We had our office Christmas party Wednesday. Nice place downtown and all
that good stuff, but that's not really what this story is about. Looked
around the table and noticed one of our co-workers was missing. She'd been
in that morning so it was " gee what happened to....." She'd needed to leave
to deal with a family member who had a medical emergency.
Turns out the daughter is on medication similar to that unfortunate air
passenger who had a panic attack on that plane the other day. She also
had a panic attack and needed help to one, get out of it and two, to get
her medication adjusted. It happens. Dealing with these things is not an
exact science. But, after the incident with the air marshals there have to
be families all over the country in a cold sweat wondering what will happen
to a member of their family with a similar problem if they get in any kind
of situation where "security" is supposedly involved.
There's always been a strong strain of shoot first and ask questions later
in this country but it seems to have gotten much worse since 9/11. What is
really scary for me is that so many people can't seem to imagine that one of
their loved ones could end up in the same situation. And the attitude that
"he got what he deserved" is baffling. For what? For being scared and confused? For mistakenly believing he could cut back or stop taking his medication. You can be on your medication and still have problems if something causes you brain chemicals to be out of balance.
Have we become so obsessed with our personal safety that anyone who is perceived as a threat no matter how remote doesn't deserve to live on the same planet or breath the same air we do? I'm not sure I'm willing to make that trade.
2 comments:
Jackie,
Great point. I couldn't agree with you more. This fear mongering has to stop. We're going way too far with all this nonsense. And it's to the point that so many Americans are willing to trade their liberties for the illusion of safety and security...and that's all it ever will be: an illusion.
Not a single witness at the scene of the airmarshal incident heard the guy say bomb or make any threats. It's clear to me that these guys, like so many other police in the past, are just making up a story to justify what they did to this poor man.
If it's a choice between my liberties and the illusion of safety that our national security state can provide, I'll stick with my liberty. To me it's no trade at all.
Merry Christmas,
dave
Why does it sem that when these idiots DO finally take action, it's completely inappropriate? Is the Almighty trying to tell us something? Lisa :-]
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