OPINION:
Once again, it is the dangerous lie of “See something, say something.”
Everybody says it. Big Brother. Big Sister.
Democrat. Republican. It’s the bipartisan mantra that unites them all.
“See something, say something.”
It is a false government promise that has proved their failure again and again and again. At this point, it is nothing more than a hypnotizing, insulting lie.
It is a way for politicians in power — from anywhere on the partisan spectrum — to shift blame off of themselves and onto the innocent citizen.
Not to mention the arrogance of “See something, say something.”
See, all you have to do is see something, tell Big Brother, Big Sister — tell Daddy Government — and Big Brother will protect you.
That’s all a lie.
The directive should be: “See something, say something. And always be packing.”
On a train, on a plane, at a game or at school. See something, say something.
The arrogance of it is that all these people — the feds, local governments, school officials — they are all claiming that if you just let them know that somebody in seat 12A is sweating, looks nervous, they will take care of it and protect you.
Side note: If that somebody in 12A is wearing a turban or speaking Arabic, you risk being ostracized for “seeing” anything, let alone “saying” something.
The most galling arrogance is the false security of these officials lying and promising that they are capable of getting to the bottom of whatever you have seen and said something about. Of course they can’t. Or don’t.
In this latest case, the FBI was reportedly informed that some nut job named “Nikolas Cruz” announced “Im gonna be a professional school shooter” a few months back.
Funny thing, a kid named “Nikolas Cruz” was also kicked out of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, and was considered such a threat that the kid was specifically banned from carrying a backpack on school grounds.
Something was seen. Something was said. Yet nothing was done.
The FBI apparently followed up but determined it was a dead end.
Understandably, the feds and TSA and local police and school officials have day jobs. They cannot run down every lead.
So, my question is: Why make the stupid promise behind “See something, say something”?
Meanwhile, Nikolas Cruz was all but voted Most Likely to Shoot up the School. He was kicked out. He was listed as a security threat.
He made little secret of his twisted mind on social media and in conversations with other students.
Everybody saw something. Nobody did anything.
Now, 17 innocent people are dead.
And politicians are already grandstanding, talking about how we need to “do something.”
Oh, and mocking people for praying.
And, as always, telling people: “See something, say something.”
Because it’s not their fault. It’s yours.
• Charles Hurt can be reached at churt@washingtontimes.com and on Twitter @charleshurt.
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