Fear and Loathing
How to make people needlessly nervous: The European travel alert
Anyone who doesn't feel utterly bewildered by the European travel alert issued by the State Department probably isn't paying attention.
Officials including Attorney General Eric Holder and White House spokesman Robert Gibbs say they have enough credible information to issue the alert — but not enough information to limit it to less than 50 countries. I mean, is France safe? Is Slovenia? Sweden? Right now they are all under the same blanket of suspicion.
But whatever action has raised suspicion, it's not serious enough to actually warrant a warning — an alert level that actually discourages people from traveling. They'd rather Americans just enjoy their trips by being at a permanent state of heightened awareness, looking for potential targets and emergency exits, to "be aware of their surroundings" and to beware of subways, railways, aircraft, ships or any "tourist infrastructure."
Hey, that, sounds like fun, right? Go to Europe, but be aware you could die at any moment.
As Bruce Hoffman, a terrorism expert at Georgetown University told The Daily Mail, "I’m not sure what it says, beyond the fact that the world’s a dangerous place, and we already knew that."
(Rick Steves also has a great take on this.)
This vague fear mongering, coupled with the re-emergence of Bush Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff, gives off an unpleasant déjà vu of colored threat alerts and a government not above scaring people into political victory.
In fact the only worthwhile advice in the alert was to recommend Americans not be conspicuous or wear things like American flag T-shirts. This is absolutely correct. Such behavior and wardrobe makes you look like a loudmouthed boor and confirms all European stereotypes about ugly Americans.
If only the State Department had included an admonishment of socks with sandals and not expecting everyone to speak English, the alert could have done as much to improve American perception abroad as the Marshall Plan.
But don't worry, flag T-shirt fans. There's an appropriate place for being loud and asinine and complaining about the locals — it's called Mexico. Vaya con Dios!
