World Affairs

I'm reading this pretty interesting book right now about the state of American politics and life.There is this chapter about 'homeland security' since 9/11.The author, Matt Frei (he's a British BBC journalist living in America), explains that what actually causes more fear and scares the shit out of people is the danger at home: guns.There was a killing spree in 2006 in Washington when two guys started shooting at random people.No reason at all.It took forever to catch them.2 weeks I think.Considering the amount of money they put in security measures and how laws and policies the government passes in order to protect American citizens, yet two guys kill like 10 people in two weeks and nobody is able to catch them.Frei explains how scared people were during these two weeks, barricaded into their houses and schools, afraid to go out and get gas at the nearby petrol station or go grocery shopping.I think he's right.Guns cause much more damage in the US than terrorism.I mean guns are so present and kill so many people every year that journalists don't even report about it anymore when it happens in Black or Hispanic neighbourhoods.There is no point apparently cause it happens all the freaking time.In Europe, someone brings a gun out and kills one persons and makes the news for like 10 minutes because it's not something that should happen.I know Americans love the Constitution and it does state that people are allowed to have a gun, it's personal property but I'm sure more people die from gun wounds every year than from terrorists attacks...so I understand that Americans are scared of terrorists attacks after 9/11 but guns cause more damage so maybe they should put some money into that instead.
Frei was also talking about the time when someone at the government or news (Fox news probably, the channel most American watch....uuuuhhh) said that there could be a possible chemical attack.People went nuts!!!They bout special clothes, bought plastic sheeting to protect themselves, batteries, flash lights, bottles of water,candles, tins, matches, nobody took the tube...blablabla.People were wondering where to hide in their house in case there was an actual chemical attack.It never came, of course.There just so much fear that people go crazy crazy.Anyway...in a way that's funny cause if there is indeed a chemical attack I'm not we can do much about it.And the fact that people go crazy is a little funny...just all the things they do, you know.But it's also scary...they're really obsessive.You never what people can do or say when they are scared...Remember Freedom Fries?Patriotism and the Patriot Act?That's actually a little scary.
What a world!