Apparently the Bush administration is (slowly) realizing that the words “al Qaeda” no longer inspire the thrilling fear they once did. People aren’t being hoodwinked by Bush and his cronies waving the Nine Eleven Flag, chanting “terrorism” at every turn, and justifying their growing list of abuses of power and privacy by saying it’s all to protect us from al Qaeda.
So, looking for a new scare tactic, we see people like Attorney General Gonzales talking about “domestic terrorists”. In a news conference yesterday, he mentioned that domestic terrorists could become as big a threat as al Qaeda. Thus, we need to be vigilant and diligent and give up a couple more freedoms along the way… because our next-door neighbors could be terrorists! Or our kids’ teachers! Or the guy next to us at the stoplight!
Only a fool would believe all terrorists come from other countries or are card-carrying members of al Qaeda. Obviously there are terrorists living amongst us, and there have been since long before 9/11. But it’s funny (not in a “ha ha” sort of way, though) that the Bush administration is now turning its propaganda machine in that direction, because the specter of the dreaded al Qaeda doesn’t conjure up the same horror.