Thursday, July 08, 2004

Sleight of Hand?

John Kerry finally picks a VP and before the polls can show the usual "bounce," Tom Ridge is on the tube - again - warning - again - of credible, but - again - unspecified threats of terrorist attacks in the US. These attacks, he claims, without providing proof, are intended to disrupt our "democratic processes." In an interesting and frightening twist on the situation, he states that the two upcoming conventions are to be designated as "national security events."

So, is this yet another instance of politically timed terror alerts or the real thing? Who can say any longer; Ridge - again - refused to raise the Terrorist Alert Level. And just what is a "national security event?" What will that mean for people who want to attend the conventions? Most importantly, what will that mean for those who want to protest one or the other convention - especially the Republican Convention in NYC? Instead of across the street or around the block, does this mean that the "free speech zones" will be in the next state?

By doing only what has so far been announced, doesn't that indicate that the terrorists have already affected our democratic processes?

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