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Safe Zone!
I know there's a few legally-minded people here who have busted Rym & Scott a couple times. Hopefully someone with legal knowledge is around for this question.
At my office, we have "safe zones", which are designated areas within the building we're supposed to go during certain dangerous events, such as terror threats, nuclear meltdown (there's a nuclear plant about 5 miles away), murderers running around, etc. Hopefully, that doesn't include fire or bomb threats.
Today we had a drill, wherein I and every one of the 10-20,000 employees on this large industrial complex gathered in these safe zones. I lamented how the primary gathering spot--a hallway--had a direct line of site to exterior doors and windows. I guess they though the gamma radiation which came 5 miles would get tired in the last 300 feet. I noted a distinct lack of large, lead-lined walls. Knowing what I know (more than you'd think) about radiological hazards, our safe zone procedure is basically a feel-good measure, like duck & cover. But I digress.
The drill lasted only about 15 minutes. However, there was a real safe zone procedure about 3 years back, when a man robbed the on-campus credit union at gunpoint, and randomly murdered a couple people. The FBI and SWAT teams crawled all over looking for him while the workers stayed in their safe zones...for almost TWELVE HOURS. Even when they left, everyone had to submit to a car search before they could leave the lot.
Meanwhile, I'm sure the murderer left the campus immediately. Duh.
So the question is this: what authority do police, the FBI, and my employer have to lock us in the building? I'm not saying they do, I'm not saying they don't; I actually have no idea. While the case for the FBI and SWAT teams is pretty strong, what about radiological threat? Or terrorism? If a police organization didn't order the lockdown, can my employer? Frankly, I think I'm much less safe crammed into a hallway and/or several small rooms with a thousand people than I am chancing it in the sleepy suburb outside the campus. Murderer on the loose? Scary stuff, but even THAT wouldn't keep me inside. Hey, if he shoots me, at least you'll know where he is.
Is this just another example of American fearmongering? Are we so pathetically terrified at every little threat that we'll gladly allow any vaguely legitimate authority to lock us up for an arbitrary period? If it turns out the police can't actually do that, would people actually brave the scary, wide world outside, or just stay in anyway?
The people who lived by the motto "people who would give up liberty for a little temporary security deserve neither" were all a quick marine landing and a march from the gallows. By contrast, we have an enormous, extremely powerful military, and tons of law enforcement. How can we be MORE afraid than the founding fathers? Is there no value in bravery? In self-reliance? Is safety the ONLY thing we value anymore?
At my office, we have "safe zones", which are designated areas within the building we're supposed to go during certain dangerous events, such as terror threats, nuclear meltdown (there's a nuclear plant about 5 miles away), murderers running around, etc. Hopefully, that doesn't include fire or bomb threats.
Today we had a drill, wherein I and every one of the 10-20,000 employees on this large industrial complex gathered in these safe zones. I lamented how the primary gathering spot--a hallway--had a direct line of site to exterior doors and windows. I guess they though the gamma radiation which came 5 miles would get tired in the last 300 feet. I noted a distinct lack of large, lead-lined walls. Knowing what I know (more than you'd think) about radiological hazards, our safe zone procedure is basically a feel-good measure, like duck & cover. But I digress.
The drill lasted only about 15 minutes. However, there was a real safe zone procedure about 3 years back, when a man robbed the on-campus credit union at gunpoint, and randomly murdered a couple people. The FBI and SWAT teams crawled all over looking for him while the workers stayed in their safe zones...for almost TWELVE HOURS. Even when they left, everyone had to submit to a car search before they could leave the lot.
Meanwhile, I'm sure the murderer left the campus immediately. Duh.
So the question is this: what authority do police, the FBI, and my employer have to lock us in the building? I'm not saying they do, I'm not saying they don't; I actually have no idea. While the case for the FBI and SWAT teams is pretty strong, what about radiological threat? Or terrorism? If a police organization didn't order the lockdown, can my employer? Frankly, I think I'm much less safe crammed into a hallway and/or several small rooms with a thousand people than I am chancing it in the sleepy suburb outside the campus. Murderer on the loose? Scary stuff, but even THAT wouldn't keep me inside. Hey, if he shoots me, at least you'll know where he is.
Is this just another example of American fearmongering? Are we so pathetically terrified at every little threat that we'll gladly allow any vaguely legitimate authority to lock us up for an arbitrary period? If it turns out the police can't actually do that, would people actually brave the scary, wide world outside, or just stay in anyway?
The people who lived by the motto "people who would give up liberty for a little temporary security deserve neither" were all a quick marine landing and a march from the gallows. By contrast, we have an enormous, extremely powerful military, and tons of law enforcement. How can we be MORE afraid than the founding fathers? Is there no value in bravery? In self-reliance? Is safety the ONLY thing we value anymore?
Comments
The government agents have plenty of authority under Homeland Security, Patriot Act, et seq to do what they did. Here's the problem: Even if it seems reasonable to grant government that kind of authority, once the government has it, they'll use it. Then we're at the mercy of whatever elected official or *gulp* beaurocrat that, hopefully, will use their power reasonably. Sadly, there are lots of these types that just want to flex their muscle.