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Can we just be rational about terrorism? We're a country of some 308 million. Only 2,740 Americans died as a result of the 9/11 attack, and that was more than eight years ago. None have died on U.S. soil from terrorist attacks since (not counting Major Nadal Hasan's assault at Fort Hood). On the other hand, we average over 30,000 traffic fatalities a year. Riding in a car is clearly more dangerous than flying in a plane, yet most of us jump into a car with no trepidation.
Can we just acknowledge that the precautions we took--pat down, shoe removals, liquid and gel discards--prior to Umar Farouk Abdulmutallub's attempt to ignite an explosive strapped to his body aren't perfect but are enough to deter most terrorist acts and concede that there will be some loss now and then--like that carton of milk that went bad in your refrigerator two years ago--and not let fear of terrorism lead us to prevent passengers from holding books or carryons or making trips to the bathroom? Can we reject the notion of invasive, all-revealing X-ray scans when checking in at the airport? Can we just consider the odd act of terrorism as part of the cost of flying, the price we pay for mobility and a (generally) robust economy? In spite of terrorism, our lives and lifestyles will go on for the vast majority of us. The odds are overwhelmingly in our favor.
Well, no--at least I can't. I'm probably more rational than the guy next door. I never buy a lottery ticket, never play the slots. Unlike many, I don't imagine that I'm more likely to win at dice if I do the tossing myself rather than have someone toss them for me, nor do I believe that the next time I flip a coin the chances are that it will come up heads because last time it was tails. Yet when it comes to terrorism, irrationally, I fear the long shot. I don't want anyone to die in a terrorist act. I especially don't want myself, my loved ones, or my friends to die that way. Thinking gets swamped by feeling, and feeling says: by all means, profile us, scan us inside and out, strip search us, probe our bodily cavities. Make all passengers enter the plane buck-doe-or-hermaphrodite naked except for an airline-issued blanket wrapped around their bodies. Ban all carryons. Empty our bags, X-ray the contents, then throw everything into the baggage compartment. If it came to that, would I then feel safe? Not entirely (the plane could still get taken out by a terrorist missile or a bomb planted in the cargo area by a double agent in an airline uniform)--but certainly safer than I would feel in the absence of such draconian measures. Given a vote, would I endorse such measures? Probably not--but I'd at least mull it over.
What will actually happen in response to the latest incident? We'll react out of fear but try to be somewhat rational about it. We'll try to close loopholes without making the process too expensive, invasive, embarrassing, or time-consuming. We'll react to the most recent tactics. Box-cutters and other weapons? Shoe bombs? Gel bombs? Countered. Underwear bombs? We'll be all over those now. But surely some new and different tactic is being dreamed up at this moment while terrorists in their madrasses chant their coming-out slogan: we're here, we're fear, get used to it. If only we could.
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