attributed to an attack.My wife sees people on the news buying gas mask and asks me if we should get one and I tell her I don't think so.My opinion is stay calm,but alert.Question.Those cameras they have all up and down I-45 are mostly for traffic reports I guess but anybody think they will be used for other things now?
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • IconoclastIconoclast Member Posts: 10,515 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    dh, given the present climate and the face recognition software used at last year's Super Bowl (? - some big football game), IMHO we have as much to fear from "Big Brother" encroachments on our individual rights as we do from any group of tight-turbaned crazies.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Patrick OdlePatrick Odle Member Posts: 951 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    If you don't think Operation Enduring Freedom is calming down then what is? Sounds like Endeavor To Persevere to me.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • NEEDCOLDNEEDCOLD Member Posts: 134 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Funny thing is: military NBC masks do not protect against most chemicals. Just Nuclear dust, Biological agents, and Chemical agents. You will breathe just about any gas through them, like ammonia, sulfur, smoke. Just ask any GI who put one on to clean the latrine with bleach and ammonia.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Sign In or Register to comment.