Can we say overreacted

[Big Dan]

I saw this on the news tonight. Anybody who knows this show knows that after 9/11 we over react to little things nowadays. Here is a link to the article.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070201/ap_on_re_us/suspicious_devices

Dan

 

[HeartBreak]

You know, the scary part is I actually watch the series in question that they were attempting to promote. The idiot that came up with that campaign really does need to go to jail.

 

[FastEddy]

No over reaction at all.
They should all be put in jail from the top person who approved it all the way down to the people that places the packages. Anyone that had anything to do with it. Toss them in Gitmo for a month and let them see how funny it was. If its publicity the want that will give them some.

 

[NCNitro]

I agree with Eddy, no over reaction at all. In this time, I would much rather have them over react as you say, with devises like these placed all around big cites, than have them ignore them and have another catastrophe, where thousands of people are killed.

Also, if we blow this off, laugh it off, whatever you want to call it, then what kind of signal does it send to the terrorists. Then they get the idea to do some type of copycat but only this time using bombs. They need to see we will not tolerate anything of this nature.

 

[hb1111]

could on been freaking bombs,and while our bomb squads were f-ing around on that some serious poop could of went down.....waste of tax payers money

 

[Northlander]

It appeared to be a gross over reaction to me. 9/11 has perpetuated a society of paranoia and fear which too many people buy into. I understand the "be vigilant" stand point but the simple result of this would have been to say," Yep, it was an ad campaign." and move on. Note, the same campaign didn't bring the same result in other cities.

 

[RevoME]

Still, this was way overboard.
If we would not have so many dangerous species living in our country we could maybe react a little less tense, but in a country where "everything" is possible and 16 year old shitheads run around with semiautomatics... not to mention our borders...

Just joke around with stuff like that on an airport and you end up in the hospital... or with some heavy duty metal in your head.
If this goes unpunished, we'll have a long way to go before we can call this country "civilized" again. Yes, it looks like a solid paranoia, but when I learned how to fly, I was taught that being paranoid for 10 seconds is a heck of a lot better than being dead forever... )

 

[FastEddy]

9/11 is no excuse. Even before 9/11 the same reaction and actions would have been taken. I can remember before 9/11 that be bomb squad would be called to any unknown package laying around.

Yes 9/11 has:
"has perpetuated a society of paranoia and fear which too many people buy into."

Its my belief that people are buying into it on the opposite end just like your post. They want to blame the way people act and behave as well as criticize the Military, Police, Fire, and other entities for their actions. If this same issue happened before 9/11 it would have played out the same minus the words terrorism and 9/11.

Nothing like a good scapegoat.

 

[RevoME]

The probably most unfortunate thing that happend may have been the wave it created... they got their advertising out, better than anyone else.
Loss of Decency... Gotta keep your buyers awake!
Wondering how a Police Officer is supposed to react if he catches one attaching a blinking device on a bridge. I think you are right FastEddy, it would have been almost the same before 9/11.

 

[Big Dan]

First off it wasn't a blinking item. It was a light bright. Anyone could see that. If you saw the video it was apparent that it was a light bright. It was not a package. It was a picture of a cartoon character. These were placed in a bunch of different city's including San Francisco. They have been there for over two weeks. Everybody else in the country figured out that they were light brights and not bombs. I personally have never seen someone who would want to attract attention to a bomb. But I guess there have been crazier things. They usually try to hide the bombs so no one can detect them. They don't light them up so everyone can see them. But I guess it's alright to spend the tax payers money on sending the bomb squad out. Even after they knew it wasn't a threat. Well we took one down and saw it was a light bright, But what the hay let's shut the bridge down and the subway down as well for the exact same thing. Then again that is just my opinion. I refuse to let the terrorists win which is exactly what is happening when you fear every little thing in life. They have done there job well and this news report proves it......

 

[Monkey Wrench]

A. They were not actual Lite Brights, they were similar to a Lite Bright...big difference.

B. Doesn't matter if they had pictures of cartoon characters or not, whoever thought of this, whoever approved and, mostly especially, those two assclowns in Boston that distributed them, need to spend some time in a jail cell. Seriously, how ignorant and stupid do you need to be to think this was a good idea? I really don't care about the other cities that had them and did nothing, all that tells me is that most cities continue to be unprepared for such an attack.

C. Do I walk around, looking over my shoulder, wondering when and where the next potential terrorist attack may occur? No, but do I live with a heightened state of paranoia, stress and worry? Absolutely! If I see something suspicious, you bet your sweet ass I'm calling the police, and it may include someone merely looking suspicious. How awful would I feel if I saw an object or individual and brushed it off as merely a promotion and then read about something terrible happening? I'd rather err on the side of caution.

The reality is, this was a dumb idea all around. I don't care if they turn out to really be Lite Brights either. Hey, I can use a real backpack to carry bricks of C-4 into a subway, does that make it less suspicious because it has Dora on it? No matter what, because people in this world have decided to kill each other for the dumbest of reasons using the cruelest of methods, it's not possible to trust anyone or anything much these days.

Tax payers should not have had to pay for the bomb squads because those two fiddlesticks sticks thought it was a joke. They should pay, Turner Broadcasting should pay, the Cartoon Network should pay and so on. But our viligence should never take a back seat, because it is at that point when we get attacked again.

 

[Northlander]

I only used 9/11 in reference to its mention in the article. The paranoia extends far beyond this one example. Another example, when I was a kid everyone played with toy guns and no one had a problem with it. Now you're lucky to get outside your front door without someone reporting a person with a gun if you live in town.

 

[vbgagnon]

Well with my life directly effected by stupid people like this I see things in a the same light as Eddy. I work as a Customs Officer and in case you didn't know bombs come in different shapes and sizes. I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but how was anybody supposed to know that the top was a light bright? How was anybody supposed to know what was under it? Plenty of room under the top for a bomb. People that pull stunts like that never get punished enough. I think instilling fear is just as bad as actually committing a crime. These guys need to spend some time with some hardened criminals.

 

[RevoME]

Thanks vbgagnon!!! I've got way too many friends with U.S. Customs and the Police and I hear first hand what stupid stuff people will do. I don't want CBP Agents consulting Handbooks before taking someone down that acts too stupid, and I certainly don't want to see PO's in trouble for being on the careful side. Don't like it.... hmmm too bad Maybe the taxpayers are better off changing our crazy society rather than bitching about a government response to what "could easily have been a threat" If it went unnoticed and something happened, there would be enough bitching...
Frankly in Maine this summer USM was shut down several times for "bomb threats" that where initiated by the worst vomit this country has ever brought to light. I will not blame anyone for responding to this, thats what government does, by law. I don't consider myself paranoid, but aware of our society, that unfortunately does not punish BS enough yet. You can prolly save a lot of taxpayers money right there in the field, just gotta type that report later...

 

[Big Dan]

My point was until now what terrorist have you heard of that planted a bomb that was meant to be noticed. A backpack was used because it wasn't that noticable. Yes we should err on the side of caution, but we should also live or lives. If you prefer to sit in your house and hide all day that is your choice. No one lives forever. You and I and everyone on this planet will die someday. If it's your time then it's your time. Are you going to stop driving a car because of the possibilty of an accident? Live in fear and it will overcome you. Yes pay attention to your surroundings. And to answer the question about bombs come in different sizes. Yes they do. I do not recall a flat bomb that is lit up for people to notice it in the shape of a cartoon character. The only place to plant explosives on that thing was were the battery's were. It's a possibility that it could have been a bomb. And yes we should take caution when something like that happens. But I prefer to live free. That is why I live in this country. I do not need to hide in a basement for fear that I am going to die. As far as I know no one has figured out how to live forever. And each one of you have a valid point. The company should have to foot the bill. The guy's that did it should not go to jail IMO. They were doing there job. The company that told them to do it should be fined heavily. It's basically like saying any one of you should go to jail for doing your job. There was no harm in what they did. The harm came in the overeaction of what they did.

This is of course only my opinion. Take it as you will. I just refuse to let the terrorists win, So I refuse to live in fear..

Dan

And according to some of the posts on this thread. Everyone of us should go to Jail. We carry rc cars around. They could be bombs in someones eyes so we should all be arrested and thrown in jail.

 

[sweetdiesel]

Sounds to me like you're the one overreacting Dan. No one is saying go live in a basement, or that they are living in such fear that it interferes with their normal life. The message here is that what these guys did was wrong and idiotic. And that it is better to err on the side of caution than to throw caution to the wind. I am glad that the bomb squad came out and removed the signs, and if a similar sign should pop up again I would hope that they would approach the situation with the same diligence and caution.

There is no way that you or I can access if there was a possibility of a bomb hidden in those signs. We are not experts in that field and shouldn't pretend to be. I'm just glad that it was just a stupid marketing campaign and not a true threat.

 

[Big Dan]

My Bad. I guess I just read more than what was written....
the fact that IMO they over reacted shouldn't have been blasted.
Geez the next thing is gonna be someones lunch bag is going to be considered a bomb just shows the society we live in. the funny thing is I used to drive chemicals around and never got bothered, But a light bright on a piece of metal draws out the bomb squad and shuts down a subway and bridge just seems ridiculous to me....

 

[Monkey Wrench]

My point was until now what terrorist have you heard of that planted a bomb that was meant to be noticed.

Yes, but up until 9/11, what terrorist have you heard of that used a fully fueled jet to crash into a building?

No one lives forever. You and I and everyone on this planet will die someday. If it's your time then it's your time.

I don't think anyone is insinuating that we are able to live forever, but I have no intention of "checking out" because some idiot wants to disguise a bomb as a Lite Bright either.

I do not need to hide in a basement for fear that I am going to die.

I also don't think anyone is saying you need to live in a basement either. There is a huge difference between living in denial or ignorance and being aware of not only your surroundings, but the general state of the world right now. In case you haven't noticed, Dan, Americans aren't exactly looked favorably upon by the vast majority of the world right now.

The guy's that did it should not go to jail IMO. They were doing there job.

Oh come on! What kind of justification is this? Simply by this logic, the underlings at Enron, Worldcom, Adelphia, and Tyco (to name a few) should not have been punished either, right? I mean, they were just doing their job by cooking the books at their respective companies because they were told to. Did you hear about their press conference following their arraignment? They refused to comment about the case, which I certainly understand, but what kind of smart-ass steps up after their arraignment and claims they will only answer questions regarding haircuts of the '70's? They should be slapped silly on principle alone. Maybe they didn't realize this "promotion" would necessarily cause the reaction that it did, but making light of it by claiming to only field questions surrounding haircuts displays incredible ignorance! Additionally, the one jackass has only a green card and wants to claim political asylum!

We carry rc cars around. They could be bombs in someones eyes so we should all be arrested and thrown in jail.

Maybe so, and the next time I see someone driving a RC car on an interstate, rest assured, I'll be on the phone calling the authorities! Additionally, if I am asked by the police to inspect my rigs I'm going to gladly let them, if only to allay their fears. Your statement can also be taken to say that anyone carrying a Lite Bright around should be thrown in jail. The issue isn't the object itself, but rather where they were placed. My kids have a Lite Bright and I did not feel compelled to have the bomb squad inspect it before I opened it.

This entire stunt was a result of sheer stupidity and bad judgment. I do not think any of the parties involved ever intended to cause panic, but if I crash into someone with my car and kill that person, chances are I'm going to do some time, even though I never intended to either crash or kill someone.

 

[Plaidfish]

Wow...I must say you are all not seeing Dan's point.... what happens when the bomb squads get called out for a pile of litter?...I don't want to live in fear but when everything is used as a tool to instill it, then what choice do you have.... what happened to the days when kids could do stupid weird poop and not have to worry about a jail sentence....this is what made America so great for so long... VB I understand your job has many difficult challenges but I'm sure you have learned through experience how to judge a situation.....if you caught some kids snowmobiling through your area from Canada and came to the conclusion they really were just out having a good time would you drag them in with cuffs on to show what a potential danger they were and make a big stink over it?.....honestly I trust you are more than capable to judge the situation.......

hey I saw a neighbor hanging Christmas balls on the stop sign at the end of the street 10 houses away from his......this is not vandalism or destruction of property but could it be seen as a dangerous device???? hell yeah...I could easily make something really crazy and destructive...as could most people in this hobby.....you all know if you WANTED to you could......I just don't want to live in a society where it is expected the police are going to take care of business for me......then the government owns more of you than you realize...let me take care of myself....if there is a catastrophic event we don't see coming O F'ing well.....I refuse to let the terrorists instill their biggest weapon inside me "TERROR".....that is exactly what this is and they are all laughing their asses off at that report......I keep an eye out for my community but I wouldn't run off to call the police for some light box blinking in my community....I'd go take a look at it first....why aren't the people who feel these as threats actually seeing what they can first....why are they not being harassed for making a big stink out of nothing? why are we all so willing to point fingers and blame someone for being inventive and using guerilla advertising in a creative and unusual way? because at the end of the day we all want to feel there is a right and a wrong.....well it just isn't that cut and dry here IMO folks.....it's just a case of someone crying wolf without even hearing a howl......

I don't fear the terrorists...I wish I could meet one face to face....I wish I could talk to one and see from their eyes why they feel they need to oppress others to over come what they feel is oppressing them.....and then after all that hippy crap fails I'd like to beat one into a bloody mud puddle and walk it dry to prove that their tactics are not winning........and I live in free country that isn’t afraid of their crap and where each individual will do what it takes to beat the poop out of them face to face and not like a bunch of whiney liberal right stealing bitches that seem to be coming into power in this country……


please don't feel I am saying, I am right and you are all wrong...I am just one person using his freedom of speech while he still has it.....I can empathize with points on both sides but I choose to change lives by living an example and hope it catches on rather than pointing fingers adn blaming others.......while I don't fully agree with what ghandi taugh I do agree with his methods and beleifs of how he taught.....it really does work and being aware of EVERYONES rights not just how other people are affecting you directly is a key to ending the BS in our society......I will give everyone one chance to screw me over....then I will take action to prevent it from happening again.......yes this leaves me wide open for that one time but I would rather live that way than fearful of everyone......

nuff said....

 

[Big Dan]

MW you funny

Thanks Plaidfish for seeing what I was saying. I am not saying to hide in your basement or any of that stuff. I am just saying these things were in plain site. They were made to be seen. I don't remember the terrorists before they got on the flight saying Oh by the way we are going to fly this into some buildings. That's all I am saying That In MY Opinion and mine alone that they over reacted. I didn't need to be flamed for my opinion. and I apoligize if this has affected or hurt anyone.....

Daniel