Security Theatre

The Christmas Day attempt by the Nigerian to blow up a NWA jet was a serious matter, there's no argument about that. But I think the cable news networks have milked everything out of the story they could get or create. You'd think, judging by the airtime they have given the story, that nothing else is going on in the world.

But even worse than the over coverage has been the way they have covered it. The networks have fed right into the terrorists hands and the security theatre industry by scaring the public and grilling politicians over why they let the Nigerian on the plane. Whether designed to or not the result will be politicians that, in their futile attempt to avoid any accusations of laxness in protecting the public, will support extreme measures that will make it even more inconvenient to travel and choke off even more business and tourism to America. Which is, by the way, the goal of the terrorists.

And then you have your homeland security industry that has blossomed since 911. They have dispatched their lobbyists to appear on cable news to warn that if we don't drastically increase the funding for the homeland security sector we will be sorry. Just as an example, just now I watched CNN interview Tom Blank, who was identified as the former deputy director of TSA under President Bush. Mr. Blank proceeded to inflate fears and call for increased funding for security as the solution. What Mr. Blank nor CNN did not mention at all was that Mr. Blank is now a lobbyist for several homeland security product manufacturers and lobbying groups. This is what is known as a potential conflict of interest and CNN should be ashamed for not informing its listeners. In fact, 94 former Bush Administration Homeland Security appointees are now working for the security industry. If you turn on your tv now you can see them on every cable news program trying to scare you to death.