Monday, August 22, 2005

Classless war on terror

Good news for your local wingnuts: the U.S. government has given them a new reason to hate the homeless:
Asking for increased vigilance in the wake of the London bombings, the government is warning that terrorists may pose as vagrants to conduct surveillance of buildings and mass transit stations to plot future attacks.

“In light of the recent bombings in London, it is crucial that police, fire and emergency medical personnel take notice of their surroundings, and be aware of ‘vagrants' who seem out of place or unfamiliar,” said the message, distributed via e-mail to some federal employees in Washington by the U.S. Attorney's office...

Homeless people easily blend into urban landscapes, the message said.

“This is particularly true of our mass transit systems, where homeless people tend to loiter unnoticed,” the e-mail said.

Now who is it that's actively fighting class warfare? (Though in fairness, it should be remembered that Bushco is at least trying to send added reinforcements to the lower classes.)

Back on point, nothing in the article indicates that the e-mail placed anybody else under suspicion, which makes no sense if the purpose was actually preventing terrorism. After all, wouldn't a disguise as a businessperson be far more effective in getting access to most areas? Wouldn't people trying to blend in tend toward more common clothing rather than an outfit which sets them apart in any way?

Of course, that would involve putting the burden of heightened security on everybody. Rather than sending a message of general mistrust, the U.S. Attorney's office has chosen to single out those already in the worst position for added scrutiny. And as a result, the U.S. attorney's office wants the homeless to be the object of active suspicion, instead of merely an ignored part of the urban landscape.

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