Boston: 1/31/07, We Must Never Forget

So, you've heard all the hubbub surrounding these so-called "devices" that were found in the "supposed" City of Boston on Jan. 31.

Now, I'd like to say something as a person living in a city not run by folks with chips on their shoulders:

Dear Boston Public Officials,
You overreacted.
You are now the laughing stock of the U.S. of A.
Please calm down and realize that there were no similar "scares" in ANY other City where this promotional campaign was launched. Please cease your very frightening Orwellian actions now.
Thank you.

Now, it's specifically the City Officials who are "outraged" by the marketing campaign. Public officials in Boston were frightened by, what one Bostonian called, "a Lite Brite". I fail to see how a bunch of LEDs resembles a bomb. I'd imagine that most folks attempting to place bombs would NOT put a bunch of glowing lights on them... and would NOT place them where people could easily see them.

And if you're looking for proof that the City of Boston's officials are looking to shift blame from themselves and scapegoat those poor artists... here:

“It’s clear the intent was to get attention by causing fear and unrest that there was a bomb in that location,” Assistant Attorney General John Grossman
said at their arraignment.

What's clear, Mr. Grossman, is that you're a reactionary with no concept of reality. I did, however, find the comments made by "the defendent's" attourney particularly poignant:

Outside the courthouse, Michael Rich, a lawyer for both of the men, said the description of a bomb-like device could be used for any electronic device.
“If somebody had left a VCR on the ground it would have been a device with wires, electronic components and a power source,” he said.

Yawp. Bostonian Jennifer Mason has this comment:

“It’s almost too easy to be a terrorist these days. You stick a box on a corner and you can shut down a city.”

Well, she's right.

It's a frightening world we live in where posting electronic advertisements for your TV show can land you in jail with charges of terrorizm levelled at you. A very frightening world, indeed.