5 comments about Unsafe at Any Altitude: Exposing the Illusion of Aviation Security.

1. I saw the advance publicity for the "60 Minutes" report last night and
   went out to get a copy of "Unsafe at any Altitude," the book the report was based on. Not only did this book's authors, Susan
   and Joseph Trento, obtain the copy of the no-fly list that "60 Minutes"
   used as the basis of its report, but that list is only one of many interesting revelations as this book explores how flawed
   our aviation security system is.



2. It costs a lot for responsible government officials to play the game: Don't blame me don't blame you -- blame that fellow behind the tree. The author's tell you how that game was played in respose to 9/11. And because this billion dollar game was played with the screeners at airports, the extra billions of dollars spent are not providing any more safety than before 9/11. But the mind set of the post 9/11 air traveling public must make us safer. The passengers now know if they fight for the control of the plane there is a chance for life -- if they don't fight death is certain.



3. Much of the info in this book is fact. However, assumptions are made to fill in the fact gaps. Even what they call "truth" is sometimes assumption or just plain wrong. The authors offer some ideas on improving airport security, but you have to figure that they have already been considered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.



4. This book offers a professional analysis and it brings the aviation terrorism phenomenon into the front of the stage, by highlighting some evidence regarding some of the major aviation terrorism incidents of the pase decades. As an academic researcher of aviation terrorism, this book certainly may be useful for those who are interestd in the 'story behaind the story'.
   Dr. Hillel Avihai



5. This book is superbly written, the prose is gripping and hard to put down. I finished this book in one day and was drawn in page after page. It focuses a lot on Argenbright Security, the company which privately handled airport security in numerous cities before the invention of the incompetent TSA, and details how it was scapegoated for the incompetency of numerous federal agencies.
   Further, it details the uselessness of the "No Fly" list which is as worthless as the Arizona Navy.
   This book will challenge any notions of airport and airline safety you may have, this book carefully details the relationship of 80's Beirut, the CIA's complicit machinations in Lebanon and how it intentionally and inadvertently created the aircraft hijacking as a political tool by middle eastern terrorists.
   If you think this sound ridiculous, challenge my characterization and read the book for yourself.

5 comments about Hide and Seek: Intelligence, Law Enforcement, and the Stalled War on Terrorist Finance.

1. What a great book! My husband somehow was able to get a copy of the book a few days before it came out (he lives for this type of stuff), and I picked it up the other day while he was at work. Four hours later, I was finished. I couldn't put it down. My reading usually consists of romance novels (I'm not ashamed), and to be honest, I only picked up this book out of sheer boredome. Boredom turned to fascination very quickly, and I was hooked after reading just one chapter. While there is a good deal of government jargon, the auther does a great job of explaining everything. Still, what I liked most about the book were his stories. This guy has had an amazing life! So many adventures, I'd love to meet this guy just to hear him tell some stories. Not to diminish the importance of the book, as he does say a lot of things that our government should be paying attention to, but he's a great storyteller. He definitely puts a personal touch on a sticky subject. Anyway, it's a great book, and believe me, I usually stay away from these types of books. My husband and I actually sat down and discussed the book for almost 2 hours last night...he was very impressed with my knowledge. Great book, I hope he writes another one.



2. I'm sort of a government/spy stories buff, and I really enjoyed this book. The first half is sort of a story, almost like reading a novel, while the second half is almost instructional. The author makes a lot of good recommendations in the last chapter. This guy should go into politics!



3. This book is not only exquisitely written but extremely informative as well. The utter incompetence of high-level government employees that is exposed by Cassara is enough to make your blood boil. If you thought the government was infallible, think again. I'd highly recommend this book to anyone who is concerned with the well-being of our country.



4. The author provides an insightful and at time intense criticism of inner governmental workings. Depicting through first hand experience the bureaucratic failures that have resulted in the continued operation of many criminal and terrorist financial networks. The removal of these "financial networks" is crucial, to ensure our victory in the "War on Drugs" and "War on Terror". These failures can cost lives, as so dramatically depicted by the author. To someone who seeks to pursue a career in government service, like myself; this book is an invaluable tool. In depicting the failures of previous generations of government employees, it serves as a "wake up" call to both current and future governmental employees. This will help to prevent these errors from continuing to happen in the future. Finally, the authors' career serves as an example of excellence in government service, that the new generation of government service employees should aim for in their career.



5. HIDE AND SEEK: INTELLIGENCE, LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND THE STALLED WAR ON TERRORIST FINANCE is a 'must' for any who would understand one of the failures of the U.S. in 9/11. John Cassara is an expert in terrorist financing and money laundering and here surveys the lack of reporting requirements before 9/11, efforts since, and how the failures of law enforcement have helped foster terrorist efforts. HIDE AND SEEK could not have been written without an insider's knowledge of how foreign intelligence, domestic efforts, and international finance works: the fact that John Cassara has such knowledge lends authority and depth to a survey which encourages law to follow the unusual paths of international terrorism's money networks.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch

No comments about Understanding the Bush Doctrine: Psychology and Strategy in an Age of Terrorism.

4 comments about Jihad: From Qu'ran to Bin Laden.

1. Richard Bonney has plenty to say about jihad. But when it comes to Islamic violence against non-Muslim neighbors, I think his work is way off base. He says that the Arab-Israeli conflict is "the crucible of the conflicts affecting the Muslim ummah."
   
   While many Muslims do think about this particular conflict, I think Bonney is entirely wrong here. Suppose Israel and the Jews were all to disappear overnight. Would that ease the conflict? No. The problem is not with Israel, it is with the jihadists. Removing Israel will not solve the conflict any more than removing Czechoslovakia would have solved the 1938 problem of National Socialist Germany.
   
   The author does present unusual perspectives on some historical events. He points out that in October, 1939, von Ribbentrop called the failure of the British to establish an Arab state in what is now Israel "an example of British perfidy." Given the promise of the British to the League of Nations to establish a Jewish national home in the Mandate, and therefore to encourage Jewish immigration into the Mandate territory, and given the huge number of Jews who died as a result of the British breaking that promise with the 1939 White Paper, I have to disagree with von Ribbentrop. I think there was British perfidy in pretty much precluding Jewish immigration. Bonney ought to have said so.
   
   Bonney thinks that Jewish claims to Israel are based on ancient ties to the land and on religious grounds. Again, he is totally wrong. These ties did give Jews a big incentive to purchase land and live on it. But Jewish rights to that land are no different from the property rights of all other human beings. They bought that land. It is theirs. Denying it to them means denying property rights to all humans. Bonney seems to be unconcerned about the idea of making special international rules that apply to Jews only, or maybe to non-Muslims only.
   
   Bonney is willing to defend jihad as the right of defence of the community. He overlooks the fact that when this defence includes murdering innocent non-Muslims in order to bully them and steal their land, this defence is in and of itself a crime. And crime does not always pay.



2. As a muslim convert who served in the US army fighting in the war on terrorism in iraq and who has been trying to devote his life to understanding traditional islamic scholarship, I must say this is truely one of the most remakable unbaised books i read on the topic. It is very balanced and objective. It writes about how muslims usualy viewed the word jihad and how the terrorist ideology that sprawns from ignorant religous reformers view it. It is as I agree with the MYsterious reviewer, will take critisicm for its objective aproach of writing from the view points of the MAJORITY of the muslims not the minority who is trying to appear as the majority. And it is not used as a proprganda tool for Daniel Pipes overly biased prozionist approaches or the reviewer below who trys to make a overly pro zionist approach to the book by making the book just a game of politics. It shows the approach from a sincere outsider on the history of the normative muslims view of the word jihad not the from the fanatics approach. It is a must read for muslims and non muslims. Because not only non muslim dont know what is going on in the intellectual arena of muslims scholars but as a muslim observer i think muslims are just as confused as the non muslims are cause of all the propraganda of hertics of supporters of MAldudi and Qutb. Only some portions i dont agree with like his friendly protrayal of muhammad abdul wahab but i do like the fact he shows that not all wahabis view him as a genocidal killer so therfore they dont see such killin as a favorable thing. Another must read is Islam, Fundamentalism and the Betrayal of Tradition' edited by J. Lumbard.



3. Reading Bonney's book on the history of Jihad for the past few weeks has made me come to the conclusion that his objective to cover the whole history of the idea and practice of Jihad was too ambitious given the means that are available to him. Some of these limitations include but are not limited to his inability to go to primary sources because of language restrictions and his limited understanding of the subject (Islamic studies) because it is not his area of specialty. Given these limitations, what he ends doing in his book is streamlining the political history of Islam through secondary sources for the most part and provides an overly generalized and non-coherent reading on Jihad that ends up reinforcing the polemical and simplistic narrative of Jihad that already exists in the West without adding nuance to the discussion.
   Often, he has summarized discussion of Muslim political history, case in point is his discussion of Colonial Africa Jihad movements (Somali and Ethiopian Muslim takeover of Christian Ethiopia, Shaikh Uthman's movement, Shaikh Umar's Movement, Shaikh Abdul Ghadir's struggle, etc), without providing historical contexts for the conflicts or maps of places mentioned which leaves one rather bewildered and then follow this up with a discussion on doctrines of Jihad that were proposed by certain Muslim thinkers assuming that the juxtaposed assortment of information somehow makes a coherent narrative about Jihad. Instead, the uninitiated reader feels a sense of confusion of how this political history and history of ideas about Jihad all fits together.
   On a whole, the work seems unoriginal and not well thought out. His cut and paste approach to creating a continuous narrative on Jihad (this can be easily assessed by looking at his footnotes and seeing how he used singular secondary sources to create this history) only seems to add more blur to the topic. Reading this book is certainly a Jihad.



4. R. Spencer, from [...], said that Bonney acknowledges that "the traditional reading of the Qur'an outlines four `stages'" in the development of the concept of jihad within Islam. These "arose from the historical development in which the Prophet found himself. ... The final stage came with the Divine command of Allah enjoining the Prophet and his followers to wage war against the unbelievers unconditionally." He then provides a generally useful survey of the historical and juridical development of this concept in Islamic history, including an examination of the idea of jihad in the hadith (accounts of Muhammad's words and deeds) and the classical jurists; the development of jihad as a state system by the Ottomans, Safavid Persians, and Mughals; Muhammad ibn `Abd al-Wahhab and Wahhabism; and the much-overlooked area of jihad in the period of the colonial powers. Bonney concludes his survey with an evaluation of the jihad theories of Hasan al-Banna, Sayyid Qutb, Abu A`la Mawdudi, Osama bin Laden, and other pivotal figures of the modern era.
   
   The author amasses an impressive array of material but seems at a loss as to what to do with it. He is at his best when reporting the facts and at his worst when evaluating their significance. His analysis is superficial as when he dismisses the idea that Islam is a "religion of the sword" because it "contravenes the clear Qur'anic precept that `there is no coercion in religion' (Q.2:256)," but he does not even mention Qutb's argument contending that this verse in no way contradicts his overall schema of jihadist imperialism and Shari`a supremacism. In a volume such as Bonney's, ostensibly dedicated to bringing to light how modern-day mujahideen such as bin Laden situate their Islamic appeals within traditional Islamic thought, this is a gaping omission--and it is by no means the only one. Bonney's book, while useful as a guide to various sources, ultimately fails and even misleads as it consistently underestimates the power of the jihadist appeal among modern Muslims even while demonstrating the strong traditional roots of that appeal.

5 comments about Living Under The Patriot Act: Educating A Society.

1. I found the book to be very interesting and informative. It's not a light read, but the number of interesting facts that I found ended up teaching more about the laws of the Partiot Act and how it came to be formed. The author gives both sides to the debate and many perspectives that I never thought of before. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a rounded comprehensive study of the Patriot Act.



2. Shortly after 9-11 in 2001, a bill was introduced in Congress and passed despite the fact that most members had not even had an opportunity to read it. It is popularly known as the Patriot Act. In his new book, Living Under The Patriot Act: Educating a Society ($17.99, Author House, available from Amazon.com), Paul A. Ibbetson, a former police chief currently studying for his PhD in sociology, shares his three years of research on what he calls "one of the most powerful laws of modern day." Those of both liberal and conservative political orientation have expressed serious concerns because, while it expands the government's ability to find and jail terrorists, it also portends the possibility of its misuse by a government less attentive to the dictates of the Constitution. The FBI admitted to such abuses just last month. The author's purpose, as the title notes, is to educate the reader to the various aspects of the bill, from its passage to its current status. The bill is due for reauthorization and this timely book permits for a thorough review of the way it works. This is not light reading because it rather intensively looks at the bill section by section. Nor is the book a polemic taking sides. Those of a legal bent of mind will find it a masterful piece of work.
   
   [...]



3. I thought this book was inviting from the start. My favorite aspect of this book is that it covers the basics right at the beginning so if you are new to the patriot act or governmental issues in general then you won't get lost. It's good for beginners!!



4. This book is very informative. The author does not take a stance on right or wrong but rather presents the act in a clear and concise way that is understandable. Definitely worth the read if you want to know what is going on in our world today.



5. Paul Ibbetson has written "Living Under The Patriot Act: Educating A Society" in a very clear manner which those of us who do not have a formal background in law can understand. I believe that the American people needs to pay much more attention to the Patriot Act and the possibility of it misuse in the near future.

4 comments about Unchecked and Unbalanced: Presidential Power in a Time of Terror.

1. Frederick A.O. Schwarz Jr. is senior counsel at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law and a partner at Cravath, Swaine & Moore. He was chief counsel to the Church Committee. Aziz Z. Huq is associate counsel at the Brennan Center and previously clerked for the U.S. Supreme Court. This is a book you will not be able to put down, in which they demonstrate and document how the Bush administration has gone further than Nixon or Reagan ever dreamed to create a monarchical presidency with the acquiescence of a complicit Congress and a cowed judiciary.



2. The authors documents how the Bush Administration, in an effort to fight terrorism, has side-stepped the constitution, circumvented the Geneva Convention, and broken countless other laws. The authors describe how the net result is an erosion of the moral character of America, which, in the long run, is counterproductive in the war on terror.



3. Benjamin Franklin, when asked what type of government we had created, is said to have replied, "A republic, if you can keep it." "Unchecked and Unbalanced" shows why America is in danger of being transformed into a monarchy by the Bush Administration, reporting how this new theory of unchecked presidential power developed and why it is wrong. The authors also contend that the theory is not a response to 9/11, but long nurtured by Cheney and his assistant David Addington from at least the days of the Iran-Contra investigation, and even followed (to a much lesser extent) by Bill Clinton.
   
   Executive branch lawyers now describe an ongoing (not just emergency) power to set aside legal checks imposed by Congress and to even act when Congress is silent. This authority extends to treaties as well, and at least one Office of Legal Council (OLC) leader claims coverage of judicial decisions as well.
   
   Lincoln acted early on at the start of the Civil war without Congressional authorization, and even ignored an order by the Chief Justice. The difference between Lincoln and Bush is that Lincoln did not do so on an on-going basis, sought subsequent approval, and did not act in secret.
   
   "Unchecked and Unbalanced" provides rationale for concluding that OLC's conclusions are wrong; it also asserts that the OLC claims were developed without adherence to professional obligations - eg. they failed to identify, let alone respond to, weaknesses in their legal arguments, and failed to mention key Supreme Court cases.
   
   Finally, to protect our republic, the authors recommend Congress hold hearings and act, and that the Supreme Court follow suit. Unfortunately this is made difficult by executive branch supervision of intelligence gathering and distribution.



4. I'm so glad we have the reader reviews on Amazon. The Publishers Weekly evaluations are often very biased and dismissive. "Though another book criticizing the Bush presidency is of questionable necessity" - really? We've reached the limit on books examining and critiquing the performance of the President of the United States? Thanks, PW! I'll stop worrying about the health of our democracy and go straight to bed.

No comments about Blood and Rage.

1 comments about Terrorism Response: Field Guide for Fire and EMS Organizations.

1. Are you looking fo a response guide that focuses on the critical issues of emergency responders by emergency responders for terrorism events? Then this is your book.

   This guide is chock full of the information you need to be safe and effective at terrorist incidents.

   It is in a very user friendly format and it is big enough to refererce and use at the scene of an incident (unlike some other guides I have gotten that are too small and fail to remember in its design what its like at an emergency scene).

   The authors have taken the steps to ensure that the information is applicable to emergency responders and the operations we are required to initiate.

   I am highly satisfied with this book and carry it with me in my duty bag!

4 comments about Czar Of Alaska: The Cross Of Charlemagne (Macgregor Family Adventure Series).

1. Author Richard Trout, also an environmental biologist, consultant and college professor, is back in full gale force with his fourth novel in the MacGregor Family Adventure Series. High adventure in the Alaskan wilderness takes us bounding through an obstacle course of environmental, political and historical intrigue with the exuberance of huskies.
   
   We join in the adventures with Trout's invitation into an icy wilderness, 788 A.D. In the Alps, we meet Charlemagne, his scout, the Duke of Bavaria and an old priest. What is the Cross of Charlemagne and why are his scout and the old priest so willing to protect it with their lives? The Prologue ends in a blizzard of snow and ice, obscuring events that will take another 1,000 years to reveal.
   
   Enter the MacGregor kids: Chris, Ryan and Heather. The year is 1999 and they've hitting the ground running, or rather dog sledding, as the novel opens. Fighting off angry grizzlies, discovering an unusual, vacant cabin, crashing into a whaler, the kids set the pace of the novel. Who are the three Russian Orthodox priests that Ryan befriends and what are they doing in the Alaskan wilderness? An elegant, elderly lady might have some interesting information for them, if they can find her alive.
   
   Meanwhile, Drs. Jack and Mavis MacGregor have their own grizzlies to tackle in the Artic National Wildlife Refuge: a highly skilled, highly paid group of eco-terrorists. Sprinkle a few special agents around and add a cold-hearted killer with a personal political agenda into the mix and the dangers of working in Alaska are realized in full. Will the MacGregors and the FBI stop the eco-terrorists in time?
   
   This novel is rich with facts, which Trout expertly weaves in with fiction. An Alutiq tribe member befriends the MacGregor family, offering cultural history. We meet characters throughout the Alaskan escapades that teach us about the environmental and political challenges dear to the wilderness. We learn historical history from the three Russian Orthodox priests. Trout offers an Alaskan tapestry of tales.
   
   Written for young adults, adults too will enjoy this romp through the frozen wilderness. After all, I've got the first four books on my shelf and look forward to more.
   
   October 16, 2005
   5 out of 5 dogsleds
   Reviewed by True North
   [...]



2. This book is a great adventure story that will keep your attention. It is highly recommendended for young adults by one.I like this book because there is alot of suspense and thrills. I'm not much of a reader but this book was awesome. You won't be able to put the book down. Jacob Miller



3. This book was greatly written. With great detail, the plot takes you all the way around the world to explore and discover new things. The adventure is one you would be glad to experience. I invite you to read this astounding book. My favorite part is when R.O. attempts to climb to the top of the totem pole.



4. Richard Trout is a great writer and this is his best book yet. This book takes place in an Alaskan mountain range. They ride on dog sleds in a blizzard and get chased by bears. My favorite part was when they get trapped in the cabin and a bear breaks in and tries to kill them.

5 comments about Homeland.

1. When I picked up this book I was intrigued with his concept of a journey across the country to document the changes in American consciousness since 9/11.

   I was startled and enthused as Maharidge uncovered the underpinnings of various and diverse, highly charged, emotional crosscurrents affecting the nation.

   His dedication begins, "To the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights . . ." So it is no surprise that parts of the book focus on the repression of opinions differing from mainstream conservative. Many accounts cover intimidation and lost jobs. But Maharidge doesn't stop there; he searches out and interviews both sides for their stories, which underneath have common threads.

   Maharidge digs deeper than the surface tensions of neo-conservatives versus liberals, to address the economic crisis that has been building in the country for the last 30 years; the emotions of which, September 11 catalyzed to the surface in deeply divided positions in America.

   The book is full of information, and reveals more controversial actions taken by the current administration after 9/11, such as the destroying of gun purchase records, (supported by the NRA) after the FBI had begun to find correlations to terrorists in the records.

   He sets to rights such misquotes as, "my country, right or wrong." The correct quote, actually spoken by Carl Schurz, a U. S. Senator in 1899, goes: "Our country, right or wrong. When right, to be kept right; when wrong, to be put right."

   In the last part of the book, Maharidge points out some parallels between the U.S. today, and W.W.II Germany, and actions taken by Hitler. While there are some similarities, he says the comparison is by no means exact, but it is worth taking note of.

   All in all an engrossing and educational read that peels back the layers of extremism dividing the country, to expose common struggles and concerns.




2. Dale Maharidge and Michael Williamson's "Homeland" is the best book of 2004, and one of the most important nonfiction works ever published about the United States.
   
   Maharidge travels through the United States observing the ways in which the attacks of 9/11/2001 have changed America and Americans. Many of these changes are obvious, but others are more subtle. With the seasoned eye of a trained reporter, Maharidge picks up on these changes and analyzes them with an amazing degree of insight. His conversations with ordinary Americans around the country reveal the different ways -- many of them downright scary -- in which the USA has changed over the last few years.
   
   Much of the book deals with neo-McCarthyism and the distressing willingness of many Americans to give up their constitutionally-protected freedoms after 9/11. Maharidge chronicles many recent attacks on the Bill of Rights by local governments, the federal government, and "concerned citizens" alike. He also details the ways in which the 9/11 attacks fueled the latent racism that many Americans feel toward Muslims, resulting in tragedies like the white mob that attacked a Chicago-area mosque on the evening after the attacks.
   
   Maharidge makes no secret of his left-wing perspective, but that doesn't mean this book is a political tract. On the contrary, he bends over backwards to be fair and non-judgmental toward the people he interviews, even when he's talking with white supremacists and other unsavory characters. Maharidge has his own opinion, but thankfully, he also has a genuine desire to understand events from the perspective of those who differ from him politically.
   
   Michael Williamson's photographs are also superb, as usual. Whether it's a telling shot of weary workers riding home in a subway car, or a shot of racist white motel owners trumpeting that their establishment is "owned by Americans," Williamson's photos poignantly capture the America that exists today.
   
   This book takes you to places where the places mainstream media refuses to go, and covers issues that most so-called "reporters" would never touch with a 10-foot pole. With the 2004 election coming up, now is the most important time for Americans to understand and act upon the issues Maharidge discusses in this book. Do yourself a favor: If you read only one book this year, make it this one. Few more important works have ever been published.



3. I can't add to the superlatives of the other reviewers of this book. I learned about this book by accident; C-SPAN had taped a talk with the author and photographer. Somehow, my edition (received from Amazon) was actually signed by the author!
   
   I will say this: It ought to be required reading for anyone seeking public office in the US or, for that matter, anyone who plans to vote in this nation. The stakes are simply too high and Americans are dangerously veering towards Fascism.
   
   My only hope is that this year's election results will mean that I need not buy a stack of these books to give as holiday gifts!



4. I read most of the book last night and was disturbed by several things - The author deliberately blurs the line between "Arab" and "Muslim." He calls non-Arabs "whites," and makes whites sound like low class, trailer trash, uneducated red necks. Aren't Arabs white? I was offended that he mentioned Danny Thomas as an example of all the fine Arab people who have come to US to find a better life. Yes, Danny Thomas was Arab, but not a Muslim. Maharidge quotes an Arab comedian as saying that there's so much discrimination against Arabs. But unless they point out that they are an Arab, how would one even know? How can you treat someone different, unless they point out how different they are?
   
   I have personal involvement in two of the stories quoted in the book, and know that facts presented are incorrect. I think it's grossly incompetent and irresponsible for an author to present a work of nonfiction without verifying his information.
   
   Knowing that some of the facts are wrong, I would look at the rest of the book with reservation. Maharidge treats those he perceives to be the underdog with sympathy, but paints those who speak against them as ignorant, uneducated bigots.
   
   Maharidge's premise that contemporary America dangerously resembles the Weimar Republic, or "Heimat," that led to Nazi Germany is an oversimplification of the current government of the US. This proposition is deliberately anti-administration, inflamatory, and a grab for publicity.



5. This book offers a good look at the rise of nationalism in this country after 9/11. The stories of dissenters offer a peak into this country's fear of non-Christian foreigners. Couple this fear with racial prejudice, ignorance of history, ignorance of non-Christian religions and an economic shift from middle class paying manufacturing jobs to low paying service jobs and you get a society primed to follow an authoritarian leadership that offers a source for the public to vent it's anger. Non-Christian foreigners become the enemy and anyone that does not blindly follow the government's message becomes ostracized from the society with labels like "liberal" or "unpatriotic".
   
   The author also makes comparisons between post 9/11 America and the period before the rise of Hitler. His theme is: when a country faces economic uncertainty they tend to follow more authoritarian leadership and an event like 9/11 can be exploited by the authoritarian leadership to instill fear and a sense of security through blind faith and loyalty to the government. Many call it patriotism because it makes them feel good, but it is more accurately defined as nationalism. The real stories of teachers, students, lawyers, etc. offer some unique insight into the post 9/11 culture and what "freedom" means to many American's when they feel threatened.