1. If the federal government cannot manage to get the most simple of projects done on time, within budget, or even competently, what makes us think they will be able to "protect us" no matter how much power we give them?
2. If a deranged person, terrorist or not, decides to detonate a bomb where you happen to be, how will your having given up your freedom for safety save you?
3. Based on recent events, the odds against dying from an anthrax laced letter are about 60 million to one. More people will be injured and killed in car accidents in the next hour than have suffered from anthrax. So why are we being inundated by media reports about anthrax and bio-terrorism and why are we bothering to pay attention to them?
4. Would terrorists be likely to hijack an airplane if they knew the cockpit doors could not be opened until the plane landed?
5. Would they even think of hijacking a plane if they knew some of the passengers and flight crew might be armed?
6. How, exactly, will the ability of the FBI to read my email, listen to my phone conversations, and to break into my house to conduct stealth searches protect me from terrorism?
7. If someone opens fire at a busy McDonalds, which would save more lives -- phoning the police quickly or a couple of armed customers?
8. Does the "Office of Homeland Security" sound as Orwellian to you as it does to me?
9. If, by giving up a little freedom and some of our rights, we can buy a little safety, as so many in government and the media keep telling us, does that mean that if we give up ALL our rights and freedoms, we'll be made completely safe? Or will it just make us slaves?
10. Then again, aren't we really already slaves, but with currently indulgent masters?
Oliver Del Signore is a freelance writer, proofreader, creative consultant, website designer, and the webmaster for Backwoods Home Magazine. He welcomes comments and inquiries via email to
Please address comments regarding this page to editor[at]backwoodshome.com. Comments may appear in the "Letters" section of Backwoods Home Magazine. Although every email is read, busy schedules generally do not permit personal responses.
