Are we at Risk for Terror because of False Alarms?

With the recent chatter and intelligence reports from the DOD suggesting the next few months would be a crucial period in the War on Terror at home and cryptic warnings coming from Al-Qaida, it seems Americans are paying attention and may even be over reacting. With a bomb threat on a Spirit Airline Flight from Fort Lauderdale to Atlantic City yesterday, and Amtrak trains being stopped and searched at least once a week, everyone seems to be on edge. And I can't remember the exact date, but i believe it was in the past two weeks, when two other airlines in Boston and Philadelphia had bomb scares.

How many cries of wolf will it take before the public on the whole begins to dismiss these reports. Does anyone think that this trend of false reports will prevent us from realizing the real threat? Or do you think this just proves that we are on the ball and doing a good job fighting terrorism at home?

Spirit Jetliner Grounded in Fort Lauderdale After Bomb Threat
FORT LAUDERDALE -- A jetliner bound for Atlantic City is back on the ground in Fort Lauderdale this afternoon after the Spirit Airlines received a bomb threat.

Jim Reynolds is the spokesman for Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport. He says the 126 passengers and five crew members were taken off Flight 262 and no injuries were reported.

Amtrak Train Searched After Report Of Passengers Acting Suspiciously
An Amtrak train on its way to Washington was stopped and searched Sunday in western Maryland after U.S. military personnel on board reported suspicious activity by two men, officials said.

Barry Maddox, an FBI spokesman, said the agency had found no cause for alarm. No charges were filed against the men, who weren't identified by name or nationality, Maddox said.

I see this way, is ok to keep the public awareness of possible terrorist attacks in check but this sometimes but is getting to the bring of been paranoid, and all is doing is making us say, hum........... just another false alarm.

The only thing that is been terrorize is our economy, we all this alarms our country is becoming unstable.

I tend to believe it will cause us to miss an actual threat. If we go another year of these "threats" being sent out I could see most people just blowing off any warnings they get.

Very similar to those of us who live in Tornado Alley. We see our weather people on TV wetting their pants so often about how a tornado is on the ground, spotters are calling in reporting flashes from transformers getting hit and seeing the funnel. Then when the sun comes up, no damage, no tornado.

Now when the warnings come out you basically listen with one ear and continue on. The danger, a real tornado is actually coming at you but you assume it is another false alarm.

Same with terror threats, it just seems they are not important. Heck look at our media for the last few days, suddenly terrorism is not an issue, honoring a dead president is taking about 90% of the air time. Yet right before he died there was a terror expert on screen talking every hour on all stations about how all those warnings and chatter should have us scared.

I tend to believe the media is more at fault than the government on this one.

Its a double-edged sword actually. If the government constantly makes these announcements the public will start to ignore them at some point. However, if they don't make these announcements once something does happen the public will cry out "why didn't you warn us?" In this case I think they have made the best choice, because it at least shows that they are monitoring this sort of thing.

while the media is to blame for much of the hype, the government does share some of the responsibility, don't forget all the warnings and bolo's issued by the DOD, it certainly adds to the paranoia.

i am beginning to feel that travel by any means other than in my own car becoming a major hassle. Who wants to wait on long lines, endure multiple checks at the airport, removal of shoes, etc and now even random searches on the subway.

Maybe Americans should all just work from home and eliminate the need for the travel, then the terrorist won't have planes and trains to target.

How does the old saying go?
It goes something like this if anyone know it please correct me.

Fool me once ?
Fool me twice?

and so on

I just cant remember but here is a link to it. www.webleyweb.com...

I believe it will greatly effect the way our public responds to an actual event.

The government likes keeping people in paranoia. In the book 1984, the government was always at war with someone else and always making a big fuss about it to the citizens. The only reason people actually paid attention though was because there were missiles actually being launched within the city.
So, the government will probably keep tabs on everything (so one hopes), but the only way people are going to care is if it affects their lives somehow, i.e. if something actually happens. I think eventually the hype will deaden among the public, but the government will still be there talking about terrorist this and that coming.
I think it might be a big ploy to restrict travel on the country, all forms of transportation are being checked, even oil is at an all time high for going in cars. If you think about, the focus towards mass transportation is making people want to use cars more and more, thus increasing demand and prices for the oil.
But I think eventually somethin will happen, but there is no reason to dwell on it, somethin has to happen if the conspiracy I'm thinking of actually exists...

Stay aware, keep your wits about you, don't lose your cool & you'll be alright.

I have been as ready as I can be for an attack since 9/11 happened. The major city that I live and work in is probably 700 miles from New York but there was panic in the downtown area with rumors of bomb threats, the highways were packed with people leaving the city, cellphones and the internet were useless.
I have a "kit" at work, in my car and at my house anyone of which I can get by on for three days or longer, the home "kit" will last for weeks. Living 50 miles outside of this city I have mapped out and driven 6 different routes avoiding main roads to get home and also keep a mountain bike in the trunk in case roads become impassable. I am ready and willing to defend myself if civil order breaks down, I have the capability to travel unobtrusively at night so as to avoid confrontation.

I don't feel paranoid about these warnings because I am prepared to handle any survivable situation that crops up. My only worry comes from those that are totally unprepared and the panic they cause.