Fear and Duct Tape

[gnomi]

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.

Comments

[laurens10.livejournal.com]

And how does Ashcroft suggest to protect myself with duct tape?

Should I buy multiple rolls and link the rolls of duct tape as some modern form of chain mail in front of my house?

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

I donno...wrap it around yourself as a sarong? Make yourself duct tape armor? I've stopped trying to figure the man out.

(Actually, in case you haven't actually seen the articles on it, Ashcroft wants everyone to duct tape plastic sheeting to their windows. Of course, that would assume that everyone's going to be hiding in their houses in anticipation of attacks. Me, I figure people are this frightened should wrap themselves in plastic sheeting and duct tape, because that way they'll be protected all the time. But I'm just a cynic. And I'm not saying we shouldn't be aware of our surroundings and cautious. But there's a difference in my mind between caution and paralyzing fear.)

[laurens10.livejournal.com]

Actually, I heard on NPR this afternoon that according to the Experts, even if the duct tape was trully useful in helping us keep out the chemicals (or whatever perceived threat it's meant to keep out), even if presumably we did it perfectly and created an air tight seal (which is tricky and unlikely), we would have just introduced another problem.

The problem of the air tight seal.

We would have about five hours to live.

You have no chance to survive make your time