University of Texas Tower
Homeland Security = Ridiculous Measures
RECEIVED Mon., July 12, 2004
Dear Editor,
I never send letters to the editor, but an incident today compels me to write to a forum of some sort. It was my lunch hour, and I was minding my own business lying down in what I thought was the free green grass of Austin, Texas. Yes, it was grass surrounding the courthouse on Eighth Street, but trust me when I tell you it was very inviting. I wasn't having a good day, so I thought I'd try to get my mind off things by reading a little Kahlil Gibran and watching the occasional cloud. I had been peacefully pursuing my plan for approximately 15 minutes when out of nowhere three – not one, not two, but three – men in uniforms, with badges, and I'm guessing guns, told me that this was a federal courthouse and you can't just lie on the grass. Now, I work in a courthouse and see people sitting on our grass all of the time. I've taken lunches on the Capitol grounds and similarly seen people minding their own business. What's with the paranoia?
I don't know what to think of this. Has George W. Bush really taken the grass away from me? It sounds so silly, but I'm shocked. I'm really shocked. I mean, I didn't have any WMD's in my messenger bag, but given the kind of work our intelligence agencies perform they might have argued as much. I moved for fear of having the whole damned FBI come out to harass me. The man claims he's "just doing his job." Famous last words, my friend. I advised him and his stiff-necked friends to try a break and the grass themselves. They might appreciate it. For the love of God, people, let's do something to get our grass back this November.
I never send letters to the editor, but an incident today compels me to write to a forum of some sort. It was my lunch hour, and I was minding my own business lying down in what I thought was the free green grass of Austin, Texas. Yes, it was grass surrounding the courthouse on Eighth Street, but trust me when I tell you it was very inviting. I wasn't having a good day, so I thought I'd try to get my mind off things by reading a little Kahlil Gibran and watching the occasional cloud. I had been peacefully pursuing my plan for approximately 15 minutes when out of nowhere three – not one, not two, but three – men in uniforms, with badges, and I'm guessing guns, told me that this was a federal courthouse and you can't just lie on the grass. Now, I work in a courthouse and see people sitting on our grass all of the time. I've taken lunches on the Capitol grounds and similarly seen people minding their own business. What's with the paranoia?
I don't know what to think of this. Has George W. Bush really taken the grass away from me? It sounds so silly, but I'm shocked. I'm really shocked. I mean, I didn't have any WMD's in my messenger bag, but given the kind of work our intelligence agencies perform they might have argued as much. I moved for fear of having the whole damned FBI come out to harass me. The man claims he's "just doing his job." Famous last words, my friend. I advised him and his stiff-necked friends to try a break and the grass themselves. They might appreciate it. For the love of God, people, let's do something to get our grass back this November.
Sincerely,
Tiffany M. Conner
Tiffany M. Conner
