Are YOU afraid of another attack on US soil?

[napi21]

I've been reading, & hearing so much about the Pub plan to scare everyone into voting for Shrub.

Well, I'm pretty tired of it! I'm not afraid! I don't think I'm any safer than I ever was, and I have to pay attention to what's going on wherever I am, but really not much more than I ever was.

Are you affected by all this "threat" BS?

[PDittie]

1. It's gonna happen and I ain't skeered

I figure I'll know about a terrorist attack one of two ways:

1. I'll be running from it

2. I'll be watching it on CNN

[napi21]

5. Why do you believe "It's gonna happen"?

I think this is just a ploy to scare everybody.

[Arianrhod]

34. Cheney's latest speech sounded like a personal threat to me.

I think Kerry should be forcefully questioning how these guys can claim to know for a fact that another act will occur--and how they know what the motivation behind it is.

[Nimrod]

43. Indeed

Y'know, if I made a public statement saying there was going to be deaths if * was elected, I'd find myself sitting in a 6X9 for the rest of my life with no legal representation.

A year ago I would have laughed at the idea, but now I don't find a Republican retalitory strike that unbelievable. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and say it will probably be small, only 300-500 or so dead.

[PDittie]

47. I believe there's a better than even money shot

that the terrorists can come across the Rio Grande, get some assault rifles come Monday, and pretty much go nuts anyplace they choose.

Why besides "a ploy to scare everybody" do you believe it won't happen?

Just askin', not challengin'.

[Arianrhod]

49. For one thing, it took years to plan 9-11.

The government even presented evidence of the 9-11 attacks as a scare tactic for today.

The government is obviously lying. I therefore don't believe them.

There is far far less chance of my dying in a terrorist attack than there is of my dying in a car accident. Odds like that don't affect my equilibrium.

[PDittie]

63. I agree

"There is far far less chance of my dying in a terrorist attack than there is of my dying in a car accident. Odds like that don't affect my equilibrium."

Hell, there's a better chance of my being struck by lightning (I suspect).

There's lotsa nervous sheep going to vote for *, though.

This is confounding.

[faithfulcitizen]

2. Yes, absolutely terrified!

And that's why I'm voting for Kerry! :)

[NNadir]

3. Not now.

Three years ago, I was afraid for about a day. Then I came to my senses, almost as fast as Bush could put down his children's book.

I am disappointed that the American people surrendered their constitution so readily for so little but I think we're going to take our country back.

[RoyGBiv]

4. No.

I will not be afraid. I will not cower to those who want me to be afraid.

[napi21]

7. Thanks! That;s the way I feel.

I will continue to do what I want, and go where I want to go. This scare tactic is BS.

[RoyGBiv]

17. Quoting Lincoln ...

"We cannot have a free government without elections;
and if the rebellion could force us to forgo, or
postpone, a national election, it might fairly
claim to have already conquered us."

It doesn't take a leap of logic to rework that into something about fear. We cannot have free government with fear and if fear could force us to forgo our daily lives, our traditions, or to abandon our sacred rights, it might fairly claim to have conquered us.

Where the hell are our leaders who tell us we have nothing to fear but fear itself?

This is a big thing with me. Vigilance? Yes. Being vigilant is always sound policy. Fear? No, never, not ever. Go scare someone else. I will not fear anyone or anything. That simply saps my energy to resist those who want me to be afraid.

[alittlelark]

6. What I am afraid of is another 'terrorist attack'

that * could use to terrify swing-sheep into supporting him.

[jackieforthedems]

8. No

Scare tactics don't work on me. If something does happen again, I'll just deal with it.

[Swamp Rat]

9. By whom?

[napi21]

12. Who the hell knows. Whatever most people are threatened by

I guess. I wasn't asking that question. I'm just asking if this scare tactic is working. It's not working on me, but I may be the odd ball.

[Swamp Rat]

20. But I am asking that question rhetorically, to attend my visual suggestion

[nolabels]

40. Great art work Swamp_Rat !

:thumbsup:

[Swamp Rat]

41. Thanks!

I'm having trouble opening threads and posting on DU right now. My Safari browser (Apple UNIX) stopped loading pages at 3 am, and now I'm using explorer but with lots of errors. Are you experiencing this?

[Kierkegaard]

10. Not in the least.

Truth is, you are more likely to have a plane land on you than you are to be killed in a terrorist attack. Hell, walking through the wrong neighborhood at the wrong time is at least as dangerous as terrorism.

What is so different about society now compared to pre 9/11? Why should anyone feel any safer or less so than before? Liar hasn't done a damn thing to change the way society goes about living their daily lives and he has a lot of nerve taking credit for something he didn't do, moreso, doesn't even EXIST...

[manic expression]

11. There is scarcely ANY terrorist threat

Statistically, YOU YOURSELF pose a much greater threat to YOURSELF than terrorism. You have a MUCH greater chance of committing suicide than falling victim to a terrorist attack. I am, however, extremely afraid of the government's power and the chance that civil liberties will be eroded even further.

[murielm99]

13. That is like being afraid of another school shooting like

Columbine.

It could happen. But the chances are not overwhelming.

Most schools have initiated safety measures against such things.

Have we actually initiated safety measures against terror? I think they are a sham, designed to create a lot of pork and rob us of our civil liberties.

The likelihood of an attack from another home-grown idiot like McVeigh is probably far more likely.

If there is another one, let it be on *'s head for not protecting us.

I think there is a possibility that there will be another attack. But considering that I live on a farm in one of the few states (Illinois) that has made plans for an attack, I don't think I will worry.

[Sugarbleus]

14. NO. I'm sure the possibility is there. I watch my surroundings. But

I'm MUCH MORE TERRIFIED OF BUSHCO than anything else I've ever known in my lifetime. That has me physically sick to my stomach--for real.

I'm voting for Kerry. He CANNOT do any worse than Bush on "Terra" and he'll do MUCH BETTER on domestic issues. That alone will sooth my nerves greatly. I'd be able to sleep soundly at night.

[napi21]

16. I live north of Atlanta, and I'm more afraid of driving down I85

than I am of a terrorist attack. People are crazy here. Lots carry a gun, and if they get pi**ed at you they shoot you! That scares me a lot more than Osama ever could.

[DieboldMustDie]

28. In the last 3 years roughly 100,000 Americans have died in auto accidents.

:shrug:

[Sugarbleus]

31. Indeed.. wow. I think about those types of things too. eom

[Nordic]

15. the only threat to the country that worries me is Bushco

we can handle pretty much anything except another four years of George Bush

[UdoKier]

18. No more than I'm afraid of being hit by a bus.

Statistically, the bus is a greater danger.

But God forbid Americans think logically. I guess they think the people who died in the WTC had a more horrible fate than people who burn in a typical apartment fire.

Simply because THEY as viewers were more horrified by the scale and impact of it than the normal, everyday carnage in this country, they see it as somehow "scarier" than the other risks, and perceive it as a bigger risk than other dangers because it took out so many all at once. But the risk that you or I will die at the hands of a terrorist is less than that of getting hit by lightning - unless they get a decent-sized nuke, so we certainly do need to be vigilant of that...

[goclark]

19. The threat is Bush!

I am sure that we will have another strike.
But daily, we are stripped of our freedom by this administration.
They must go because they are killing us drip by drip.

[Cleita]

21. I'm not afraid of it. I am sure that our present administration is

inviting it with their words and actions. I hope we can get rid of them as soon as we can.

[mitchum]

22. No

[BMJ]

23. I'm not afraid of...

* y2k
* anthrax
* mad-cow disease
* ebola virus
* killer bees
* black people
* west-nile virus
* homosexuals
* small-pox
* terrorists

But... I am afraid, very afraid, of delusional leaders. And I mean "delusional" in a very literal sense!

[BMJ]

24. I forgot to add...

... I'm also not afraid to admit when I'm wrong.

[uhhuh]

25. You forgot

KILLER SHARKS!!!!!!

aren't you scared now?

[BMJ]

26. KILLER SHARKS?

Unless they have laser beams attached to their heads, I scoff at your killer sharks! *scoff*

[Arianrhod]

51. All I ask for

is a few frickin sharks with frickin laser beams attached to their heads!

[Only Me]

27. I'm more afraid of Shrub getting re-elected...Thats Scary! I think we

will surely eventually be a target again. If you saw that poll done a week or so again, about Shrub's popularity in the world it doesn't look good. On top of the fact that we have never been the favorites of some of the eastern nations of the world. But I don't think we have ever been as hated as we are with Bush in office.
I truly believe his presence and his arrogant attitude stir hostile
emotions in these unstable groups. On top of the fact he has
the ability to be highly unpredictable. If we all remember, even the repubs themselves, during the earlier parts of the Iraqi attacks.
He was highly unpredictable. He did things and told his staffers about it after the fact. He was highly criticized for not listening to his advisors. We don't need that kind of stray bullet doing more damage in the WH.

[Proud_Lefty]

29. Absolutely. I'm scared shitless!

This administration has trashed the protection we've taken for granted under our Constitution. They don't even try to be discrete about it and too many good hearted people believe in their message and would only vote for their "heros". Lord, I've tried to talk to them and you can't break through the rhetoric. It's so damn strong and thick. And they think we're the paranoid ones, too interested in details?????

We're being attacked now and we have to continually fight it. This is so discouraging and we really need each other, to support each other, to get through this election. It'll only get harder.

[AndyTiedye]

30. Yes. Because the BFEE Will Use it As a Pretext (Again)

to further clamp down on us all, and possibly cancel/nullify elections.

[Andy_Stephenson]

32. There is no reason.....

to ever cancel an election.

[SoCalDemocrat]

33. never have been

I've never been afraid of terrorism.

I live my life and ignore the terrorists.

That's exactly how you fight terrorism. Ignore them. Don't give them any PR, don't air their acts on the news.

Our government can go about fighting the battles against terrorism in the background, but it should not be used as a political weapon of fear as the Bush administration has done.

Don't give in to fear.

[Kid_Niki]

35. Why, R U going to be doing one?

If you do, please PM me first! ;)

[allalone]

36. nope

the sky is falling crap is just that-crap. Let's see they keep coming up with vague threats, no info, no specific data, no names, no dates, no nothin'. If something does happen, I'll either be a victim or I'll be watching it on the news. In the meantime, I worry more about paying for medicaine and I also worry about traffic cuz we all drive crazy here in Washington state.

[chicagojoe]

37. I live in Chicago, which is much more likely to take an attack ...

... than Crawford,TX, or any other place that Bush wants people to believe is a target for those "who hate us because we're free".
What I fear most is being attacked because of hatred toward Bush and those who, BLINDLY and STUPIDLY, follow him.
I'm a proud American, and I think Bush is an idiot. Imagine what the rest of the world thinks.

[Satchel]

38. I'm not really afraid either

I feel Bush(the administration) was behind the 9/11 attacks anyways. I'm afraid of more wars.

[DemBones DemBones]

39. NO!!! I suppose there will be another big attack

some day but we can't wall ourselves off. (We COULD do a better job of guarding our ports and borders, but there are limits to how far we SHOULD go.)

Years ago, when the IRA was still doing occcasional bombings in London, we wanted to go to London and other places in England. We decided that we were unlikely to be killed by the IRA and that staying home wouldn't keep us safe -- you can never know if there's a semi with your name on it on the highway somewhere.

Besides, one of my favorite wise sayings is "Nobody gets out of here alive." Think about it.

[Arianrhod]

52. My very first day in London

the IRA made a bomb threat against the trains, and the entire southern portion of England for 50 miles around the city was shut down.

I went to work as normal, as did everyone else.

[Zinfandel]

42. NO!

[coolhandlulu]

44. I'm scared

:scared:
I'm more afraid of being attacked by my government! This government thinks we are the enemy.

[Dem2theMax]

45. No. No. No.

I'm afraid of * and his gang. THAT'S what I'm afraid of.

Sure, some day we'll get hit again. I'm not going to sit here and wring my hands. My life, such as it is, was meant to be LIVED, not to sit here waiting for the next terra lert and to run and hide under my desk. Been there, done that during the Cold War. Yep, I'm THAT old. ;)

My parents, both WWII vets, have been through it. We've talked about it. We have VERY sick senses of humor when it comes to death. All we ask for is a direct hit so we can all go at the same time.
Other than that, we don't worry about it. We live in a very large military area, with nuclear power plants not too far away as the crow flies. In other words, a good target. Does it bother us? Nope.

Gonna live life the best we can. And if it happens, it happens. If it happens in the form of a direct hit, I won't be here to worry about it.

[phylny]

46. I'm not afraid

but I do believe we'll be attacked again. I don't relish the thought, and I pray for our safety as a nation and a people, but I think something on a smaller scale will happen. Please realize I say this with no glee, and no disrespect to anyone.

Frankly, I'm insulted that my vice president and my government would be so disrespectful of our citizens to prey on fears and the horrors of that day. It's disgusting.

I used to be fearful. I lived near Dulles Airport in Northern Virginia at the time and I remember the eerie silence of NO PLANES in the air during the afternoon and evening of September 11th, and in the following days. I remember watching television all day on September 12th (government ordered day off in our area) and having a difficult time breathing. I remember hearing a plane when there was supposed to be NO plane traffic and being terrified that we were under attack again, only to realize that by the speed and the angle, it was a military jet patrolling the area.

I was frightened months and months afterward (or was it a few years?) when the government talked about duct tape and plastic wrap and water and food and stockpiles because there was the likelihood of an "imminent attack"...and when the school I worked in at the time had the ventilation system overhauled in case we needed to create a "shelter in place." I remember joking with my colleagues, asking if we all should be hoarding food in our offices and classrooms...and I remember our sweet cafeteria supervisor winking at me saying, "Don't worry, young'in - I can feed us for days with what I have." (She always called me "young'in" even though we were the same age!)

Anyway, the only good thing that came out of those warnings is that I was prepared for Hurricane Isabel because I had water and food for a few days when we needed it.

Nowadays, I don't know - maybe I'm just naive, maybe I'm conditioned, maybe I'm stupid, or maybe I've become hardened to it or cynical (Boy crying wolf thing). But I'm not afraid anymore. As people have pointed out on this thread, there are dangers every day. Yes, it's cliche, but every time we get in a car, we're subjecting ourselves to danger. All the good people in Florida have just experienced Hurricane Frances were subjected to danger.

On September 11, 2001, I felt like my life would never be the same. I remember thinking, "Life as we know it in this country is gone." But for the most part, for day-to-day living, life is pretty much the same. I do know that for those of us who've lost loved ones, friends, family, neighbors, in terror attacks, life will never be the same, so I don't want to appear flippant. But I don't live in fear anymore. I think that if you live in fear, all the joy of life is sucked dry, and all you're left with is plain old paralyzing fear.

I just don't want to live that way, and I resent my government trying to brow-beat us with fear tactics.

[CrispyQ]

48. I'm more afraid of assholes talking on their cell phones as . . .

...their SUV drifts into my lane at 60+ mph!!

[Vickers]

50. I fear nothing!

Fuck these guys, I don't care WHO is pulling the terrorist bullshit, it does not affect me one way or another.

[MsConduct]

53. Hell

the idiot in chief couldn't stop the first attack. He's no smarter now than he was then. I wouldn't be surprised if the gop staged an attack, just to prove a point. I'm more afraid of our government than I am of any outside threats.

Peace

[Tom_Foolery]

54. I'm not afraid personally because I live in the middle of nowhere...

so I know that they won't blow me up. I do fear for an attack on a big city as we get closer to the election. I think something like what happened in Spain will happen here to make Bush look bad.

[AlCzervik]

55. I live in california, home of earthquakes, mudslides,

massive fires and riots. You have no control of any of these things and you cant live in fear. Everyday here in ca we could have any of the above mentioned things happen but we go on with our lives because you cant just stop living and curl up in the fetal postion.

[kayell]

56. I am, in that I believe that it is to the BFEEs advantage and

that they may try to arrange something more terrorizing even than last time. But I certainly am not letting it rule my life. Truthfully at the moment, I am much more worried about Ivan. And much, Much, MUCH more scared of 4 more years of * and the effects on what is left of our democracy.

[napi21]

57. If none of us are really afraid, why does the scare tactic work?

That was really the reason I started this thread. I've never been afraid either, but it seems like WE are the minority. I don't really believe in all the poll info, but all of them indicate lots of people are convinced there will be another terrorist attack on the US. I've had my DIL call me and ask are you scared? I responded Hell NO! But she is.

[kayell]

58. I think most of us here are at least partially immunized against the FEAR

We are better informed, we have more interaction with others who are not paralyzed by the FEAR, we know enough to be more resistant to the propaganda. Few here watch Faux, and those who do are generally gathering ammo against Faux.

I think it is very understandable why many are so frightened. It is pushed at them constantly by authorities they have been trained to trust, and most are not getting the counter messages that immunize DUers.

[President Fredo]

59. No. I recognize that it is a possibility, but I do not fear it.

I am offended by the administration's practice of fear-mongering. And, aside from those folks who were affected by the 9/11 attacks, I don't understand why anyone falls for it. It is a crock.

[LWolf]

60. No.

I'm not a fearful person.

I'm too busy working and living and using the time I've been given to spend it in fear.

[faithnotgreed]

61. i dont think there is any chance we will be attacked before election

al qaeda has too much of a goldmine with bush in office so they will not jeopardize that. an attack would just prove again what we already know about bush: theres not one thing as president he has gotten right

the only way i see an attack happening is if its right before election and bush is behind enough that they (al qaeda and or bush & co) will pull that

[okayremedy7]

62. Original Message

No, not at all

Have other things to think about