*
Your color coding is candy coating
The surface of our reality
Predicting dangers from total strangers
That we wish we could see.
Your postulating, anticipating,
The proper level to which we should fear,
Will not change a one of those God damned things
In the real world out here.
They are gonna do what they're gonna do
There is no way that you can prepare us.
No matter what alarming color you choose
On your little candy colored chart there.
Does this mean I can do something different today
Or that we're any safer than we were yesterday
Or does it just mean that your looking for a way
To quantify your hope that things are "more okay"?
How is it that my income is going
To pay for your well-informed opinion?
Who really cares what that opinion is
Besides you and your think-tank minions?
You tell us we're in danger - that's enough.
What good are all those different colors?
We're safe or we`re not; I'm calling your bluff.
Please - just do something that matters.
The surface of our reality
Predicting dangers from total strangers
That we wish we could see.
Your postulating, anticipating,
The proper level to which we should fear,
Will not change a one of those God damned things
In the real world out here.
They are gonna do what they're gonna do
There is no way that you can prepare us.
No matter what alarming color you choose
On your little candy colored chart there.
Does this mean I can do something different today
Or that we're any safer than we were yesterday
Or does it just mean that your looking for a way
To quantify your hope that things are "more okay"?
How is it that my income is going
To pay for your well-informed opinion?
Who really cares what that opinion is
Besides you and your think-tank minions?
You tell us we're in danger - that's enough.
What good are all those different colors?
We're safe or we`re not; I'm calling your bluff.
Please - just do something that matters.
***
From September 24th 2002...
(and of course now we're back to Orange...)
Today I was listening to the news & they mentioned that the Homeland Security Advisory System "threat-level" had changed from orange back to yellow... I started contemplating what a profound effect that change would have on the rest of my day, and the rest of my week. I found myself very relieved - and hoping that the color would not be changed back to orange... because I really don't know what I'd do if we were that close to red again.
On that note - here's a poem (kind-of) that I wrote while reflecting on the incredible way that that little chart has contributed to our peace of mind. Don't take this as a critique of our government or it's current actions in the fight against terrorism... take it as a commentary on the relevance of that chart alone. That is all it is meant to be.
(and of course now we're back to Orange...)
Today I was listening to the news & they mentioned that the Homeland Security Advisory System "threat-level" had changed from orange back to yellow... I started contemplating what a profound effect that change would have on the rest of my day, and the rest of my week. I found myself very relieved - and hoping that the color would not be changed back to orange... because I really don't know what I'd do if we were that close to red again.
On that note - here's a poem (kind-of) that I wrote while reflecting on the incredible way that that little chart has contributed to our peace of mind. Don't take this as a critique of our government or it's current actions in the fight against terrorism... take it as a commentary on the relevance of that chart alone. That is all it is meant to be.
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