The Devil is in the Details

Recently, the Phoenix Business Journal used this title in an article about ASU moving into their new downtown space. I think it is more apropos to use it to address some of the details of our current administration and what I’ve been hearing in the news over the past week.

One thing every journalist knows is details make for a better story. The story of a meth-lab bust in the West Valley is always more interesting when details are given about affected children, the quiet neighborhood streets, the seemingly normal drug dealers. Details make us empathize and when pieced together, show us the big picture.

If this is the case, however, why is it that our government has only been focusing on the details of "terror" instead of society's big picture? The war in Iraq has diverted attention from protecting America from terrorism. This past week 9/11 commissioners said Iraq is distracting from security at home.

This past week, we've learned more about a large-scale terrorist plot to attack the United States. And what is the response from our administration? Political attacks against Democrats - against Americans in our own country.

A prime example is Dick Cheney's response to Ned Lamont's victory in Connecticut. To say that Connecticut voters were supporting Al Qaeda by voting for Lamont is something I expect a terrorist to say - not the Vice President of the United States. Since when is voting for someone who believes differently an act of terrorism?

In the same speech that President Bush said, "Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists" he also said we have "...our freedom of religion, our freedom of speech, our freedom to vote and assemble and disagree with each other."

And so it goes. We gather around exploited details and blanket statements so often that we lose sight of the big picture.

Five years after 9/11, the Bush administration has failed to keep us safe. The Republican Congress hasn't followed through on the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission. The war in Iraq has inflamed the whole Middle East and is helping Al Qaeda attract new recruits. Osama bin Laden is still on the loose.

The big picture shows us that we are not safe - that we probably never will be again. But we must stop reacting to the little details and focus on the big picture. Given our current administration over the past few years, I think the big picture should involve less blaming of Democrats and more working together toward the common goal of security and freedom.

We should all take responsibility for finding out all the information we can - to process the details as part of the big picture. To not resort to partisanship and political jabs. To assess people on track record and a strong vision for the future.

That is how I intend to make my decisions when I vote this fall. By looking at the details and how they influence our society as a whole. Not by listening to the blatant politicized terror threats I've been hearing throughout the past week.

Does that make me a terrorist too?