SYMBOL

[Tim May]

On Sunday, September 16, 2001, at 04:10 PM, Sandy Sandfort wrote:

> David Honig wrote:
>
>> Would you issue parachutes to folks on the
>> upper floors?
>
> Libertarian answer:  No, but I would not forbid anyone from buying 
> their own
> parachute.

(Conversation imagined at the x-ray and hand inspection portal)

"What's this?"

"A gas mask."

"Huh?"

"I just told you, a gas mask. Specifically, a filter system for 
breathing in smoke-filled places."

"Uh,...uh...you'll have to wait here."

I've been debating for the past year or so buying one of the "EVAC-U8" 
"Emergency Escape Smoke Hoods." I won't right now, because of the chaos 
of ordering and receiving anything. And because I travel so little that 
the risk of being in a plane or hotel fire is tiny.

But I'll bet it's like wearing body armor, or having it in carry-on 
luggage: if you have it, you must be up to no good. (See what happens if 
you try to wear body armor on a flight.)

I'm not saying parachutes will ever be banned. For one thing, no way to.

Anyway, I think rebuilding the WTC in its previous form would be dumb 
for a lot of reasons. If builders want to, and can insure it against 
another attack and against damaging other buildings, and if NOT A SINGLE 
PENNY of government money is used, and if no guarantees of revenue, 
rent, etc. are given, cool.

Of course, this is not the way it was built the first time around, and 
this is not the way it will be rebuilt. There will be bullshit about it 
being a symbol, and subsidies will be given, and so on and so forth.

Rebuilding the towers is about 4.3 light years away from being a free 
market issue.

--Tim May