Thursday, July 19, 2007

Thoughts on the Steam Pipe Explosion In Manhattan


As I listened to the news reports about the steam pipe explosion in Manhattan yesterday, I couldn't help but see how the nation has changed since September 2001, mostly for the worse.

The reports mentioned panic amongst the crowd at Grand Central, and one person dying of a heart attack. Two dozen others were injured as they ran from the area. There were reports of people screaming and running for their lives after the blast. And I just thought to myself, what has this nation become? The terrorists- with help from the White House- have turned half of us into zombies and the other half into nervous wrecks. Fear has gripped the country. And politicians, especially the thugs in the Bush Administration, have even used fear to manipulate the American people, particularly voters. I will never forget Richard the Dick Cheney's comments to voters in 2004 during a Republi-con campaign rally where he essentially told the American people (in a speech that was reported nationally) that if they voted for the Democratic candidate (John Kerry), terrorists would strike. What we saw yesterday in Manhattan were remnants of that kind of fear mongering.

What happened to Americas "Can Do" spirit? Yeah.... I know that this kind of thing often has to come from good leadership at the top that we don't have in the White House right now....but Americans should still have this spirit. This country has been through some serious trials.... The Revolutionary War, Slavery, The Civil War, The Great Depression, A Flu Pandemic, Pearl Harbor, WWII, Korea, The Mighty Soviet Union, The Civil Rights Movement, Vietnam and the Turbulent 60's, The 70's Oil Crisis, and now we are cowering because of Al Qaeda and a dumb ass of a President....a figurehead President at that, who couldn't think his way out of a paper bag? Oh please! The solutions & remedies for dealing with Al Qaeda are available....but are purposely not being utilized.

Now I admit that I am one of those people who has been extremely concerned about terrorism and I am also one of those people who said that those who always mention that 9/11 has put us in a constant state of fear were exaggerating. But now I see that they just may have a point afterall. What happened yesterday took the cake. And this all comes on the heels of Michael Chertoff (The Good Judge....who has no security experience) mentioning in an ominous report that Al Qaeda may strike sometime during the Summer.....obviously putting folks on edge.

Yes.... let's be concerned about terrorism....(and if the White House was really concerned...they would do something meaningful to establish some semblance of Security here at home)... but let's maintain our sanity. We have allowed the Bush Administration & terrorists to use fear to control us.

We need leadership in the White House that will encourage the nation to be strong...and stand up & tackle the threats we face....and tell us how to be prepared, instead of playing on our fears. The Brits have been stoic in the face of the terror threat. Why can't we do the same? Leaders like George Washington, FDR, Lincoln, Reagan, Kennedy, Britains Churchill, and many others, all seemed to be able to do this pretty well. What is annoying is the fact that none of the current Presidential candidates seems to be of that mold...with the kind of strong steady hand and ability to be a father figure to a nation like the leaders above. The current crop of candidates is not even close to that... pretty pathetic IMO. The man who could fill that role (John Kerry) is not running.

Now will we be attacked again. There is no doubt in my mind that we will be hit again, and again...especially with the kinds of holes that exist in U.S. security at all levels. But should we panic at the sound of every pop, or boom....panic with every power outage, panic with every Emergency Alert that comes on the radio or TV (guilty of this myself)... of course not. What we need more of is planning in the event that an attack does occur, so that we can be ready. But the White House has not only dropped the ball on preventative measures...but it has also dropped the ball on planning and preparation for any new attacks or natural disasters that we know will occur. This kind of rampant incompetence scares me more than the terrorist threat itself.

By the way, Steam pipe explosions in New York are not uncommon. New York has an extensive Steam system. Major explosions have occurred over the years, including relatively recent events in 1989, 1992, and 2001....some with casualties.

This event says 2 things.... we are overburdened with fear....that's one, and the other is that our nations infrastructure has been and continues to be neglected. Again.... a problem with leadership at the top. We are wasting $8-10 Billion a month (a total of almost half a trillion dollars) on a senseless war in Iraq (ironically in a fruitless attempt to rebuild their infrastructure), but we can't repair our own cities? We have major levees that need to be built or repaired, bridges that are falling apart, water plants that need to be repaired and protected, new rail lines, new roads and schools, better hospitals (and more of them), a new electrical grid, more refinery capacity, and more.... Now we are hearing that the FDA is closing facilities while only 1% of imported food is actually inspected. What's going on America????

It's enough to give me a headache.

5 comments:

Constructive Feedback said...

Don't worry. In February 2008 the climate of "Fear" will begin to dissolve in this country. "Evil Bush" will be gone from office and you and others will be able to live your lives free again.

You have your proportional bit of control over the question of Bush or some other evil Republican being in office. Also in getting a different American leader we get to test your theory of how AMERICAN ACTIONS prompt what the "terrorists" do. We will get to see if they have any self-initiation as they had in Kenya, Tanzania and the US Cole - you know "Before evil" got into office.

Brian said...

Obviously you are extracting what you want from my comments and you only want to rabble rouse as usual.

Didn't you see where I stated that we would be attacked again? Didn't you see where I stated that none of the candidates had the leadership qualities that were needed to guide the country?

My point in mentioning Bush & Co. was to highlight the fact that the Bush administration has played on the fears of Americans rather than providing strength and leadership.

Constructive Feedback said...

[quote]Leaders like George Washington, FDR, Lincoln, Reagan, Kennedy, Britains Churchill, and many others, all seemed to be able to do this pretty well.
.......
The man who could fill that role (John Kerry) is not running.[/quote]

ROTFLMAO, ROTFLMAO, ROTFLMAO

Angry - was that you I saw yesterday broken down on the side of the road with the Kerry/Edwards sticker on his bumper that said "Help Is On The Way"?

ROTFLMAO, ROTFLMAO, ROTFLMAO

It is clear to me that you and many other people are infected with the "Attack The REALITY that is produced by the people who are in the drivers seats by always arguing about WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN had people listened to YOU".

This provides you with a global canvas to pick and choose the elements of the picture that you are attempting to paint. At the same time you are not BOUND to any particular CONSTRAINT that REALITY would pose for you.

Simply Amazing!!
John Kerry he says.

Al Qaeda would have signed a peace agreement with us by now had Kerry not had Ohio stolen from him. :-/

Constructive Feedback said...

[quote]My point in mentioning Bush & Co. was to highlight the fact that the Bush administration has played on the fears of Americans rather than providing strength and leadership.[/quote]

One day I hope to hear you say that the Civil Rights Industrial Complex has "played on the fears of Black people" to make us believe that 2007 is 1947 so that they can retain their power.

You sound like an Al Gore clip. How is it that on the one hand you spit on the man for FAILING to do enough to keep us safe after 9/11......you know the terrorist attack (that he created) and then at the same time you claim that he "played on our fears"?


I wonder if you could produce a list for your own consumption detailing what ANY PRESIDENT had done after 9/11 to your liking - you would show your support for his policies REGARDLESS of your views of his ideology? For some reason if John Kerry was in office I get the strange feeling that you would be itemizing HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS and the fact that we have not been hit on American soil. But maybe its just me.

Brian said...

Yes... John Kerry...that's my personal opinion, based on his experience and his brains. There is no other Democrat (who would be electable) who has the kind of leadership qualities he has.

And the Republican line-up is pretty pathetic as well. They all talk war war war...but when it was their time to go, they never went. COWARDS! ...RICH COWARDS!

I assume you think George W. is some kind of great iconic hero figure???????? LOL Wow! You are obviously a confused Bush fan who has fallen for all the propaganda that they have been spewing for the past 6 years.

You are living in the same fantasy world that your hero President is living in at the moment.

Keep this nonsense off of my site.

If you want to comment and debate... let's do that. I'm all for it. But the nonsensical stuff has to cease. This is the second (and last) warning. Stop making things up...saying that I have stated things that I have never stated... and claiming that I have taken certain positions that I have never taken. And stop pretending to know my political position.

You have to know what you are talking about... otherwise I just get annoyed. (which is what I think you are aiming for to begin with).