HORSE SENSE
Most of us, I think, would do well to remember the Greek story about The Trojan Horse at this time in our national life.
The very nature of our open society makes it possible, even temptingly so, for those who would do us harm to harbor themselves among us, with a well conceived plan to bring about the destruction f our homeland.
The image within which our possible doom may be hidden in our very midst will, of course, not be any form of a horse, necessarily, but it will be something which we admire, something we respect and covet.
There are voice speaking out, even now you can her them if you listen, warning us to beware of being so liberal and easy-going in allowing foreign-born persons to either visit our shores for extended unsupervised times or to seek permanent residence here because of unlivable conditions in their part of the world. Later on,these critic of our immigration policies, say such groups may well rush forth as did the soldiers from the ancient wooden horse in Troy, to open the gates of our nation to spoilers.
While possible, isn't that bit too obvious and easily detected?
Most certainly, the tactic employed by our enemies will not be that simplistic and direct. We have sad and ample evidence in the soul-searing events of “September 11th” to know the attacks upon us will not be conventional. in all likelihood, save in any moments of desperation they may encounter which would cause them to make us of simple raw force and the power of sheer numbers of men and munitions instead of elaborately conceived schemes.
I hear disquieting talk, too, of the need of our own authorities to take better care what we have and hold dear. That would seem to be one stated purpose of the new Homeland Security office which has take more than a year to become as meaningful method of protection. I hear people saying it is too large; that it brought in far too many unqualified people to be guardians of our well-being; that it should not be physically headquartered in the District of Columbia as a prime target for attack; many criticisms are heard and this is not unusual for such a massive undertaking, I would say. It has come about very quickly in one sense. Imagine how long it would have taken to get where we are had pork-minded Congress persons been allowed to drag it into their particular state.
It probably doesn't matter a great deal where it might be, physically, for that matter, but it is a vital tool in our preparations.
But for exactly what are we searching? What do we expect to find? What are we to suspect, question or fear?
We had best be thinking of all this and more during these uncertain days of serious confrontation with forces with whom we have never had to deal so directly. Our enemies see our weakest points.
Do we?
A. L. M. January 30, 2003 [c511wds]
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