We parked at a convenience store next to a gas station; I grabbed my bag that I had hidden under my seat and got out.  I nodded to the two guards holding sawed off shot guns standing by the door and walked in.  A friend at the cash register waves at me and tells me to take my time, a red pickup had just passed by and fired a few shots in this general direction.  I stood near the drinks section because it is closest to the corridor and furthest from the glass wall.  I chatted for a while, until one of the guards came in to tell us that the red pickup was seen 5 blocks away heading towards downtown.  I then grabbed my stuff and went home.

….Just another day on my way home from work….never let your guard down…

It’s been 6 months since I into moved my new apartment, about 15 minutes from the Pentagon.  I no longer hear shots every night as I go to sleep.  …..Do I feel safer now?  Yes and no.

The absence of conflict between American borders has made many feel a false sense of security and we let our guard down, but the reality was made evident on 9/11.  The United States is not invincible; it is as vulnerable as is the rest of the world.  Partly in response to this the government has just created the Department of Homeland Security to take care of this country’s security issues.  This new department is pulling dozens of agencies together—it is the biggest reorganization since the Department of Defense.  This is an awesome transition to witness, and awesome as it is, it is also scary.  It took organizations such as the DOD, UN, EPA, and FEMA, just to name a few, anywhere between 10-20 years and at least one major mistake to get off shaky ground.  

The Bush administration has successfully engineered national and international support for a preventive war…if that is even possible.  It seems to me this is an oxymoron in itself, Bismark characterized preventive war as “suicide from fear of death.” Now we are about to provoke a den of snakes out of fear that one specific snake might strike sometime in the future, while virtually ignoring the danger that any of them may strike back when America pokes them.  And no mention has been made of the serious threat that this war, although thousands of miles away, may come into our borders.  The focus has been on the vulnerability of U.S invasion forces or on local supporters such as Kuwait and Israel.  

Are we engaging in a war at a vulnerable time?  How much do we really understand about where we stand, and where we are going with regards to safety and security issues?  I don’t even think the DHS knows.

Living in a country where insecurity is a way of life one never lets their guard down, but no one likes living like this.  Safety and security whether it is achieved by having a guard at my door or a doctor ready to give me a vaccine, there is a common denominator.   No one single or group of institutions will be able to protect you 100%, one must put forth effort to be aware of and prepared for your situation…lest the snake bites you.