Many threats and predictable responses this week. It would be easier for authorities to identify threats if they were allowed to interpret normal people as having an understandable sense of humor, interpret feisty, angry people, who are itching for a fight as possible, unplanned “showdown confrontation” instigators, and wanna-Be’s as willing to tout the appearance of power that they don’t have. Law enforcement’s inability to identify these three different types of people leaves them vulnerable and easy to distract. While the TSA is busy patting-down a 10 year old, airport staff can smuggle box cutters past security.
Balling-up and easily being provoked to “lock-down” mode makes one an easier target. The way to overcome threats, whether disease or violence, is for authorities to keep joy, a sense of humor, wit, ingenuity, and to stay clever. Police and security must learn to differentiate between ordinary people who may have an ill sense of humor and danger threats who have no joy whatsoever and are constantly looking for a reason to feel “important”, even at the expense of someone else. Justice must be blind, but police can’t afford to be.
Missouri
Tens of thousands protest Pakistan’s government
Ebola News
U.S. Ebola patients released from hospital; they’re cured, doctors say
Ebola facility in Liberia attacked; patients flee
Shoot-on-sight order in Ebola-wary Liberia
Ebola is curable. No need for panic. Stay smart, stay calm.
Domestic
Chicago A Top Terror Target; Ominous Tweet Connects ISIS Threat In City
…Reminiscent of “bomb threats” from high school days, when any frivolous threat can manipulate the predictable response of authorities: to put all people in one room together, the same room every time it happens, for many hours, and don’t allow them to leave. Fewer things put people at risk other than the predictability of our response.
In all likelihood, Chicago merely happened to be a convenient place to take a picture. The convenient target would be in the picture, but the people gathered into one place after authorities react to the false alarm. We make ourselves targets when we are so easily put on edge. In times like these, sobriety is the best security.