Living in Fear of Terror

I sometimes feel that the efforts being undertaken by terrorists around the world these days are succeeding but not quite the way we are expecting. The attack at the Glasgow airport this past weekend highlights the fact that no area seems to be immune from the possibility of attack. From the streets of New York to the airports of Scotland, there appear to be targets aplenty for terrorits out there. Now I'm not a defeatist nor am I one to shy away from saying that terrorists need to be taken care of quickly before they take the lives of more innocent people. What I am saying though is that perhaps if we stop and think about it, the mental terrorism they seem to cause to people these days can be just as terrifying as the threat of a bomb or any other such device. Don't believe me? What about the case this past weekend at JFK aiport in New York? Police and security forces were on alert as it was due to the incident in Glasgow so it was not very surprising that they were soon called upon to deal with a suspicious package outside the American Airlines terminal.

The bomb squad and police units came out to check what it was and it turned out to be nothing more than a box of cologne that had been left behind but for a significant time, the terminal and surrounding area were affected by the possibility that there could be an explosion or a chemical or biological weapon. Can you imagine the fear and uncertainty that must have gripped the people stuck inside the airport or even those who are outside waiting to get in? Think about the flight delays and other such problems that would have affected the airport and people there. All over a box of cologne. True it is better to be safe rather than sorry but how can we not think that the terrorists are winning when our very lives are being affected by something as simple as a box dropped by someone going on a trip?

I remember a time not so long ago when you could go through security and then virtually up to the gate and see your loved ones off. My mom told me that there were times not so long ago when visitors could virtually come up to your seat on the plane to see you off. These days for parents dropping off unaccompanied minors that in and of itself can be a miracle. We go through as much security as when entering a military installation. We are reduced to wearing quick remove shoes and minimal amounts of clothing to prevent unnecessary delays. We can't carry our own drinks or food without undergoing scrutiny. We are all subject to search and seizure if we do anything out of the ordinary or give cause for suspicion. Who says we all aren't victims of terror.

If you have ever read any of the statements that some of these groups have issued to the media, you will find that most of them talk about wanting to change the lives of their intended victims and in a sense, we are all victims of their actions. Think about it. This past weekend at JFK, someone saw the package sitting there and became concerned enough to contact security. Security checked it out and didn't want to be responsible for failing to respond to a possible terror issue so they call the bomb squad and authorities. You have an airport under lockdown and preparation for something on the magnitude of Glasgow airport only to discover that it's a bottle of CK One. All the time, money and expense in making that discovery means that there were other places that could have been struck and very well may have been struck. It's like the trick of magicians where they show you something with one hand while the 'magic' is going on somewhere else. While the authorities were dealing with the cologne, isn't it possible that elsewhere in the airport, a suspected terrorist could have been getting through to where he needed to be?

I have confidence in our authorities and security forces and I know that even with the limitations they have in terms of budgets and all, they will do the best they can to keep our people safe but there is only so much even they can do. It's sad when we are getting to the point where we are jumping at shadows or making snap judgements about people based on their skin tone. Now I'm an Indian-American but because of my skin tone, I resemble someone coming from the Middle East, parts of Europe or other parts of Asia and as such I am sometimes viewed with a bit of suspcion. About fifteen years ago security wouldn't have batted an eyelash at someone like me but even now, I undergo a bit more scrutiny. When you look at it that way, aren't we all turning into unwilling victims?