[OT] Fear in America

Sorry for the double post, but I thought this was important enough to merit
its own thread rather than being lost in the "Why one should not breed &
sell pets" thread.

The US is really becoming a nation of cowering alarmists - and we are
hurting ourselves in the very act of trying to protect ourselves against
perceived dangers...

John Stossel just did a piece on 20/20 saying something I've believed for a
long time - the politicians, trial lawyers, activists and media in American
are causing extensive fear far out of proportion to any real threat. And
they are becoming rich (and are being elected) because of it - thus it is
becoming an ever greater problem in America and has become
self-perpetuating. I think, like Mr. Stossel, that we need to step back and
look at the facts and figures before believing, wholesale, whatever we are
fed by the media, politicians, activists, or salesmen!

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/arti...2/204115.shtml

Mr. Stossel claims, quite rightly, that we have more to fear from a heart
attack or stroke than any other threat (or any ten other threats combined) -
and yet we keep chomping down on Big Macs and fries while we spend thousands
of dollars on home security systems, allow our private emails and telephone
conversations to be monitored, deny our children life-saving vaccines, and
generally let ourselves be manipulated by fear mongers!

One of the truly sad results of all this fear mongering is that it is
causing some very real harm. For example, a lot of parents have quit
vaccinating their children for fear of the side effects of vaccines, when in
truth the dire results of the diseases we vaccinate against far, *FAR*
outweigh any small risks of taking the vaccines. It is such a travesty that
even one child comes down with whooping cough or polio just because some
politician was using fear to be reelected or some TV station was using fear
to gain bigger ratings!!!

I applaud Israel, the UK, and other countries for accepting that the number
of deaths from terrorist bombings doesn't come anywhere near the number of
deaths from traffic accidents, and they don't allow their lives to be
disrupted by the threat of terrorists.

Really, look up the statistics of how many people were killed in home
break-ins versus how many people were killed in traffic accidents, or how
many people died of heart attacks or strokes on any given day in this
country and then ask yourself what you really have to be afraid of (and do
you really have to give "Brinks" thousands of your hard-earned dollars for
the alarm systems they're trying to sell you by showing large, scary-looking
predators breaking into a house in their commercials?).

My philosophy is that when it is my time to go I'll go and all the
"preventative measures" in the world aren't going to stop me from going! ;

Hugs,

CatNipped

Hear, hear. And it may be off topic but still a good reminder.

I didn't have any vaccines as a child (in the late forties) because my
doctor didn't trust them.

When it was time for my daughter to get her shots, I got them right along
with her.

(We are "afraid" of airplanes, but the flight is a great deal safer than the
drive to and from the airport. As I used to remind my girls, especially
with my one eyed brother driving.)

Jo
"CatNipped" wrote in message
...
Sorry for the double post, but I thought this was important enough to
merit its own thread rather than being lost in the "Why one should not
breed & sell pets" thread.

The US is really becoming a nation of cowering alarmists - and we are
hurting ourselves in the very act of trying to protect ourselves against
perceived dangers...

John Stossel just did a piece on 20/20 saying something I've believed for
a long time - the politicians, trial lawyers, activists and media in
American are causing extensive fear far out of proportion to any real
threat. And they are becoming rich (and are being elected) because of
it - thus it is becoming an ever greater problem in America and has become
self-perpetuating. I think, like Mr. Stossel, that we need to step back
and look at the facts and figures before believing, wholesale, whatever we
are fed by the media, politicians, activists, or salesmen!

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/arti...2/204115.shtml

Mr. Stossel claims, quite rightly, that we have more to fear from a heart
attack or stroke than any other threat (or any ten other threats
combined) - and yet we keep chomping down on Big Macs and fries while we
spend thousands of dollars on home security systems, allow our private
emails and telephone conversations to be monitored, deny our children
life-saving vaccines, and generally let ourselves be manipulated by fear
mongers!

One of the truly sad results of all this fear mongering is that it is
causing some very real harm. For example, a lot of parents have quit
vaccinating their children for fear of the side effects of vaccines, when
in truth the dire results of the diseases we vaccinate against far, *FAR*
outweigh any small risks of taking the vaccines. It is such a travesty
that even one child comes down with whooping cough or polio just because
some politician was using fear to be reelected or some TV station was
using fear to gain bigger ratings!!!

I applaud Israel, the UK, and other countries for accepting that the
number of deaths from terrorist bombings doesn't come anywhere near the
number of deaths from traffic accidents, and they don't allow their lives
to be disrupted by the threat of terrorists.

Really, look up the statistics of how many people were killed in home
break-ins versus how many people were killed in traffic accidents, or how
many people died of heart attacks or strokes on any given day in this
country and then ask yourself what you really have to be afraid of (and do
you really have to give "Brinks" thousands of your hard-earned dollars for
the alarm systems they're trying to sell you by showing large,
scary-looking predators breaking into a house in their commercials?).

My philosophy is that when it is my time to go I'll go and all the
"preventative measures" in the world aren't going to stop me from going!
;

Hugs,

CatNipped

"CatNipped" wrote in message
...
Sorry for the double post, but I thought this was important enough to
merit its own thread rather than being lost in the "Why one should not
breed & sell pets" thread.

The US is really becoming a nation of cowering alarmists - and we are
hurting ourselves in the very act of trying to protect ourselves against
perceived dangers...

John Stossel just did a piece on 20/20 saying something I've believed for
a long time - the politicians, trial lawyers, activists and media in
American are causing extensive fear far out of proportion to any real
threat. And they are becoming rich (and are being elected) because of
it - thus it is becoming an ever greater problem in America and has become
self-perpetuating. I think, like Mr. Stossel, that we need to step back
and look at the facts and figures before believing, wholesale, whatever we
are fed by the media, politicians, activists, or salesmen!

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/arti...2/204115.shtml

Mr. Stossel claims, quite rightly, that we have more to fear from a heart
attack or stroke than any other threat (or any ten other threats
combined) - and yet we keep chomping down on Big Macs and fries while we
spend thousands of dollars on home security systems, allow our private
emails and telephone conversations to be monitored, deny our children
life-saving vaccines, and generally let ourselves be manipulated by fear
mongers!

One of the truly sad results of all this fear mongering is that it is
causing some very real harm. For example, a lot of parents have quit
vaccinating their children for fear of the side effects of vaccines, when
in truth the dire results of the diseases we vaccinate against far, *FAR*
outweigh any small risks of taking the vaccines. It is such a travesty
that even one child comes down with whooping cough or polio just because
some politician was using fear to be reelected or some TV station was
using fear to gain bigger ratings!!!

I applaud Israel, the UK, and other countries for accepting that the
number of deaths from terrorist bombings doesn't come anywhere near the
number of deaths from traffic accidents, and they don't allow their lives
to be disrupted by the threat of terrorists.

Really, look up the statistics of how many people were killed in home
break-ins versus how many people were killed in traffic accidents, or how
many people died of heart attacks or strokes on any given day in this
country and then ask yourself what you really have to be afraid of (and do
you really have to give "Brinks" thousands of your hard-earned dollars for
the alarm systems they're trying to sell you by showing large,
scary-looking predators breaking into a house in their commercials?).

My philosophy is that when it is my time to go I'll go and all the
"preventative measures" in the world aren't going to stop me from going!
;

Hugs,

CatNipped

Your philosophy is mine. About six weeks after 9-11, I decided to visit a
friend in Alabama. I hadn't been planning to do that, but I decided to go
as a show of defiance. No terrorist is going to keep me from flying! So, I
flew from California to Alabama, then back again, after a nice visit.

I refuse to live in fear.

Joy

Joy wrote:

"CatNipped" wrote in message

The US is really becoming a nation of cowering alarmists - and we are
hurting ourselves in the very act of trying to protect ourselves against
perceived dangers...

Mr. Stossel claims, quite rightly, that we have more to fear from a heart
attack or stroke than any other threat (or any ten other threats
combined) - and yet we keep chomping down on Big Macs and fries while we
spend thousands of dollars on home security systems...

Your philosophy is mine. About six weeks after 9-11, I decided to visit a
friend in Alabama. I hadn't been planning to do that, but I decided to go
as a show of defiance. No terrorist is going to keep me from flying! So, I
flew from California to Alabama, then back again, after a nice visit.

I refuse to live in fear.

As someone with an anxiety disorder, I find it a little bit more difficult
to say "I refuse to live in fear", as my wacked out adrenalin-pumping
unfortunately mechanism will not listen to that. At the same time, I find
the notion of a "Culture of Fear" (first coined, I believe, by Michael Moore
in his movie Bowling for Columbine) rather comforting, because it implies
that things are not as bad and scary as we are led to believe they are. That
helps me to relax a lot.

However, CN, you're not helping with all the dire heart attack and stroke
predictions!! One of my worst anxieties is hypochondria. I really need to
learn to live a little and stop freaking out about my health every other
minute.

I also hate flying, but they make drugs for that.

Joyce

"CatNipped" wrote in message


I applaud Israel, the UK, and other countries for accepting that the number
of deaths from terrorist bombings doesn't come anywhere near the number of
deaths from traffic accidents, and they don't allow their lives to be
disrupted by the threat of terrorists./////

With all due respect, we've been living with terrorists for many years -
the IRA immediately spring to mind. At the risk of sounding blase, you
get used to living with ignoring it & taking precautions. The purpose of
terrorism is to terrorise. If you let them do that, the terrorists have
won, and they certainly seem to be winning in the USA because the whole
country lives in fear.

Helen M


--
Posted via Mailgate.ORG Server - http://www.Mailgate.ORG

"Helen Miles" wrote in message
news:a9c630538af1083864ffc6e3e7ce945d.76411@mygate .mailgate.org...
"CatNipped" wrote in message


I applaud Israel, the UK, and other countries for accepting that the
number
of deaths from terrorist bombings doesn't come anywhere near the number
of
deaths from traffic accidents, and they don't allow their lives to be
disrupted by the threat of terrorists./////

With all due respect, we've been living with terrorists for many years -
the IRA immediately spring to mind. At the risk of sounding blase, you
get used to living with ignoring it & taking precautions. The purpose of
terrorism is to terrorise. If you let them do that, the terrorists have
won, and they certainly seem to be winning in the USA because the whole
country lives in fear.

Helen M

Your statement about terrorism is absolutely true! Fortunately, I don't
think your comment about the USA is entirely accurate. Most of the people I
know are not living in fear. The media blows things up out of proportion,
and some people are afraid. However, I believe that the majority of
Americans are not living in fear. There are more people who are annoyed
about all the fussy restrictions for flying than are worried about
terrorists on board. There have been a few instances when somebody acted as
though they might have been a terrorist on a flight. Since 9-11, anyone who
tries to make trouble on an airplane is quickly subdued by passengers and
flight crew. People still fly, drive and go to ball games.

Granted, there are some people who live in fear, but IMNSHO, they are a
minority.

Joy

"Helen Miles" wrote in message
news:a9c630538af1083864ffc6e3e7ce945d.76411@mygate .mailgate.org...
"CatNipped" wrote in message


I applaud Israel, the UK, and other countries for accepting that the
number
of deaths from terrorist bombings doesn't come anywhere near the number
of
deaths from traffic accidents, and they don't allow their lives to be
disrupted by the threat of terrorists./////

With all due respect, we've been living with terrorists for many years -
the IRA immediately spring to mind. At the risk of sounding blase, you
get used to living with ignoring it & taking precautions. The purpose of
terrorism is to terrorise. If you let them do that, the terrorists have
won, and they certainly seem to be winning in the USA because the whole
country lives in fear.

Helen M

Actually I will step up and say something about that. We don't live in fear
of them. The media blows things out of portion as usually . I sat and
listen at a coffee shop while I was in Miami on Saturday no one was talking
about the war. They were talking about local BS. UI asked the manager was he
ever worried about a possible attack. he said nope if it happens what could
he do about I. He said if some fanatic is going to blow up something they
will find away to do it. And I was at the port of Miami picking up my Biker
stuff that I sell ever year for bike week..
I am more worried about the punk idiots that live here than some piece
of crap that lives overseas running their mouth. You have to live your
life. I might be armed at all times but I don't live in fear and that is
not because I am armed it is because I refuse to let them win. I think that
if some a@@hole ever tries and take over a plane again they will be in for a
big surprises!

We think alike scary ;-)
"Joy" wrote in message
...
"Helen Miles" wrote in message
news:a9c630538af1083864ffc6e3e7ce945d.76411@mygate .mailgate.org...
"CatNipped" wrote in message


I applaud Israel, the UK, and other countries for accepting that the
number
of deaths from terrorist bombings doesn't come anywhere near the number
of
deaths from traffic accidents, and they don't allow their lives to be
disrupted by the threat of terrorists./////

With all due respect, we've been living with terrorists for many years -
the IRA immediately spring to mind. At the risk of sounding blase, you
get used to living with ignoring it & taking precautions. The purpose of
terrorism is to terrorise. If you let them do that, the terrorists have
won, and they certainly seem to be winning in the USA because the whole
country lives in fear.

Helen M

Your statement about terrorism is absolutely true! Fortunately, I don't
think your comment about the USA is entirely accurate. Most of the people
I know are not living in fear. The media blows things up out of
proportion, and some people are afraid. However, I believe that the
majority of Americans are not living in fear. There are more people who
are annoyed about all the fussy restrictions for flying than are worried
about terrorists on board. There have been a few instances when somebody
acted as though they might have been a terrorist on a flight. Since 9-11,
anyone who tries to make trouble on an airplane is quickly subdued by
passengers and flight crew. People still fly, drive and go to ball games.

Granted, there are some people who live in fear, but IMNSHO, they are a
minority.

Joy

On Tue, 6 Mar 2007 00:03:02 +0000 (UTC), "Helen Miles"
yodeled:

"CatNipped" wrote in message


I applaud Israel, the UK, and other countries for accepting that the number
of deaths from terrorist bombings doesn't come anywhere near the number of
deaths from traffic accidents, and they don't allow their lives to be
disrupted by the threat of terrorists./////

With all due respect, we've been living with terrorists for many years -
the IRA immediately spring to mind. At the risk of sounding blase, you
get used to living with ignoring it & taking precautions. The purpose of
terrorism is to terrorise. If you let them do that, the terrorists have
won, and they certainly seem to be winning in the USA because the whole
country lives in fear.

Helen M


Sorry, not me. And not since 9/11, and I saw the towers fall, and I
pass the fallen tower site every day. My cousins were afraid to
travel to my brother's wedding. But my dad had tkts to Spain the next
week, and my brother and SIL went on their honeymoon to Italy because
there was no way they would let anyone take that away from them-- and
if I had somewhere to fly on 9/12, I would have damn well been there.
And I still have nightmares about planes flying into buildings, and
all the landmarks of my childhood and family crumbling into rubble.

I have always been puzzled by the people who seemed ten times more
lastingly freaked out and traumatized by 9/11 than the New Yorkers and
Washingtonians that had the planes on top of them. I don't mean to
disrespect the sense of vulnerability that Americans acquired on 9/11,
but it's hard for me to understand why someone in e.g. Wyoming should
feel more vulnerable than someone who lives a block away from the
WTC-- like my father does.

Anyway, just a friendly caution about making generalizations about
America and Americans-- this is a very big country.




Theresa
Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh

Make Levees, Not War

Right. G

--
Joy

"If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an
empty desk? -- Jay Brand, cognitive psychologist

"Matthew" wrote in message
...
We think alike scary ;-)
"Joy" wrote in message
...
"Helen Miles" wrote in message
news:a9c630538af1083864ffc6e3e7ce945d.76411@mygate .mailgate.org...
"CatNipped" wrote in message


I applaud Israel, the UK, and other countries for accepting that the
number
of deaths from terrorist bombings doesn't come anywhere near the number
of
deaths from traffic accidents, and they don't allow their lives to be
disrupted by the threat of terrorists./////

With all due respect, we've been living with terrorists for many years -
the IRA immediately spring to mind. At the risk of sounding blase, you
get used to living with ignoring it & taking precautions. The purpose of
terrorism is to terrorise. If you let them do that, the terrorists have
won, and they certainly seem to be winning in the USA because the whole
country lives in fear.

Helen M

Your statement about terrorism is absolutely true! Fortunately, I don't
think your comment about the USA is entirely accurate. Most of the
people I know are not living in fear. The media blows things up out of
proportion, and some people are afraid. However, I believe that the
majority of Americans are not living in fear. There are more people who
are annoyed about all the fussy restrictions for flying than are worried
about terrorists on board. There have been a few instances when somebody
acted as though they might have been a terrorist on a flight. Since
9-11, anyone who tries to make trouble on an airplane is quickly subdued
by passengers and flight crew. People still fly, drive and go to ball
games.

Granted, there are some people who live in fear, but IMNSHO, they are a
minority.

Joy