| 8.8.03 |
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driving to work this morning, i viewed a familiar image of the essence of american security (defense?). every minute of every day since 9.11 there is a tank or hummer-thing (something expensive) that sits on the north and southbound sides of a two-lane highway about 400 feet from the walls of the penatgon. not only that, but there is an army man assigned to sit on top of that machine and point his huge gun at the cars as they pass. i haven't yet figured out if this position, to babysit the freeway, is one of extreme honor - because you are the first line of offense should some vehicle decide to try to take out the pentagon, or one of freshman initiation - because it sucks - for some young recruit. either way, they'd be the first to know about something, and the first to react to it, and probably the first killed. the modern-day lookout tower for the fort.
i should also mention that all along this particular highway are several (10?) state troopers sitting in their cars, lights flashing and everything. all day, every day. oh, there's nothing going on - these guys are just sitting on the hoods of their vehicles hashing out a movie, or politics, or their wife's pot roasts. as i said before, this routine for me and it honestly bothers me that it doesn't even bother me anymore.
but here's what got me today...there is a canopy over the tank-thing. yeah, not a camoflaged, army-issued tarp, but rather a gray plastic tarp and aluminum poles like you would see at a picnic. its like someone went to costco and picked up a lovely shade-tent for the poor guy. now, i'm not saying the guy should be burned to a crisp for the sake of 'looking alert', but don't you find that a little odd? i mean, is that not the essence of america - spend millions of dollars to employ someone to grip a gun (and yes, he always has his hands on the gun, ready to fire) worth millions of dollars, on a machine worth millions of dollars, only to make sure he's 'comfortable' while he does so? to me that is life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. |
| posted by Paige @ 12:17 PM |
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