Posted on 05/29/2007 6:47:28 AM PDT by TornadoAlley3
JACKSONVILLE, FL -- The Memorial Day holiday means it's a day on the water with the family.
Chuck Singleton does what he can to makes sure his kids are safe out here. The concern is who else is out there.
"You don't know where they come from," said Singleton. "You know, they could load up with a bomb or whatever and come right out here."
With thousands of boats on the waterways, the worry is the recreational boat is now a Homeland Security threat.
"Just the sheer numbers and ability to hide among recreational traffic is something that makes it difficult for me to find the threat and address it," said Admiral Thad Allen, Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard.
A simple boat could be used as a weapon.
"Just the fuel, this has 85 gallons in this boat and that's bomb itself," said Singleton.
The head of the U.S. Coast Guard is throwing around a couple of ideas on how to keep you safe.
One would require licenses for all boaters in all states.
The other would call for transponders on recreational boats so authorities can track their location.
"Anything to improve our coast and help everybody out, we need to do it. We just have to get control over this. I think it would be a good idea," said Singleton.
Those against the licensing or the use of transponders believe the Coast Guard needs to set up a small perimeter, a safety zone, in areas of concern, so small boats can't get into certain areas.
It’s time to trash Homeland Security.
When terrorists make people afraid of their own shadows, terrorists will have won already.
It's time for homeland security use common sense and balance freedoms with security. With more weight given to freedom.
Will our freedoms be used against us? Probably, but I'm not ready to throw them all away. We also need to give our representative a chance to shoot down stupid ideas.
You support HLS? It should be trashed...
There are lots of examples of this
A pickup truck load of explosives pulled up next to a hospital ER...
And you think that it is good that LEOs can board any boat for any reason, under the guise of "counting life preservers"? That is just as bad as police roadblocks to make sure people are properly wearing their seatbelts.
And do what?
If the option is no homeland security and a homeland security agency that has some common sense, I’ll take the homeland security department that has common sense.
Remember, they hate us because we're free.
We need to burn this village to the ground if we're going to save it.
/s
From a local standpoint, the best defense is individual vigilance, good example is the video store clerk noting terrorist training data on a copy job...
But after this, the ability to integrate data to extend the assessment of threat,
along with good police work,
given the initial tip, is a very powerful tool
Get a grip people. This is all about controlling and monitoring our recreational behaviors.
Round up all illegals and send them home. Stop now all immigration from muslims. Round up and send home all muslims here on visas and green cards whether they be tourists, students or workers. Control our borders.
This is war people and our govt is talking about monitoring our behaviors rather than doing something that would actually help protect and defend us.
When muslims are prevented from entering our country, (we are presumably waging a war against muslim terrorists) and those here visiting legally and illegally are sent home, then I will believe our govt is serious about waging a war against muslims terrorists, and defending our way of life (formerly an open and free society.)
Until such time, all I see is a govt with a wish list getting longer and longer seeking to control and monitor all our behaviors while using the alleged war against muslim terrorists as excuse.
Actually, most of the ideas have been around for years. The ‘airplane into the building’ idea was first floated by Tom Clancy in his book, “Debt of Honor” and Edward Abby wrote about blowing dams in “The Monkeywrench Gang,” even giving a few pointers. A movie came out years ago about the British effort to blow a well defended Nazi dam during WWII. That also gave hints about how to be most effective.
While most dams have a barrier of some sort to keep boats and/or debris from getting too close to the dam itself, a determined terrorist would have little trouble defeating it.
For the time being I’d suggest that people NOT live downstream from any large dams.
Anytime we are doing something that is a privilege, our rights are limited. Driving a car, operating a watercraft or aircraft, puts us in a position of scrutiny by the authorities. If you don't want your boat boarded for a life jacket check, make it obvious by wearing your life jacket at all times and making sure everyone on board is wearing theirs. The authorities are doing their job for our safety, not just to mess with you and what you think are your rights.
No. And we should also confiscate all private vehicles.
We don't want the same sorts of car bombings that they have in Baghdad, do we? (Another one just this morning!)
Nicking the insulation and letting the salt water do its work give you better deniablity...
And they believe they are doing god's work when they mass murder.
Seal the borders, round up and deport George’s patrons, fire Singleton. Problems solved. Oh wait, if we seal the borders, that means no drugs coming across and lowers the Coast Guards budget value. Can’t have that now can we.
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