Five years ago, Americans still reeling from the 9/11 attacks,became aware of a second strike: this one involving anthrax - sent by mail.
After the attacks, Americans were united - in a way that reminded some of us old folks of the World War II years ; but it didn't last - couldn't last in a nation as polarized as ours has become.
Faced with threats from without and within , we have , nonetheless become like positrons and electrons : clashing endlessly in a mad dance of mutual annihilation; bombarding our mutuality with streams of poisonously radioactive rhetoric ; seemingly determined to dissolve the bonds that hold us together.
For the past week, the media has been blitzed with angry articles suggesting we are unprepared for another biowarfare attack . Some of those complaining are the very same people who lashed out in 2003 and 2004 , arguing that the administration was spending too much money, and devoting too much effort to dealing with an "improbable" threat.
Some of the scientists complaining about our lack of progress are the same scientists who inveighed against any bio-defense research : certain members of the Federation of American Scientists , and members of crypto-activist groups like The Sunshine Project.
There are lawmakers , who criticize the FBI because it has not solved the "Amerithrax" case, and brought someone to justice. Some of these same lawmakers howl with indignation any time the FBI actually investigates - as if fearing some malefactor's right to harm us will be infringed upon.
There is the American Public to be considered as well. The whole idea of bio-warfare is so frightening (and repugnant) to us , we just don't want to hear about it. At the same time , there are some who seize upon this deeply-ingrained fear and try to use it as a psychological weapon against us : whispering darkly of CIA ( or Zionist ,or Bilderberg,or Military Industrial Complex - take your pick ) plots against "the Sheep-le" (That's us, in case you hadn't noticed !) that have been uncovered by these "True Patriots".
Some of these "patriots" just want to sell us grossly overpriced "survival supplies",or gold coins, or food supplements,or satellite radio and television hookups, or "marvelous investment opportunities" - (the Alex Jones crowd comes to mind) ; while others are primarily interested in de-stabilizing the United States-by any means that does not involve putting their own skins at risk.
The Media , eager for revenue-generating sensationalism ,has done its part : hawking a mix of pathetic mis-information, and deliberate dis-information : pausing only to posture and preen and prattle about how well it serves the Great Unwashed.
If I seem a wee bit cynical , consider this: five years from today - assuming we are still a functioning society , another cynic will probably "cut and paste" these very words to comment on the still-unsolved Anthrax attacks of 2001.
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