Fear and Duct Tape

I've got to wonder about the logic of John Ashcroft announcing that people might want to consider buying duct tape so that they'll be ready for a chemical or biological attack. From what I've heard, some town in Virginia is now completely out of duct tape. Gone. Bought by frightened people who are facing their own mortality possibly for the first time in their lives. The snarky part of my brain (which is quite large) says that perhaps Mr. Ashcroft has stock in 3M or another duct tape manufacturer and this is his contribution to the recovery of the US economy (or to his own bottom line). Ashcroft thrives on fear. He and his minions can trample on our civil rights more if he has us all frightened of our own shadows. And I tell you, I am centrist in my politics and I agree with some of the initiatives that have been suggested as methods of keeping US citizens safe. But scaring people into buying all the duct tape they can get their hands on is just silly.