Be prepared.....

Oh, but be prepared for WHAT???

I live not 1/4 mile (as the crow flies, slightly more if driven) from a fuel refinery. I also live between 2 military bases: an Air Force Base, and an Army Post. I'd say that approx. 40% of the inhabitants in my borough happen to be associated with the military. Maybe (probably) more.

So many people did not express suprise when we woke up on Monday and found that the military was conducting an "exercise" just down the road from our house (my neighbourhood) that involved stopping motorists as they passed & asking to see their license. MILITARY, not police. This is NOT a random police search for alcohol. This is the military stopping each & every vehical to pass their way, and request ID. They happen to be performing this exercise in front of the local refinery, and it's being passed off as an exercise to ascertain the safety of the refinery, and get some idea of how massive the danger to that property could be.

Today, the road leading past my subdivision is closed off to all but those of us who live here and military & medical & police officials. They're conducting a M*A*S*H* drill as part of a north-western (region of the country, that is) training process to ready the hospitals & police forces for any potential terrorist activity that may take place in our area.

Ok, I can somewhat understand the preparedness issue for medical & even police..... But, why are the military preparing ME for being stopped just outside MY neighbourhood??? I hate feeling like a conspiracy theorist. I really do. I don't like to think the worst of people. But this feels more like we're being prepared for a crack-down on our civil liberties. We're being conditioned to think "oh, this is just another exercise." Or "oh, if I don't have anything to hide, I shouldn't be worried about crossing that line." Or "Oh, they're just doing their job, just making sure we're safe."

I don't like feeling unsafe, but I don't like feeling like every move I make is being watched, either. I don't feel like I may have to watch what I say or do on my own property, in my own neighbourhood, in case it's deemed subversive or deviant. As a pagan in a primarily christian town, I don't like the thought of being closely monitored, being followed, or being stopped for no apparent reason. I know that some of the people I associate with every day would have no problem with claiming that paganism is deviant & should be suppressed. Hell, I think my dad would say as much. There are neighbours, of course, who are willing to look the other way on some of my idiocyncrasies, if I'll do the same for them. Those neighbours I like. It's the ones give me looks as if I'm crazy as I hang crystals to refract light from the trees outside my house (they're pretty, what can I say).

And it's knowing that some of those people who occasionally look at me as if I'm off my rocker, are the same who are likely to say "well, if you don't have anything to hide, then you shouldn't be worried." Who are likely to say "well, it's just a drill in case we DO get bombed." The ones who are likely to feel that when the military bring down force upon a person (or household, community, or town) then that person/household/community/town deserved it, without consideration of the facts. Guilty unless proven otherwise.

And I hate the fact that the military is doing this drill just outside my neighbourhood is making me nervous of conspiracies to subjugate the public.

I hope you have had a peaceful day, vacant of the constant sound of military helicopters flying back & forth overhead. I hope you have had a peaceful day, free of stops by police officers asking what my destination is. I hope you have had a peaceful day, free of the constant sound of ambulance & fire-engine sirens.

And, I hope you have a Blessed Day tomorrow!