Ok, so it was a hoax, a lie

[bjgrazi]

Does it anger you that in NYC, they got everyone in a panic over nothing? People paying for cabs to get to work. Parents keeping kids home from school because they have to take the train to get there.

I know it angered me. I grew up in the city and lived there most my life, moved a few years ago, to raise my kids in the country. We still have family there and spend a considerable amount of time there. I didn't get worried this time for whatever reason.

I think the bag searches are a joke, there are so many stations that aren't checked, it's funny.

I think the Mayor owes everyone a large apology. I know don't hold my breath.

 

[Pop Daddy]

I kind of agree with you, but on the other hand what if it was real and he didnt say anyhting

 

[minkydog]

I'm not mad that they acted on what they thought was accurate info at the time. I'd be much more upset if they knew in advance, thought it was a joke & blew it off,and a whole bunch of people got incinerated in a subway tunnel.I believe the people of NYC are very resilient. They live in a very multi-cultural city and they are more aware than most of us that bad things can happen. It doesn't keep them from living their lives. The mayor has nothing to apologize for. He listened to his info, made a decision, and reduced the added security when the info proved false. What does he need to apologize for?

 

[bjgrazi]

What does he need to apologize for?

Right from the start "Homeland Security" said it wasn't a credible threat.

I understand the what if they don't say something.... but once you know it's not. Admit it and move on.

 

[Missy1961]

I didn't change one thing in my daily routine. Yeah, it annoys me that it was a hoax, but the mayor was darned if he did & darned if he didn't.

 

[Lessa of Pern]

I thought this quote from a Green Day song was appropriate:





Now everybody do the propaganda.
And sing along to the age of paranoia

Don't want to be an American idiot
One nation controlled by the media.
Information age of hysteria.
Calling out to Idiot America.

 

[RickinNYC]

This past Sunday, when the alert was at its highest, Joe was supposed to come into Manhattan with me to help manage a large group of college kids who were scheduled to help paint one of our homeless shelters. When I realized that this was "the day," I asked him to stay at home, putter around, do whatever he wanted but to not come in with me since we would have had to ride the subway.

He stayed, I went, and was pretty anxious to some extent while riding down to the lower east side. Of course, nothing happened, as I suspected would be the case. But I was happy that Joe would, at the very least, not be involved in anything potentially dangerous.

When I learned about the hoax, I was angry, absolutely. But not at our own gov't, or our city officials, the cops or anyone else. I would rather they be hyper vigilant for our safety and if false information comes our way, then so be it. I was pissed at the culprit. Frankly, I'd love ten minutes alone with the idiot. Me, him and a baseball bat.

 

[wvrevy]

When Bush's poll numbers tank the worst, there is a terror alert. Happens every time. It shouldn't even come as a surprise, at this point.

 

[imsorry]

Why get mad at the mayor? I ride the subways and I know it's impossible to police EVERY station - I appreciate that he did what he could. If it was a hoax, that is not his fault. I would rather have the city over-react to these situations then assume nothing will happen. The terrorism in England is still too fresh in my mind. If they want to check my bag - go ahead - I have nothing to hide. These are really no win situations for the government - but I still wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

 

[grinningghost]

You know, you can never know what to believe anymore. Hoax? Maybe, but maybe not. I think the government is so confused on how best to "please" the public, that they don't know what to say anymore.

I think Bloomberg acted correctly. Better to be overprepared than not prepared at all. If it had turned out to be real and he hadn't done anything, then he would have been blasted for that.

I agree with Rick - if it was a hoax, get out the baseball bat - preferably a metal one.

 

[bjgrazi]

I never said I was angry at the Mayor, I asked does it make you angry?

I feel he should come out on some level with something being said to all who had panic attacks, told their loved ones to stay home and so on. That's all.

London is fresh in my mind, especially since my niece was visiting there during that time.

 

[VickiVM]

Does it anger you that in NYC, they got everyone in a panic over nothing? People paying for cabs to get to work. Parents keeping kids home from school because they have to take the train to get there.

I know it angered me. I grew up in the city and lived there most my life, moved a few years ago, to raise my kids in the country. We still have family there and spend a considerable amount of time there. I didn't get worried this time for whatever reason.

I think the bag searches are a joke, there are so many stations that aren't checked, it's funny.

I think the Mayor owes everyone a large apology. I know don't hold my breath.

OK - So what if you were the mayor in this instance. The entire city is aware of info being circulated - false, presumably false or otherwise. Can you look into the eyes of a a 10 year old (who likely has heard rumors), of a 75 year old, or the mom/dad who has young children at home and rides the subway to work daily - and tell all these people "No biggie, act as though everything is fine and go about your business"???

We are in the age of governmental distrust all around - no official is immune. Our expectations of our officials is that they behave flawlessly, be able to see into the future, always make the perfect choices both local and abroad. Guess what - never will be the case (never was the case either).

I expect this won't be the last time we encounter this situation. Hell, those who seek to destroy don't even have to do anything anymore - just threaten. So what's the 'proper' response next time, the time after that...Who gets to determine whether a threat is credible or not? And how credible are those that make those kinds of decisions. You get what I'm saying?? We, the public, really know nothing. We know only what the media clues us into. We elect our officials and have to have some level of trust in them. Right???

I just think we often get caught up in being too hypercritical of people that make decisions on issues everyday - decisions that the majority of us are not qualified to make. (And I'm including myself in that majority).

Had that been my city, I would have heeded the warning, endured the short-lived incovenience and moved on. I've too much to lose to play "I'm smarter and know better". I don't know squat except my gut instinct to protect my loved ones.

 

[mrsltg]

What are they going to do? They have no choice. I think it's sad that the gov needs to worry about public perception if something doesn't happen.

Erin

 

[VickiVM]

What are they going to do? They have no choice. I think it's sad that the gov needs to worry about public perception if something doesn't happen.

Erin

Exactly - forget that they heeded a possible threat and took precautions. Now perceived knee-jerking will be what ruins their careers.

Our collective intolerance might be what hurts this country more than actual terrorism.

 

[jrydberg]

When Bush's poll numbers tank the worst, there is a terror alert. Happens every time. It shouldn't even come as a surprise, at this point.

Except that Washington was the one saying "nothing to be concerned about here."

 

[VickiVM]

I never said I was angry at the Mayor, I asked does it make you angry?

I feel he should come out on some level with something being said to all who had panic attacks, told their loved ones to stay home and so on. That's all.

London is fresh in my mind, especially since my niece was visiting there during that time.

Sorry if you were misunderstood. But in your original post it appears that you were indeed angry at the mayor since you said "I know it angered me." , then later expressed that the mayor owes everyone an apology.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

Living in Manhattan, I have many friends who are angry about the false claims of a "credible" threat by Mayor Bloomberg and feel a bit jerked around!!

For those of you who don't live in New York or follow our news, you may not know this, but in the days leading up to the "terror alert", Bloomberg was under a ton of criticism for not attending a Mayorial Debate in Harlem, and many people in both the black and white communities thought that the snub was at best, in poor taste. There are quite a few New Yorkers, especially in my neighborhood, the Upper West Side, who don't put it past the Mayor to do something to get the criticism off of the front page of the local news.

Sunday afternoon, while waiting at the bar for our table at our favorite brunch place, Balthazar, in Soho, there was quite a bit of talk about the Mayor's actions. Not one person that I heard felt that they felt safer because of the disingenuious warning.

 

[VickiVM]

Living in Manhattan, I have many friends who are angry about the false claims of a "credible" threat by Mayor Bloomberg and feel a bit jerked around!!

For those of you who don't live in New York or follow our news, you may not know this, but in the days leading up to the "terror alert", Bloomberg was under a ton of criticism for not attending a Mayorial Debate in Harlem, and many people in both the black and white communities thought that the snub was at best, in poor taste. There are quite a few New Yorkers, especially in my neighborhood, the Upper West Side, who don't put it past the Mayor to do something to get the criticism off of the front page of the local news.

Sunday morning, while waiting at the bar for our table at our favorite brunch place, Balthazar, in Soho, there was quite a bit of talk about the Mayor's actions. Not one person that I heard felt that they felt safer because of the disingenuious warning.

Well, there you go then. Majority of us don't really know all the circumstances surrounding issues. I would suggest that perhaps your brunch group may be more in tuned to the political scene than say mom and dad who are so busy raising a family that they barely make time to watch the late night news, much less make it a point to know what their political officials are up to. Or the senior citizen who spends their day watching game shows on tv. Or the nurse who is a workaholic and works the shifts no one wants because it pays better, yet doesn't have a moment to herself. I'm not saying that these people aren't politically involved, but they're the people who make up part of a large city that hears about a threat and just want to be assured that nothing will harm them.

 

[Patch'sD]

Better Safe than Sorry.

 

[VickiVM]

Better Safe than Sorry.

Everyone is safe, but the OP'er still wants the mayor to say he's sorry.