2008 Woodie Awards
Law enforcement misplaces priorities
Mike Napolitano
Issue date: 1/31/08 Section: Opinion
As a citizen of the United States I find it reassuring that our tax dollars are going to good use. It's comforting to know that all of our tax dollars are going towards such important things such as education, public services, and homeland security. Then what was the government thinking of
January 31, 2007?
In case that date is not fresh in your mind it is the day that the 'Great Boston Bomb Scare' occurred. This was the scare where the police mistakenly took LED boards of cartoon characters from the television show 'Aqua Teen Hunger Force' as a terrorist plot.
What were the Boston police thinking that day as they called everyone available to the I-93 Bridge at Sullivan Station? Granted in the post Sept. 11 world it is important for law enforcement entities to be diligent and careful. However, in this case they were essentially targeting a Lite-Brite board.
The worst part of the entire situation is that the only part of the sign that lead the police to believe that it was a bomb was "an identifiable power source, circuit board with exposed wiring, and electrical tape." By those standards if I were to place a VCR out in public view it could be perceived as a bomb threat.
Perhaps the most amusing aspect to the situation is the reaction of the press and the response of the advertisers. The press was furious at the pair, Peter Berdovsky and Sean Stevens, as they demanded responses from the two badgering them with a series of questions about whether or not they are taking the situation seriously and whether or not they care that the public may perceive that the police overreacted.
Because their lawyer advised them to not answer any questions from the press, they held close to a ten minute discussion on hairstyles and their own hair. Much to the dismay of the press, they persisted at this topic exhibiting, in my opinion, how absurd the whole situation really is and that they will waste other peoples time because others wasted time on their signs.
This initial response of the two snowballed on to all of the satirical political shows gaining speed as the incident was dubbed 'Aqua-Gate.' With all the fall out the two ended up simply having to give a public apology and conduct some community service. The incident came so causal around the Boston area that less than two months later, politicians were joking about the incident claiming that there might be a terror cell in the area that included Spongebob Squarepants.
In retrospect, the government, coinciding with law enforcement, should probably make sure that they are fighting terrorism, not advertisements. In turn, they should also make sure to blame the source of the chaos-themselves. Without their overreaction, none of this would have happened.
January 31, 2007?
In case that date is not fresh in your mind it is the day that the 'Great Boston Bomb Scare' occurred. This was the scare where the police mistakenly took LED boards of cartoon characters from the television show 'Aqua Teen Hunger Force' as a terrorist plot.
What were the Boston police thinking that day as they called everyone available to the I-93 Bridge at Sullivan Station? Granted in the post Sept. 11 world it is important for law enforcement entities to be diligent and careful. However, in this case they were essentially targeting a Lite-Brite board.
The worst part of the entire situation is that the only part of the sign that lead the police to believe that it was a bomb was "an identifiable power source, circuit board with exposed wiring, and electrical tape." By those standards if I were to place a VCR out in public view it could be perceived as a bomb threat.
Perhaps the most amusing aspect to the situation is the reaction of the press and the response of the advertisers. The press was furious at the pair, Peter Berdovsky and Sean Stevens, as they demanded responses from the two badgering them with a series of questions about whether or not they are taking the situation seriously and whether or not they care that the public may perceive that the police overreacted.
Because their lawyer advised them to not answer any questions from the press, they held close to a ten minute discussion on hairstyles and their own hair. Much to the dismay of the press, they persisted at this topic exhibiting, in my opinion, how absurd the whole situation really is and that they will waste other peoples time because others wasted time on their signs.
This initial response of the two snowballed on to all of the satirical political shows gaining speed as the incident was dubbed 'Aqua-Gate.' With all the fall out the two ended up simply having to give a public apology and conduct some community service. The incident came so causal around the Boston area that less than two months later, politicians were joking about the incident claiming that there might be a terror cell in the area that included Spongebob Squarepants.
In retrospect, the government, coinciding with law enforcement, should probably make sure that they are fighting terrorism, not advertisements. In turn, they should also make sure to blame the source of the chaos-themselves. Without their overreaction, none of this would have happened.
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