After reading about the failed bombing attempt in Times Square, New York City this past Saturday night I got to thinking about how safe we are. Even though the memories are fresh a lot of time has past since both the Oklahoma City bombing and the attacks on September 11, 2001. It's obvious that there are still threats out there to our safety.How safe do you feel? Not just when you are visiting a place like New York but where you live now? I know that New York is a target and people think "It couldn't happen where I live" but sadly I think that terrorists could do more damage in a small community where people feel "safe."
I'm guilty of feeling the same way. No way, something like that happens in New York or Los Angeles not in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Please take a moment to vote in the poll and feel free to comment as you wish. How safe do you feel?
-Doc
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17 comments:
I've lived in many places and under many different circumstances. I've not felt safe for about 20 years, nor should anyone else.
When you feel safe, you become less observant and more prone to not being safe.
I am always making sure my surroundings are somewhat safe and here lately nothing is safe not even sitting in your homes and enjoying your time with family due to Home Invasions and everything.. This just makes me want to Secure myself more.
Never let your guard completely down.
Ne.
I guess I'm the opposite of what's been posted thus far. There's no such thing as safety. So I don't worry about it too much. I mean, I try to protect myself and my family to a practical extent, but I don't try too hard.
I'm typically always aware of my surroundings, but do not and will not live in fear. Why? Because that is what terrorists and criminals want. I will not give them that satisfaction...neither should you. This doesn't mean that anyone should put themselves in a bad situation on purpose; you wouldn't see me walking through Compton at 10PM on a Friday night!
I feel safe. There's a difference living in a city vs. living on a farm in the country. I went through that over 40 years ago.
Living in Louisville in the Cold War era, we were told we'd get a direct nuclear attack because of Ft. Knox being just south of here. Of course when the dollar was no longer on the gold standard that changed. Terrorists don't seem to want to destroy our gold; they know killing people is much more rewarding for them.
My attitude is, I can't stop a nuclear weapon any more than a terrorist, so be happy don't worry.
I just finished reading "The Unthinkable: who survives when disaster strikes - and why" by Amanda Ripley. This wasn't something that would help me plan, but it is a good for knowledge along with being an easy read.
Ms. Ripley is a journalist and goes over the phases Denial, Deliberation, and the Decisive Moment. 9/11 is discussed along with a ferry sinking, fire, and even car accidents.
We need to be responsible for ourselves if something bad happens. It is exactly how the flight attendents say put the mask over your face first and then assist those next to you if they need it.
I live in a very sheltered area except for one thing. There is something nearby that is very important to millions of people and so I always think it would be a potential target. But overall, it's like Mayberry here and my only worry is crazy meth addicts who haven't slept for 9 days and are wandering around looking for spare change to steal.
The thing is that DOES happen where I live. I have not felt safe for a single second since 9-11 and since I saw the Muslims celebrating and dancing and setting off fireworks outside a local Masque hours after the towers fell.
I think about what happened Saturday and the foiled subway plots. It is an insanely scary world - at least where I live.
Unfortunately I don't think anyone is really completely safe. Whether it's home-grown wackos flying planes into IRS buildings, or Islamic extremist cells waiting for an opportunity to blow something up, the threat is always there.
I take the subway everyday. But today I felt nervous in the tunnel under the Hudson River.
I agree with AbsolutGater.
You should all be more afraid of getting in your car and relying on the other guy NOT to kill you.
Well, I've lived in small towns and large cities. I lived in Los Angeles and Paris, but grew up in a small town and currently live in a small town (miss the city!). And I feel the same.
There are different safety fears for either type of place and I am scared of crime. But I'm not scared of terrorism. I'll tell you why. You're more likely to die in a car crash than be killed by a bomb (at least in the US). I refuse to spend my days terrified of terrorists. I won't change my lifestyle and I won't stop traveling. I'm more scared of being attacked by some psycho rapist than a bomber, because which is more likely? And which will cause more pain?
I worked around the corner from where that car was found...I was working there on September 11, 2001. I walked the streets of NYC that day with no where to go...
I now live in Memphis...it could happen here
I think no matter where you go there's always some potential for danger. You just have to be aware.
I, too, agree 100% with AbsolutGator.. I can't live my life looking over my shoulder for real or imagined threats.. I see to it that my daughter and I live in the safest place available and am aware of the surroundings..
Besides that, having a CCP helps.. :)
I might be just a little too comfortable in my surroundings. I can't tell you how many times (and it happened again last night) that I've gone to bed while the hubby works nights and wake up in the morning to find the garage door has been left open all night long. And the service door to the garage never gets locked. Drives my hubby crazy.
But in a broader sense, I really do feel I live in a safe community. If I think too hard about safety, or lack of it, I'll just get obsessive over it. So I purposely try to stay a little bit oblivious. (But for obvious reasons, this open garage door thing has to stop!)
What I do not feel safe about is the fact that we are gonna give this guy a fair trial...and supposedly lock him away along with his buds.
What should happen is that their DNA should be eradicated off the face of this planet.
Then I will feel truly safe. Otherwise, however small the possibility is still there that he may escape to cause more harm. This applies to all would be terrorists. In my humble opinion.
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