I’ve been ranting a bit lately on much of the “show security” you see around here, mostly at airports, but also on subways and in other public spaces. Here is a good article by Patrick Smith on the matter, put much better than I can. Bruce Schneier has also written a lot about stupid U.S. airline security. (Here is a particularly good article.)

Mr. Smith article describes the fairly low-key reaction of Spain to the Madrid subway bombings. Why so low-key when we’re so wound-up? We both have experienced terrorist attacks. (Anyone remember Oklahoma City or the first World Trade Center bombing?) Maybe it’s because they have a much longer history with being a terrorist target? How about England’s reaction to their (more recent) terrorist attacks? They have a long history with terrorists too. I seem to recall that their reaction is closer to ours, at least with respect to abrogation of personal freedoms. (Maybe the English feel less entitled than Americans do, at least with respect to personal freedoms?)

Here’s a paragraph from Mr. Smith’s article that I especially like.

Except the Spanish, as victims, are sensible enough to realize that there’s only so much you can do, and don’t squander their resources on measures that do nothing to prevent bombings and everything to waste time and infringe on people’s rights. The citizens of Madrid might be fearful of additional carnage, but they’re also sensible and, in a quiet way, defiant. Our own reaction to terrorism has been anything but defiant — other than dropping bombs and shooting rockets at people, most of whom have nothing to do with the problem.

I think Americans are confusing offense for defiance.