Just Illumination

After the heat dies down

By DAVE MACCAR

Is this the eye of the storm? On March 11, it will be sixth months since America felt the fires of attack, and the country is becoming relaxed again. The general feeling, from what I have read and viewed on the glowing box that tells all, is that the “enemy” is on the run and that we have basically won our little war on terrorism—that we are merely in the clean-up stage. Everything has calmed down, even though the FBI issues warnings—every other week— to which the public has become utterly desensitized. I even saw an article on a news website entitled, “Is Airport Security Too Tight?”

Despite a renewed feeling of safety and confidence that America is seemingly pulling over its eyes like a warm blanket, I cannot help but feel a bit worried, even a bit paranoid. I feel like a boxer who has lowered his gloves after landing a good uppercut that should have sent his opponent to the canvas. A man may teeter, that does not mean he will fall.

Maybe it is simply my nature as a pessimist and cynic to want to feel that there is still something to be worried about. However, I do have a concrete piece of logic to lean on. It has never made sense to me that organizations like the Taliban or al Queda, that had the skill, intelligence and gall to mount such a destructive strike against arguably the most powerful country in the world, could not have understood that America would retaliate with all of its considerable military might. It seems that they went for one big score and that is it, but something about that just does not add up in my head.

Consider for a moment that the enemy still has a plan, that the strike on Sept. 11 was only the first step. They would expect security to skyrocket in every way after the initial attack, that the military would be on full alert, that everybody would be ready for the next cataclysm.

Now, I will pose a question. What does a smart criminal do after he is made a big score? What he does is lay low, wait for the heat to die down, before he makes another move. My friends, the heat on terrorism in America is beginning to die down.

Of course security will slacken somewhat. Without a constant, visible threat, people will only put up with inconvenience so long—that’s part of the fast-paced nature of American culture, especially in the big cities—although NYC, I think, will put up with a much greater amount of inconvenience than other places.

It is conceivable that the enemy knows this and is even counting on it. Like I said, it is probably just the paranoid pessimist in me crying for attention, we should not let our guard down, not for a second until we know that our enemy is out for the count.

Just look around you, look at the Rider campus. Is this a safe, secure place? Relatively, but certainly not completely. It is far too easy to gain access to any residence hall on campus, and if you get on campus before the guard at the south entrance puts his little PVC pole down, you are in for the night.

Do not get me wrong, I greatly value the freedom of not having to be carded by someone every time I walk into my dorm, which is the policy at many other schools. However, we must be aware of the “holes” in our safety blanket, and we must constantly keep our eyes open. The only thing that will prevent future attacks of the magnitude the nation saw in September is the constant vigilance of the public.

It’s something to be aware of, friends.