COMMENT

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HOMELAND MEETS NEVERLAND Some Words About Homeland ‘Security’ • Most Reverend Antonio Hernández, O.M.D., O.Sh.L.

'This is the big Washington genuises’ solution to a national security problem that they created?'

It was mayhem.
-Chip Reid, "embedded" reporter with 1st Marine Div., returned from Iraq this month Like most folks, I can be a simple, dim bulb. As an instance, I feel baffled by all this federal meddling, done in the name of Homeland Security. Let me explain:
Today I accompanied my friend to pick up a prescription. At our pharmacy, there is a new policy that only one person at a time will be served, so only one person at a time is allowed at the pharmacy check-out. EVERYONE ELSE HAS TO STAND BEHIND THE RED LINE, cleverly demarcated right smack in the middle of the main thoroughfare aisle, easily six feet from the pharmacy counter.

This appealed to me at first; it seemed so nice because I’ve had smelly, creepy suspicious-looking weirdos hanging about, two inches behind my right shoulder, when I’ve been to refill my medicines. It’s also a good idea to thwart methamphetamine-craving jerks, who steal from pharmacies.
Then it suddenly struck me: they don’t want strangers horning in because you never know if that stranger might be Al-Qaeda!

The same thing occurred a few weeks back, when I had to switch physicians. There was a great ballyhoo about my permanent medical record, and ultimately I had to fetch it myself to carry to my new doctor. Time was I could request that a medical release be mailed me- I could sign it, mail it back, and the records would magically go where needed.

No longer-- you never know if Al-Qaeda or some other Muslim terrorist has stolen your identity. You never know if they might want your private hemorrhoid results, and you certainly can’t tell who amongst the postal carriers might have thrown in their lots with the terrorists.

This is the big Washington genuises’ solution to a national security problem that they created?
Let me reveal a startling and disturbing conversation I had with a neighbor after the 11 September attack on the U.S. He and I were discussing it out in my yard. My patriotic, stalwart neighbor said, "Hell, you and me could go right out and plan somethin’, and carry it out! Who’d stop us?"

For a moment I was stunned, and I said, "You know, that’s the truth! Why, you and me could get ourselves down amongst the riverbank brush, hide down there, and plan to blow up the local military installation!"
"Damn right," he said sadly, "and who in the hell could stop us?"

My neighbor and I have seen too many decades of heartbreak, death and bloodshed. Our hypothetical and frightening conversation satisfied us that no one can really do anything to stop monsters that enjoy murdering people. It is one’s reaction that matters most. In fact, that very sentence was our parting remark.
So, we are going to pre-empt future terrorist attacks by simply regarding every stranger as a potential bin Laden bedfellow. Is pre-emptive vengeance our national pastime now? Can there be such a thing? Next, I think, we’ll be moving into a new phase of witch-hunt: the Muslim witch-hunt.

The West (read: America First) has made the conquering hordes of old look like Cub Scouts. Never before have I seen such blatant "war-equals-peace" propaganda; even Hollywood has become frightened of offending Bush. As for Britain, too bad Gandhi isn’t here to bitch-slap some sense into them, again.
My friend, who works in a peace organization (curiously bearing the same title as one of my old books), was down in the dumps today. I’ve written about this great man right here at Hackwriters– a man who cares only about the needlessly suffering children of the world. The Palestinian Hotel, where relief and peace efforts are ongoing, has banned his group. It’s because the group,' Cry In the Wilderness', spoke up about the true goings-on in Iraq. Even the press has seen the government-issue flyer that prevents the group from joining in to help. Looks like the U.S. has that front well covered.

But then, why should we worry? We have those ever-vigilant pharmacies and doctors’ offices to protect us from kamikaze Muslims, after all. We allegedly kicked the crap out of Afghanistan and we’re doing the same to Iraq. The Arab Republic of Syria could be next, just for the sport of it. We may not really be safe, but Bush’s government slams the door on any truthful reporting.
Whoever said that ignorance is bliss forgot to add that it is also very secure.

Then, too, Bush will probably be re-elected (one hopes not). It’s feasible; Reagan had the country in a unique position when he was re-elected: on its knees and still cheering him. How far away from that is Baby Bush? As a lovely contrast to the days of the Clinton administration, most of the U.S. is out of a job now. Bush made good when he had the September 11th attacks dropped into his stocking-- a pre-Christmas plum if ever there was one. He put it to good use, too: sudden war.

The airlines are lining up for cushy government deals. They’ve suffered so much, they deserve a real break. They’ve had tons of lay-offs, after all. Taxpayers will be spilling wads of cash into the pockets of anyone unemployed who was even remotely connected to an airplane.
Politically, then, everything is about how Bush stared down the Iraqis and then obliterated their world standing, the way Reagan scared the hell out of the Russians, and soon after, Russia fell. This is about history-making. Not peace-making, not job-making, not homeland security, not Social Security, not freedom and justice for all.
Then again, what do I care? All the people I see in day-to-day business are wearing "FUCK IRAQ" buttons. Those of us who tried saying something negative about the war or about Bush were silenced unpleasantly. My good friend of the banned relief group, who wears a pro-peace button against the Iraqi War, gets crap from his customers all day long.
If we’re going to be thrown in with the witches, I’d rather just stay "patriotic". Wouldn’t you?

© Most Reverend Antonio Hernández, O.M.D., O.Sh.L.
April 20th 2003
suriak@yahoo.com

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