ive. People are more easily led if they are confused and terrified.

Mr. Ridge has asked every citizen to be vigilant in reporting suspicious activity to his or her local authorities. I took a look out of my front window for suspicious activity and I think I am going to be logging a lot of phone time. Really. Just what is the point of all of this? I mean other than adding more people to the government payroll. The hard fact is that we cannot stop anyone from attacking this country. They can and will change their mode of attack as current climate dictates. No one in their right mind would attempt another attack using airliners, but you can bet they have other avenues in mind. But, hey, if the government took all this time and money to think of this silly warning system, the least we can do is to give it our attention.

For those of you who are not familiar with the warning system, I have broken it down for you. In each level I have listed the government's responsibilities along with those of Mr. and Mrs. Average Citizen.

GREEN: Low risk of terrorist attack. (This level is extremely unlikely to be activated because it would require that our government have its nose out of the Middle East for at least one year. But, just in case, here are the responsibilities.)

Government responsibility: Collect taxes to keep the Homeland Security people employed. Constantly remind taxpayers of the ever-present threat of terror so that no one entertains the notion of disbanding the Homeland Security office. Mention Osama bin Laden.

Citizen responsibility: Work to pay taxes. Watch reality television and give no serious thought to a smaller government - we are safe here.

BLUE: A general risk of terrorist attacks. (General risk? What the hell does that mean? This level will most likely be used in the event that people get too comfortable in Code Green and start wondering why we are funneling all this tax money into Homeland Security.)

Government responsibility: Collect taxes. Arrest a few Middle Eastern people coming back from a trip to Niagara Falls on some bogus charge, question them, and show pictures of the scary foreigners on the evening news. Mention Osama bin Laden and replay the footage of the World Trade Center collapse.

Citizen responsibility: Work to pay taxes. Look at the pictures of the scary foreigners, shake your fist, and shout, "Nuke the bastards!" Give no thought to a government that keeps its nose to itself.

YELLOW: Significant risk of terrorist attack. (We will be at this level until they serve margaritas in hell because our government shows no sign of minding its own business in the very near future.)

Government responsibility: Collect taxes. Parade a few soldiers in full battle gear around government centers or national monuments. Make airline travel a living nightmare by running people through so many X-Ray machines that they glow in the dark. Make carrying a nail clipper or making fun of an ineffective, absurd system a punishable offense. Mention Osama bin Laden.

Citizen responsibility: Work to pay taxes. Stand in line for three hours to board an airplane. Get mad and blame it on those, "Damn Arabs." Give no thought to why 90% of the military, constitutionally charged with defending OUR borders, is sitting in the Middle East.

ORANGE: High risk of terrorist attack. (This level will most likely be the result of a higher level of "chatter." Only three people in Washington know just what "chatter" is, but it seems that it may have something to do with a pissed off Arab person fabricating stories about another Arab person to whom he owes money.)

Government responsibility: Collect taxes. Send more troops to the Middle East. Give daily news briefings in which absolutely nothing is said. When pressed for the evidence that necessitated the higher threat level, site national security and refuse to answer any more questions. Plan an invasion of another country justifying it with vague references to a relationship between their country's president and some scary person like Osama bin Laden.

Citizen responsibility: Work to pay taxes. Send your sons and daughters to fight in the Middle East. Prepare a disaster kit. Buy a gross of batteries, 800 gallons of drinking water, 90 rolls of toilet paper, and 678 miles of duct tape. Give no thought to how one would breath in a house that was airtight.

RED: Severe risk of terrorist attack. (This level would most likely be invoked about three hours after an attack.)

Government responsibility: Collect taxes. Rush to the scene of destruction, wave the flag and make inspirational speeches about kicking someone's ass. Create another government position to prevent another attack of THIS particular nature. Give no thought to who is going to protect our borders when our entire military is stationed in the Middle East. Link the attack to Osama bin Laden.

Citizen responsibility: Work to pay taxes. Watch endless footage of the destruction. Cry a million tears. Bury your dead. Give no thought to why this happened.

Colorfully yours,

Liberty's Voice

You contact Della at libertysvoice@sbcglobal.net

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http://www.libertyforall.net/2003/archive/march2/Pinkish-Orange.html

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peace,

Tom Mooney

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