How many times has one traffic jam caused by a slight fender bender near a highway intersection ruined your drive home from work? How about a jacknifed truck on the highway that has crossed into the medium? During these times I always think to myself how easy our life is changed by a simple disruption in traffic flow. Now consider three or four planned attacks that are staged to cause this type of disruption as a diversion or a way to cause mass damage in a slowed area, what would be our response? I feel we need to be better prepared for this type of attack now more than ever. If anything, the terrorists in Iraq are learning how to be disruptive, and they are more and more attempting these types of maneuvers to improve their collateral damage during their attacks. I feel we need to evaluate simple issues such as traffic jams, overcrowding, and high pedestrian area locations. To not prepare is the worst crime of all. It is better to be prepared and never have to utilize the plans than to need the plans and not have them.

Although total and absolute security for every person in the United States sounds like a great concept I believe we are much further from this than the average citizen would care to admit. Everyday we see people on T.V. demanding this protection from the government in one form or another..whether it be protecting our borders, protecting our buildings or just protecting our everyday ways of life. I am by far no expert on the subject and would never claim to be. However i’m not sure there is enough technology or man power available to protect everyone and everything in this country. The U.S. Government is obviously the foundation of our denfense but by no stretch of the imagination should it be considered our only means of it. The task at hand is far too great for any one organization to conquer.. even an organization the size of the U.S. Gov’t with all of their technology. The strength in this country rests in the people who live here..All the technology in the world is useless without the people who run it. Over time it has been the people here who have built everything this country is..whether they realize it or not..Many people look at the their everyday jobs as a way to collect a check for that weeks work and don’t realize what they are actually contributing to society..Whether your stamping sheets of metal into automobiles, building skyscrapers, or programming a computer.. You are helping to move us forward as a nation. And that is why I feel the everyday person must step up and become more active in the fight against terrorism. Many people today look at our Gov’t as this mighty unpenetratable force that can protect everyone and everything within our borders..but when broken down,, the Gov’t is just a collection of people who put their shoes on one at time just like me and you..and I’m sure they would appreciate all the help they can get..The average person can do their part just by opening there eyes and ears to the world around them..If there are these diabolical plans to attack the United States then there is a very good chance these attackers are already living among us. You may think your only one person but multiply that by the total number of people living in this country and you produce a sizable survailence team..I guess what i’m saying is we all need to step up, pay attention and take a little responsibilty for our own safety..This may sound like a tall order for a nation that can’t stay off the phone long enough to pay attention to the road in front of them..but if we are going to point blame in any one direction everytime we are attacked..maybe we are pointing in the wrong direction…There is Strength in Numbers…Ok I’ve rambled on long enough… Just saw this article and thought i’d share one view on the subject…

Chordarroy

I appreciate your passion for this article Michael, your opinions are very honest and meaningful. I believe more individuals should adopt your attitude and become more self involved with their own ability to protect and progress our American society.