Replies

I'd like to relate a story I was told by my mother some time ago. It concerned what "security" was like at the White House, and the rest of the U.S., before the term terrorist existed (1950's and before).

In that time, any American citizen, when they wished, could visit and tour the White House, and leave a business card for the President. No tour group required. No metal detectors or bomb dogs. A real "open door" policy.

I couldn't comprehend it. I've had the pleasure of traveling through some southern towns in my life, and witnessed first hand what hospitality really was: people just wave hello just to wave. No prior introduction needed. It was a great thing to see. But that kind of hospitality and trust in the White House? Airports? Everywhere?

After finally digesting that this was, in fact, what the U.S. used to be like a short time ago, I was ofcourse halted by a very large question: What the hell happened?

The answer was a very short one: Islamic Terrorists happened. They are responsible not only for the giant amount of resources we spend trying to secure our civilian population, but the even much more critical price we pay: distrust and fear of everyone we do not know personally. Aside from petroleum, that is Islam's most influential contribution to the West (actually, to anyone): terrorism.

So, when I read another article about how "badly" some Arabic citizen was treated, I want to point them towards the middle east, and tell them "You reap what your brethren have sown".

In 1962, I, as part of a Boston-area high school orchestra, played at the White House for President Kennedy and a bunch of big wigs at the UN. Mrs. Kennedy gave us a personal tour of the White House (which bored us guys to tears but the girls were thrilled). No metal detectors or guards, just a bunch of people with the president's wife taking a tour of the White House. President Kennedy came up on the stage and mingled with us kids and shook hands. No secret service, no guards, just him and a bunch of kids from Boston.

Truman used to take walks with reporters in the morning. No Secret Service, I believe.

You bet there's been a big change in just a few years.