by Scott Coleman Blackburn

Let’s exercise a thought experiment for a moment. 9-11-2001 was just a normal day and not a tragic historical event, we do not have a presidential election in less than three months, Bush’s only lead in the polls is not in regard to the fight against terrorism, and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq never occurred. Let us further pretend that Homeland Security was still formed for some reason. Today is September 1st, 2004. In eight days Homeland Security will announce that September is “National Preparedness Month.” Does it seem odd to announce a national month long campaign 9 days into that very month? Does that sound prepared? Does that sound like a month? Last time I checked the calendar September has 30 days. 22 days isn’t even a month on a lunar calendar. Politics aside, it is still odd.

Let’s get back to reality. To make ready beforehand is to be prepared. Homeland Security put out their press release on August 10th so they have been in the planning stage for quite sometime. It’s not likely that they came up with the idea on August 9th of this year. In looking at the calendar (pdf) put together by the America Prepared Campaign for this month there are events planned before September 9th, so why, according to the American Red Cross, is there a “planned nationwide announcement on September 9th by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Tom Ridge declaring September as ‘National Preparedness Month’”? It is all too obvious just how prepared they really are.

On September 1, Voices in the Wilderness participants will begin a ten day public fast in Chicago. This fast is in support of Iraqis and Palestinians who are utilizing nonviolent means to resist unjust conditions. Palestinian detainees are engaged in a hunger strike to demand an end to inhumane treatment in prison. Iraqis entered Najaf to nonviolently interpose themselves between two warring factions and to reclaim the Shrine of Imam Ali for peace.