October 10, 2014

Don't Scare Us, Prepare Us

Michael Reagan

10/10/2014 12:01:00 AM - Michael Reagan

The head of the FBI says a terrorist attack may be coming.
He doesn't know where or when, of course.
But Director James Comey says the hard-core terror group Khorasan is planning to attack the United States and is "looking to do it very, very soon."
Comey offered no details, nothing specific. He also used the weasle-word "may."
Yet he says we all have to act as if a terrorist attack on us at home is "coming tomorrow."So what is it? Is the FBI boss trying to prepare us for a real attack or is he just trying to scare us?
If the threat to the United States from Khorasan or ISIS is so real, and if it is so imminent, why aren't the FBI and the rest of the federal government giving us some guidance?
In California we're told to prepare for the earthquakes everyone knows are coming by making sure we always have water and food on hand. We're also told what to do during a quake and where to go to stay safe.
But when it comes to preparing for a terrorist attack on America, we hear nothing but vague scare stories from Washington.
Meanwhile, what are we regular citizens supposed to do while we wait for our inept government to try and defeat the terrorists overseas?
Never take an airplane or a cruise ship again? Cower in our basements with our children? Pray real hard?
We're supposed to trust our government to protect us from being blown up at the mall or the local Friday night high school football game.
But we all know there's no way the FBI or the local police department will be able to prevent every future terrorist attack in the USA.
Acts of terrorism in our own backyards are inevitable.
The government will try to stop them, but they won't be able to totally protect us.
When terrorism does occur, we'll call 911. Then the police and ambulances and the media will arrive. But then it already will be too late for some of our unlucky fellow citizens.
The Obama administration, as usual, is doing everything wrong. The president is still more interested in passing out food stamps when what he should be doing is passing out gun stamps.
He and his crew are pushing tougher gun controls but what they should be encouraging is more people to get guns and learn to use them.
The president is even afraid to use the word "war." But either we're at war with radical Islam or we're not.
If we're in a war, and if it's going to last 30 years or more, as former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta now says it will, start telling us how we can take steps to protect our own families.
Since the government can't protect us from terrorism at home, maybe we should start thinking and acting like Israel.
Maybe the citizenry should be better armed, trained to fight terrorists and be constantly on guard.
If we're really in a war with terrorists, we can't rely on the police. We civilians should be prepared to defend ourselves.
American citizens can be trusted. This is not the time for our federal government to go wobbly and try to further disarm the civilian population.
Instead of training me for a new job, Mr. Obama, train me to use a gun.