I am beyond disbelief.
New York has no national monuments or icons, according to the Department of Homeland Security form obtained by ABC News. That was a key factor used to determine that New York City should have its anti-terror funds slashed by 40 percent–from $207.5 million in 2005 to $124.4 million in 2006.
Never mind the utter ridiculousness of the idea NY has no national icons worth protecting… I was in Grand Central station last Friday. Shouldn’t homeland security maybe be thinking more about protecting people, rather than property though? I think you’ll find New York City has rather a lot of them, in very close proximity with one another. It is, how should I put it – a target rich environment.
I really hope they rethink the decision to slash New York’s defence budget. If I were a New Yorker I would seriously be considering refusing to pay Federal Taxes.
vinnie mirchandani says:
June 5, 2006 at 2:20 pm
a Brit suggssting treason -) (well, ok half Brit)
I agree the explanations of no icons in NYC is bogus. I have read elsewhere (or heard on a talk show) that this has more to do with overtime of lcoal cops, other local services and they think it is a bit out of control. Who knows?
Having said that, I am proud at how the rest of the country rallied to NYC support after 9/11. I think NYC needs to be a bit restrained about this – the rest of the country realizes NYC’s improtance, but we do need to spread funds…this weekend the news was Al Queda was targeting Canadian cities…
Mark Cathcart says:
June 5, 2006 at 5:12 pm
Sorry I couldn’t get down on Turs/Fri James, hope you had a good time…
The whole security thing is bizzare if you get out and about outside the city. From time to time I run from White Plains out towards the WP airport and along Route 120 road that leads to the IBM Armonk and Swiss Re Corporate HQ buildings, one of the joys of this is running alongside on of the many reservoirs that supply NYC. Anyway, before you get there, there is a small turn on the left called Cooney Hill Rd, its a cut through to Route 22 and back to the Kensico Damn.
There is a guard on this road and its blocked off. No public access. 24-hours per day, every day. Why? Yes, we can all imagine horrible things that could be done to the water system, if the guard were at the entrance to the Kensico Damn which is also quite rightly blocked off… but here?
Perhaps some intellignet rather than panick review of how the money is being spent is whats needed.
Sam Hiser says:
June 5, 2006 at 6:22 pm
As a New Yorker, I have learned nothing’s shocking. However, we can count on the French, perhaps, to send another statue when Grand Central or Port Elizabeth flame out.
Knowing Homeland Security’s Rescue Funds budget is fungible helps me sleep easy. And (with respect to the families of those killed on 9/11), being honest, I believe the plane thing was so overthetop genius in terms of simplicity that the evil-doers outdid themselves and that the risks are actually low now — particularly since the ExtremistBrainTrusts are suicide-bombing themselves off the List of Bad Elements.
No national monuments or icons? Sirs, we have Gray’s Papaya!
Dwayne Melancon says:
June 5, 2006 at 10:11 pm
Maybe a giant one-fingered icon will come about as a result of this.