From: LoreleiAlo@aol.com
Subject: SNET: A Close Look At FEMA Logic & Y2K
Date: 23 Mar 1999 11:42:49 -0500
To: govtwatch@egroups.com, snetnews@world.std.com


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Source:              Y2KnewsWire.com
Source Site:      http://www.y2knewswire.com/19990323.htm
Date:                 3/23/99
Reposted:         Lorelei A.,  GovtWatch for Freedom

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A CLOSE LOOK AT FEMA LOGIC

An essay by the Y2KNEWSWIRE.COM staff

Once again, a FEMA spokesperson is attempting to shift blame for Y2K 
problems on those who are preparing rather than those who failed to get 
compliant in time. Mike Walker, in recent Congressional testimony, says, 
"There is no need to hoard. There is no need to take money out of banks. 
There's no need to head for the hills. In fact, those kinds of extreme 
reactions could actually cause a disaster that otherwise would not 
happen."







News report at:



http://dailynews.yahoo.com/headlines/ts/story.html?s=v/nm/19990322/ts/bu
g_1.html





Let's examine Walker's statement, phrase by phrase:







"There is no need to hoard..."
Define "hoarding." Does it mean a 72-hour stockpile, as FEMA once 
suggested, a one-week stockpile as the American Red Cross suggests, or a 
one-month stockpile as Y2KNEWSWIRE.COM suggests? Or does it mean a 
one-year stockpile as recommended widely throughout the preparedness 
industry?







Did you know that FEMA is hoarding food? We've learned that regional 
FEMA offices are stocked with emergency food and water supplies. Ask 
yourself this important question: why does FEMA stockpile supplies while 
telling you not to? Really: sit back and ponder this one for a while. If 
stockpiling is bad, why are they doing it? Their answer is probably, 
"Because we need to have supplies to distribute to peothis one for a 
while. If stockpiling is bad, why are they doing it? Their answer is 
probably, "Because we nee







This kind of logic blows right past FEMA, it seems. They miss this 
single important concept: The best way to prevent a real emergency is to 
make sure everybody is ready for one.







Bottom line: "There is no need to hoard" is really just an attempt to 
discredit those taking the responsible action of preparing for possible 
disruptions.







"There is no need to take money out of banks..."
According to who? Is FEMA an expert on the fractional reserve banking 
system? Does FEMA now control the Fed or back up your deposits? Of 
course not. In fact, FEMA has nothing to do with banking or monetary 
policy, and this statement more likely means, "Please don't take your 
money out of banks. There isn't enough to go around."







"There's no need to head for the hills..."
What does "head for the hills" actually mean? In fact, it means nothing. 
It's yet another linguistic phrase designed to impart the idea that 
preparedness is radical. Again, we would ask Walker to define "head for 
the hills." If that simply means moving out of a crowded city, then we 
would strongly argue the point. Leaving the city is perhaps one of the 
smartest moves you can make, especially when facing possible biological 
terrorism at the turn of the century. The likely targets of bioterrorism 
are, of course, large cities.







Even considering Y2K events, cities pose the greatest physical danger 
should critical systems fail. While some argue thefail. While some argue 
the opposite position on this, we think it's real simple: if water fails 
somewhere out in the country, it's not the end of the world. Country 
folks still have wells, rivers, streams... and very low populatioA water 
failure in a city is a 72-hour countdown to chaos. You have two choices 
in a city: leave or die. Or... a third choice... sit around and wait for 
the FEMA water truck to show up. After all, they've been stockpiling 
water while encouraging you not to.







"In fact, those kinds of extreme reactions could actually cause a 
disaster that otherwise would not happen."
This statement attempts to label preparedness as "extreme" and attempts 
to shift blame to those who prepare rather than those who don't. It's a 
perfect example of doublespeak or what we call, "junko logic." If 
storing extra food and water is extreme, why is FEMA doing it?







Most importantly, the idea that preparedness activities could actually 
cause a disaster only exists outside the realm of rational thought. 
Consider the logic here: this FEMA spokesperson is telling you the best 
way to prepare for a disaster is to make sure you don't prepare for a 
disaster. His logic? Preparedness equals disaster. Thinking ahead causes 
panic. Being ready for disaster causes it.







These ideas run counter to both logic and experience, and they 
completely avoid the ultimate problem here: the code is broken and 
critical systems might fail to operate correctly. FEMA, it seems, 
doesn't recognize the Y2K problem as being anything more than a public 
reaction problem. That's a half-blind view, of course, because they core 
Y2K problem has nothing to do with the public and everything to do with 
procrastination, bad management, short-term financial priorities and 
stupid programming tricks.







Frankly, we're shocked to see this kind of talk from FEMA. The agency 
was doing just fine encouraging mild preparedness. Hopefully, Mike 
Walker doesn't represent the entire agency. FEMA can play an important 
and positive role here by encouraging preparedness -- even in a small 
way. But to actually tell people they are the problem, rather than the 
code, is inexcusable.







If Walker's view truly represents FEMA, then we have a problem. It 
paints a world of pure Communism, where the people aren't trusted to 
provide anything on their own: only central agencies can save you. Don't 
trust your neighbor, trust your local FEMA representative. They've 
stockpiled so you don't have to.







Scary stuff, frankly. We'll see where FEMA takes this in the following 
months: are they going to be Democratic and encourage the sharing of 
preparedness responsibility (and power), or will they take the Communist 
track and determine that people are sheep and must be "taken care of?"







No matter what path FEMA chooses, you can choose your own path. If you 
haven't already, go out right now and purchase a common sense supply of 
the items you need. Store food and water, don't be a sheep. Most of all, 
remember this:







You're not going to set off a panic by preparing early, no matter what 
jumpy FEMA officials claim. 



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