To: Maurice Winn who wrote (98744 ) 9/21/2002 4:20:41 AM From: Raymond Duray Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 99280 Mq, Thanks for the link. I agree wholeheartedly with this statement: Our backdoor totalitarianism has the added charm of being crazy. Think about it. Confiscating nail clippers at security gates, arresting the eating girl on the subway, the confiscation from an aging general of his Congressional Medal of Honor because it had points, the countless ejections from school of little boys for drawing soldiers of the Trade Centers in flames, playing cowboys and Indians, for pointing a chicken finger and saying Bang. This isn’t intelligent authoritarianism aimed at purposeful if disagreeable ends. It is the behavior of petty and stupid people, of minor minds over-empowered, ignorant, but angry and charmed to find that they can push others around. It is the exercise of power by people who have no business having any. And we obey. We are the obedient people. ******************** I was astonished this morning when listening to NPR's Morning Edition that the Homeland Security authority contacted about the lunatic and over-zealous 700 cop arrest of three medical students based on misunderstanding was "well organized and according to our planning protocols". We are insane. search.npr.org Florida Terror Event NPR's Pam Fessler reports what's now described as a misunderstanding put Florida and Georgia's homeland security plans into action. Three men were detained and labeled terrorist suspects before they were eventually cleared. A week later, homeland security officials say authorities reacted appropriately because of the nation's high state of alert. (4:36) Unbelievable! Nuts! Lunatic! And really, really stooopid. -Ray