From the president’s remarks:
We also know this — the American people refuse to be terrorized. Because what the world saw yesterday in the aftermath of the explosions were stories of heroism and kindness, and generosity and love: Exhausted runners who kept running to the nearest hospital to give blood, and those who stayed to tend to the wounded, some tearing off their own clothes to make tourniquets. The first responders who ran into the chaos to save lives. The men and women who are still treating the wounded at some of the best hospitals in the world, and the medical students who hurried to help, saying “When we heard, we all came in.” The priests who opened their churches and ministered to the hurt and the fearful. And the good people of Boston who opened their homes to the victims of this attack and those shaken by it.
So if you want to know who we are, what America is, how we respond to evil — that’s it. Selflessly. Compassionately. Unafraid.
What? No duct tape and plastic sheeting?
No panic-mongering after attacks, and no chest-thumping before military actions. Remember when he gave a few brief remarks from a podium in Brazil before the Libya mission began?
I like having a President who doesn’t whip people up.
I’m actually completely wrapped in plastic sheeting and duct tape.
But that’s because I have strange taste in clothing.
What – no photo?
In bygone days we would have been glowing bright orange by now.
Wow, how time flies. For years you couldn’t fly without hearing “The TSA has increased the security level to Orange” again and again … I would mentally finish that sentence with “… due to Bush’s declining popularity ratings.”
Oh the terror traffic lights–had forgotten about them. I still can’t believe that people considered the Republicans the better party on security.
It is refreshing to have a President speak to the public as a responsible, mature adult who assumes that the citizens are also responsible, mature adults.
Instead of ramping up the fear, we are being asked to emulate the kindness and courage of the first responders, bystanders, volunteers, etc. Fear is not helpful in these situations and leads to poor decisions.
you do know that a Bush family member made money off of the color coded system, don’t you?
Leave it to a Republican to patent the primary colors!
I have to say the president was masterful. Of course, having the standard be C+ Augustus, Commander in Codpiece, it’s easier for Obama to look like the new black Pericles or Demosthenes or something.
Compare that with Bush/Cheney after 9/11. “Be afraid, be very afraid.”
The President is being idealistic here. I don’t necessarily believe him. But I applaud him for it.
Thing is, he’s referring to the American people, not the American government.
I know.
Wait just a minute.
I have made plans to go shopping all day tomorrow. Are you telling me that I’m not duty-bound to go fucking shopping tomorrow??!!
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I just gotta say, it’s amazing how all these reporters on CNN think cause they watch CSI that they are crime scene investigators!
Come on, YOU.ARE.NOT.CSI-CNN!!!!!
Sounds so strong and resilient:
But it’s not true. Metal detectors to enter courthouses after the Marin County shootout Something like that gets added after most violent events. And even failed attempts — isn’t that why airplane passengers must remove their shoes?
Middle class children are no longer allowed unsupervised outdoors play or to walk to school. (As if no accidents happen in the home and no children die in auto accidents).
Security alarms and guards have become ubiquitous. More security cameras. More prisons. More prisoners.
For all the additional resources and money we throw at “security,” are we really any safer?
Some of my friends my age were remarking recently how milk-carton photos and two-job families had done in free-range kids.
Did you see this?
Mitch McConnell, bedwetter-in-chief had a statement about our complacency about terrorism. I guess TurtleMan wants us all in complete lock-down.
Whew!! I’m just relieved that he reiterated his statement wasn’t political.