Deflowered
Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves
--William Pitt
If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land,
it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy
-- James Madison
__________
This ran in our local paper today, but extrapolate the subtext to your neck o' the woods.
Front page, local section: "The Latest War on Terror Victim: Beauty." Nope, not a soliloquy on the beautiful young people dying in the Phony War on Terror (PWOT©), but rather, an homage to the soon gone big old oaks in front of the Old Capitol Building, which is actually now a museum standing in front of the New Capitol, where business is conducted. The trees will be felled in favor of "concrete security bollards to be erected across the front of the building" by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE).
Now, it is prudent and correct to take proactive and/or reactive terrorism counteraction. That is, if there is a credible threat based upon reliable intelligence. Absent reliable evidence that the state capital is actually targeted by a group with a potential to execute a credible attack, these plans are foolhardy.
It is absurd to cut down trees to counter a threat that does not exist. Since the PWOT is an absurdity, I guess it is logical to cut down 200 year old oak trees; somehow, it smacks of tilting at windmills. If there is a threat, a spike barrier would be sufficient, and would not be obtrusive.
Realistically, what group could possibly have access to vehicular bombs in Florida?
Taking this to its logical endpoint, why not bring the 124th Infantry of the Florida National Guard into active duty and emplace them in bunkers around the capital complex amongst the azaleas? God knows they have enough experience doing this in Baghdad. Good for Iraq; better for Tallahassee.
In a nod to the green members of society, we could use the logs dismembered from the felled trees to provide overhead cover. The best of greencycling.
Alternately, we could arm the antiwar protesters who march in front of the capitol, as most of them have military experience, with RPGs to neutralize any approaching car bombs. A Private 1st Class could supervise them. Hell, I'll join the group if they give me an RPG, with at least three rounds.
Terrorism counteraction policy must be based in fact, rather than knee-jerk reactions. Realistic threat analysis is the key to all effective action.
What's really going on? The Old Capitol fronts the major thoroughfare through town. So every day, commuters will no longer see the homey domed capitol behind Spanish moss-covered oaks, but rather, "tacky as can be" security bollards," that according to local arborist Sam Hand, PhD.
As with the constant barrage from the media and entertainment outlets, the purpose seems to be to keep the citizens in a continual state of free-floating anxiety. As fear has become the watchword, it somehow makes what the U.S. is doing in the Middle East relevant. We are keeping them occupied with fresh meat over there, so they cannot hop the bollards over here.
The bollards are window dressing and backdrop for the six-o'clock news show.
posted by rangeragainstwar at 7:41 AM
7 Comments:
except ranger, that symbolism, that look. is exactly what they want to accomplish. it is the same philosophy that the eastern block russians used when they built those ugly concrete instaslums for housing behind the curtain. those places made a statement.
the statement of the cutdown trees, the ugly concrete bollards, all of that tells us at a glance that evil is out there, be afraid.
that's what they want us to feel. they can't seriously think that terrorists would want to go after talahassee, not when there's better targets in miami and orlando (epcot center would have terror value far beyond the florida lege). they build it to remind us that our job, as far as they are concerned, is to be afraid enough to let them do anything they want to any of us.
it starts with the visuals.
MB,
In a nutshell, you have encapsulated why the uglification must occur. The symbolism is, the past as you knew it, is gone. Your view is obscured, and it is only wistfully you may look back. These are New Times.
Tallahassee was a symbolic target only as long as brother "JEB!" was here.
A target must have symbolic value, and there are none in Tallahassee, unless you consider the syboxes at Doak Campbell stadium worthy targets. It sure would take out the city's raison d'etre.
[2] Speaking of architecture, FSU has several Chernobyl-looking dorms, so they've already laid in the groundwork. They are actually poured concrete.
My, we really will soon resemble the monolithic monstrosities of the Nazi Era building spree. How utterly depressing.
labrys,
I s'pose it's all an effort to make the volks feel more comfortable in the coming Brave New World.
They say everything is in flux; Lady Bird is gone, and those in power are savaging the environment, so the gray concrete will counterpoint nicely with the coming smog.
To paraphrase a poster from my own message boards: "Crap like this makes me feel all V For Vendetta-ish!" But how silly, Americans don't even know what Guy Fawkes Day IS, do they?
MB's point, that this is isn't about security but rather about projecting an image of fear, of a capitol building under threat of attack, is excellent.
(Also, I'm wondering why concrete bollards offer protection against vehicles superior to large oak trees? Couldn't the bollards be placed among the trees? Wouldn't the trees themselves be useful in stopping a potential car-bomb from getting close?)
I think that the psychological effect is similar to the use of torture: it isn't actually about getting useful, timely information. It is intended to terrorize people other than the actual victim.
-RobW (sorry for the anonymous header, I just don't care to sign up to Blogger)
Rob,
Yes--our point, exactly. The felling of the trees contributes to the totalitarian look of the concrete.
Not only are the bollards unnecessary to protect our Old Capitol-cum- museum, they are necessary to project the intended image, i.e., "be afraid." If every state capitol is an ostensible target, albeit, with no concrete (pardon the pun) proof, then your domecile is just a hop-skip-and away from attack by those envious terrorists.
Stay inside, buy Sonitrol home protection, and by all means tune in to shows like "24". Be happy you have whatever it is you have, and don't complain; THEY are there to make you safe.
You got the message; the intention is to strike fear in those outside of the erstwhile target.
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