Practicum: (Counter-)Terrorism Survival

Practicum: (Counter-)Terrorism Survival
Deviant Survival Guide
Copyright 2006 by drewkitty


I am ashamed to have to write this post. I'm embarrassed for my government, for the lack of moral courage exhibited by most politicians and many judges and most police officers. (I am unsurprised by the total corporate roll-over -- it's in their interest.)

But I am very scared for my friends, not just my friends who are out there but my kin in spirit, the weirdos and very different people and those who don't like being conformist but are still good people.

Herewith: counter terrorism and what it will mean to you as a deviant.

Terrorism is the use of force to achieve a political or ideological objective.

Counter terrorism should be the use of lavish government resources and necessary force to hunt down and incapacitate those who would employ the techniques and tactics of terrorism. I have no problem with counter-intelligence agents infiltrating legitimate political organizations in order to pursue terrorists. I have no problem with unlimited roving wiretaps in the hands of counter terrorism task forces. I do have a BIG problem with extending these powers WITH NO OVERSIGHT to a newly minted Federal government agency filled with rabid fanatics.

Counter terrorism is the excuse being used to justify outrageous and unlimited expansions of the power of government. You no longer enjoy your Fourth Amendment right to "be secure in your persons, places and personal effects." Your home (or computer) may be tossed by Federal agents because they feel like it. If they find anything they consider "suspicious" (NOT UNLAWFUL) they can initiate an investigation, detain you on what may well turn into an indefinite basis, and wreck your life.

Here is a list of some of the behaviors that public and private agents are expected to report to law enforcement designated Terrorism Officers immediately:

• Suspicious persons around or near your home or workplace.
  
• Unusual dress, behavior or mannerisms.
  
• Confrontation with local, state or Federal officials.
  
• Any behavior that is not consistent with others in the area.
  
• New persons in your neighborhood with no obvious means of employment.
  
• Attendance at political or ideological rallies.
  
• Cars with bumper stickers for unpopular political or ideological causes.
  
• Passing out flyers or leaflets regarding unpopular political or ideological issues.
  
• Engaging in conversations on controversial subjects.
  
• Holding secret meetings.
  
• Discussions of bombs, weapons or terrorism in public.
  
• Unrelated persons living in the same apartment or house.
  
• Paying rent in cash. Paying bills in cash. Renting a car with cash.
  
• Having no fixed address or visible means of support.
  
• Having multiple cell phones, radio scanners or amateur radio equipment.
  

Do you fit any of these profiles? Do you see any problems with this?

My friends, please take great care to avoid fitting any of the terrorist profiles. Get to know your neighbors. Be polite to authority figures. Maintain a valid address and know the names of two solid citizens who will vouch for you. Be ready to blend in. Keep your IDs and registrations current.

And last but not least, if you see any of the following real signs of real terrorist activity, call security, police and/or 911 at once and be ready to report your location and your concern:

• persons with binoculars, still or video cameras, and/or recording devices sitting in vehicles or conducting surveillance of public buildings or major terrorist targets (NOT Podunk Courthouse -- think more like the Transamerica Building in SF) [surveillance]
  
• one or more persons in a public place who are moving quickly and oddly, referring to a stopwatch as they do so, and engaging in inexplicable behavior such as walking to a spot, reaching down, and walking away quickly -- especially if the person(s) are then picked up by a car which races away [rehearsal]
  
• unauthorized persons asking about security procedures, techniques or practices -- especially emergency response and evacuations [social engineering]
  
• any unknown person inside a secured area with a badging policy who is not displaying a visible badge, REGARDLESS OF CLOTHING (business suit, coveralls, toolbox, etc. irrelevant) [penetration exercise / casing]
  
• any abandoned package in any secure public venue such as a BART station, train station, airport, etc. -- THIS JUSTIFIES GETTING IMMEDIATE HELP FROM ANY EMPLOYEE (train operator, station agent, ticket clerk) [bomb]
  
• any vehicle, but especially a van or truck parked illegally in an unusual spot, especially next to a high-rise building or a venue with large numbers of people in it [bomb]
  
• if said vehicle smells of fertilizer, fuel oil, or unusual chemicals, RUN LIKE HELL [pray]
  
• if you see people falling down or throwing up or twitching, DON'T go over to help -- RUN LIKE HELL [hazmat]
  
• if you hear gunfire, FIRST take cover, then run away, THEN call for help [overt attack]
  
• last but not least, the most important sign of a real terrorist attack:
  
  
  
  • YOU'RE IN EUROPE OR THE MIDDLE EAST OR ASIA (so far)
    
  
  
• except in downtown New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago . . . where alert security and police officers have in sober point of fact, stopped terrorists using these guidelines
  

I would love to see the next terrorist attack aborted or stopped by some punk rockers, drug dealers and/or anarchist skinheads.