Nation Safer after Sept. 11

By Jay Kimmel

Tuesday, September 21, 2004

With billions spent on new programs to make America more secure, it is certainly gutsy to claim that the safety of Americans is more in jeopardy now than ever before. After all, government has — in a largely unprecedented bipartisan effort — equipped first responders, audited failed policy, reorganized countless agencies and posts, spied on Americans and visitors to the United States and even invaded multiple countries. What else is to be done? The University of Kansas has no armed anti-terrorism forces securing the campus and there is no gendarmerie — a group of national police officers — patrolling Massachusetts Street. But these were measures I witnessed this summer in the heavily militarized and, in my opinion, highly secure capital of Turkey, Ankara. It doesn’t seem appealing to trample yet more civil liberties and sacrifice yet more social programs by over-funding an obsession with security in America. Since the October 2001 anthrax incidents, no terrorist incidents have affected Americans in the homeland. America is not experiencing the same disorder as countries like Russia and Iraq, where ideologically motivated persons intent on harming civilians roam with impunity. Each candidate has asserted that there is a clear and present danger. Kerry demands that the government “meet new threats” and face challenges to the ever-vulnerable homeland and Bush demands that the government “face new challenges” and meet threats to the ever-vulnerable homeland.

The similarities between what both presidential candidates are saying are striking. Both messages rely on fear and an immagined sense of urgency and impending danger. With the way the campaigns are spreading their messages now, fear may well be the path to power for the victorious candidate.

Fear is also the path to new policy. Both candidates are demanding new spending on big-ticket homeland security items, new military forces and continued military engagement abroad. These demands eclipse what is important now that we’ve secured the homeland: schools wrought with inequity, increasing unemployment and the like. Leave out the fear and you leave out the problem. We are safer now, safe enough to place our worries on the things that matter most.

The only thing Americans have to be afraid of now is fear-mongering. That’s what is really scary.

Kimmel is a Wichita sophomore in political science, economics and international studies. He is a member of the Kansan Editorial Board.

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