M O N D A Y , A U G U S T 0 2 , 2 0 0 4Feeding Paranoiaby Michael in New York on 8/02/2004 09:17:00 AMWTF, as John would say.</p><p> A front page story in the New York Timestoday highlights credible threats against major financial institutions inthe U.S.</p><p> Halfway through the article, the writer says:"Several episodes in the United States have recently drawn scrutinyfrom counterterrorism officials, including the apprehension of aPakistani woman in Texas with a suspicious passport as well asreports from passengers on a recent flight to Los Angeles about oddactivity by a group of Syrian musicians.</p><p> But officials said that neitherof these incidents was a direct factor in the decision to go to CodeOrange."Ohmigosh! A casual reader would believe these troubling eventsindicate terrorists are all over the U.S. getting ready to strike.</p><p> Run forthe hills!But just a few days ago, the New York Times did a lenghty storyabout the Syrian musicians, making clear it was a case of culturalmisperceptions, that the men had been thoroughly questioned andinterviewed by three federal agencies and the LAPD and found to beexactly who they claimed to be.</p><p> So how did a false alarm morph intoone of a string of disturbing incidents, much less one that the authortells us was not "a direct factor" in the decision to go to CodeOrange? Huh? Why would a panicky investigation of musicians thatproved to be nothing at all be any factor at all?It's irresponsible to investigate an incident, report that it was nothingat all, but then include it in a list of disturbing events that might havecontributed to the high alert the article has warned us about.</p><p> If theNYT needs to retract its earlier article, it should.</p><p> Otherwise, thisseemingly banal paragraph is misleading and dangerous.</p><p> Moredangerous, in fact, than those musicians.</p><p> Of course, this doesn't callinto question the report of heightened alert -- it calls into questionsthe NYT's coverage of that alert and how it conflates false alarms intoincidents of concern.</p><p> Add New Comment Logged in as AnonymousUser Logout from DisqusLogged in as HuffPost PoliticsLincoln Leaves Door Open For EFCA Compromise -Senator Blanche Lincoln on Monday announcedthat she would vote against the Employee FreeChoice Act.</p><p> But later she elaborated, leaving thedoor open for...1 minute agoDaily KosBeck: Daily Kos, C&L blame me for cop killer -Because it’s all about him, right? Howself-absorbed can one man possibly be? (Thisvideo is from Beck’s April 6, 2009 broadcast.</p><p> Thestill image is of ...13 minutes agoEschatonDeep Thought - When my house gets foreclosed I'llprobably be pretty happy if there's a reeducationcamp I can go to.27 minutes agoTowleroadVermont Governor Jim Douglas Vetoes Same-SexMarriage Bill - As promised, Vermont Governor JimDouglas has vetoed a bill that would legalizesame-sex marriage in the state.</p><p> He release astatement, which read, in part...27 minutes agoFiredoglakeWhy Can’t Obama’s Economic Team Explain Itself?- Given the embarrassing performance of theObama economic team over the weekend, we'releft wondering what useful expertise the public gotfrom Larry Summer...35 minutes agoJ O H N ' S P H OT O S Show All Counter Terrorism CareerPursue a counter terrorism certificate.Online program.www.APUS.eduCounterterrorism DegreesWork in Homeland Security andCounterterrorism.</p><p> Degrees Online!www.kaplandegrees-online.comMiddle East In ProphecyWhat is the future of the Middle East &Israel? Find out now free.www.gnmagazine.org/middleeast/?S=2 www.thegodmovie.comAds by Google AMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Feedin...http://www.americablog.com/2004/08/feeding-paranoia.html 1 of 64/6/09 7:31 PM
