The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed and thus clamorous to be led to safety -- by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.
The FBI has just released a public service announcement about the recent rash of 'bio-terrorism' in the form of anthrax contaminated letters sent to media and political institutions in the past weeks.
"Although vigilance and safety should be a part of every American's life during this national crisis," FBI Director Louis J. Freeh stated, "but it seems the public has little to worry about as long as they avoid handling letters that appear to be addressed by a mildly retarded person with a grasp of penmenship equal to that of your average first grader." He continued, "By keeping out of contact with letters that seem to be penned by someone who's never seen a sheet of paper with lines on it before, you should be just fine."
