Paranoia ✓

XII: Daniel - Inaction Meets Action (Part 2)

Before attempting to find out what Kyle and the NSA knew before the attacks, he needed to know more details about the attacks themselves—who was responsible and what effects these attacks would have on the nation. The last major attacks helped lead to the creation of Homeland Security, two wars, and the Great Recession that left America with major scars.

The attacks were conducted nearly simultaneously in three separate countries. It started in Chicago, where one of the best medical facilities in the U.S. was struck down to its foundations by three women pretending to be pregnant, but were really concealing powerful explosives. With the women stationed on separate floors of the hospital, the explosions ripped through the floors as if the hospital was made of flesh. Thousands of people died. The final death toll of the people in and around the area of the hospital numbered 1,757. Many of the dead were doctors, nurses, and patients. First responders were also included on the list, as they attempted to rescue people from the unsteady building that threatened to crumble to its foundations. Eventually it did, and just like the twin towers, it took all the first responders inside of the building with them—along with those who needed rescuing.

There I go again, Daniel thought. Making comparisons. We will not repeat the same mistakes—not if I can help it.

There have been calls from representatives and senators to enact laws to allow police officers and counter-terror units to carry new, state of the art x-ray guns. These guns could be used to scan people to see if they were carrying any firearms or explosives in the streets. It could also check to make sure if a pregnant woman was actually pregnant. CNN conducted a poll asking Americans if they would support the usage of x-ray guns by law enforcement. In light of the day's attacks, over 90% of Americans were in favor, 2% opposed, and 8% were unsure.

Daniel found himself questioning whether or not police officers carrying x-ray guns would be safe, considering the side effects of cancer and organ failure that could result from repeated dosage of x-ray radiation—especially on pregnant women. This could lead to stunted growth in newborn babies, stillbirths, or low-mental-capacity children being born. Furthermore, he expected the babies and women that would suffer these health effects to be on the—minority side of the racial spectrum.

Yet Daniel also wanted to prevent another attack like this. If law enforcement had these x-ray guns, then none of this would've happened—right?

Daniel remembered hearing something about this back at college. He recalled taking a media studies class where he learned a topic called technological utopianism. It's the idea that technology can solve all of society's problems. Americans are accustomed to using technology to solve their problems. For example, back in the 2010s many unarmed, young, black men were being gunned down by police officers. So, what did the technological utopists claim would make this stop? Body cameras. If you outfit every police officer with body cameras, it would deter the police officer from pulling that trigger. In reality, it won't stop him from pulling the trigger at all—it'll only catch him on tape. Sure he may be arrested, but cases have shown that even video evidence wasn't enough to convict a murderer. Just look at Eric Garner. [7]

Seeing is not believing. Daniel knew this. He remembered hearing one of the many lectures by Father Ryan when his parents used to force him to go to church. People would ask, why doesn't Jesus show himself, or why doesn't miracles ever get captured on tape. Father Ryan would explain how Jesus would perform miracles in front of thousands of people—raising men from the dead, turning water into wine, curing the sick—yet people still did not believe in him.

Seeing is not believing. Well if a person cannot believe what he or she has just seen—then what can a person believe in? If Jesus were to have come down today, instead of 2,000 years ago, and performed all his miracles and preached his message, sure it may be captured on video and spread across the world a whole lot quicker; but that doesn't mean the whole world would drop their faith systems and become instantly Christian. They'll find some excuse to doubt what they were seeing. They'll explain that his miracles were computer generated and are just the illusion of Hollywood special effects. The masses would analyze his preachings and say he's too liberal or too conservative or a communist. So no, if Jesus came down today, hell, if he came down right now and were about to enact his second judgment, there would still be doubters.