Homeland Security ‘messages’ coming to Walmart, hotels, malls
42 replies, posted
[QUOTE=rawstory.com]Shoppers at Walmart will soon have something other than glossy magazines and chewing gum to look at when in the checkout line: A "video message" from the Department of Homeland Security asking shoppers to look out for "suspicious" activity and report it immediately.
It's part of a new Department of Homeland Security program that could see Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano's face on video screens in malls, retail outlets and hotels across the United States.
The Walmart video, which will soon be launched at 230 locations nationwide and may eventually be expanded to nearly 600 locations in 27 states, features Napolitano thanking the retailer by name for participating in the program.
Napolitano then says: "If you see something suspicious in the parking lot or in the store, say something immediately. Report suspicious activity to your local police or sheriff. If you need help, ask a Walmart manager for assistance."
The video, which doesn't appear to offer any advice on what constitutes "suspicious" activity, is part of DHS' "If You See Something, Say Something" program. It was launched originally in the New York City public transit system and, according to the DHS, is about to go nationwide.
Besides Walmart, the program has partnered with Mall of America in Minneapolis, the US's largest mall, as well as the American Hotel and Lodging Association, rail operator Amtrak, and the Washington, DC, public transit system.
"In the coming months, the Department will continue to expand the 'If You See Something, Say Something' campaign nationally with public education materials and outreach tools designed to help America's businesses, communities and citizens remain vigilant and play an active role in keeping the country safe," DHS said in a statement.[/QUOTE]
Source: [url]http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/12/homeland-security-messages-coming-walmart-hotels-malls/[/url]
Link to mentioned Homeland Security PSA because I don't know how to embed: [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Czoww2l1xdw&feature=player_embedded[/url]
[quote]Janet Napolitano's face on video screens in malls, retail outlets and hotels across the United States.[/quote]
[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f1/Janet_Napolitano_official_portrait.jpg/480px-Janet_Napolitano_official_portrait.jpg[/img]
Sweet lord jesus above
Hah, cute.
[QUOTE=Zeke129;26539821]Sweet lord jesus above[/QUOTE]
What? You don't want to see our "protector" if you ever take an excursion to the US?
...Why at Wal-Mart?
[QUOTE=Zeke129;26539821]Sweet lord jesus above[/QUOTE]
who
It's gonna be like in those sci-fi movies, where there's stuff like military endorsements, messages, etc. showing up on billboards n stuff
[QUOTE=Shustriy;26539891]It's gonna be like in those sci-fi movies, where there's stuff like military endorsements, messages, etc. showing up on billboards n stuff[/QUOTE]
I'm Commander Shepard and this is my favourite store on the Citadel.
Reminds me of the "report suspicious activity" propaganda you see in authoritarian / totalitarian settings.
[QUOTE=Mr. Someguy;26540008]Reminds me of the "report suspicious activity" propaganda you see in authoritarian / totalitarian settings.[/QUOTE]
My first thought.
Why is Homeland Security hellbent on making us all paranoid? Soon I'm going to have to be patted down and ID checked just to walk in a store. They act we live in Tel Aviv.
[QUOTE=TwinkieHouse;26539863]...Why at Wal-Mart?[/QUOTE]
Because most Americans do some shopping at Wal-Mart?
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stsRfx5-3EQ&feature=channel[/media]
:geno:
[editline]6th December 2010[/editline]
I don't like this...
[img]http://partmule.com/blog16/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/big-brother.jpg[/img]
He is watching.
[QUOTE=ChristopherB;26540357][img_thumb]http://partmule.com/blog16/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/big-brother.jpg[/img_thumb]
He is watching.[/QUOTE]
[B][URL="http://www.facepunch.com/members/149025-Canuhearme"][B]Canuhearme?[/B][/URL][/B] is not watching stop lying.
This shows that our country will trade freedom for security any day. Fun times were had, but fun times are over.
There's going to be tons of people reporting people of Middle Eastern descent.
[QUOTE=tinhead50;26540431]This shows that our country will trade freedom for security any day. Fun times were had, but fun times are over.[/QUOTE]
Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.
[QUOTE=tinhead50;26540431]This shows that our country will trade freedom for security any day. Fun times were had, but fun times are over.[/QUOTE]
Despite being obnoxious, I really don't see how this sacrifices any more freedom than the Emergency Alert System does.
I don't understand how everyone can relate this to 1984. The youtube comments are painful to read.
Jesus, it's no different then having a PSA telling people to drive carefully on icy roads.
[editline]7th December 2010[/editline]
[QUOTE=TwinkieHouse;26539863]...Why at Wal-Mart?[/QUOTE]
Well, most places that large groups of people meet are guarded or protected like Stadiums and Monuments. So what's the next best thing? At any given time there are a hundred people at Wal-Mart at any given town. A few gunmen or a couple of bombs and you have a pretty decent body count. It'd also be a little worse on some levels since it'd given the illusion that no one and no where is safe from attacks like this. This isn't limited to Wal-Marts either, it's also going to be at large hotels and malls which are high on the list of possible targets for the reasons I just stated.
Not to mention the high volume of customers that go to Wal-Mart guarantee that the message is heard by many people.
[editline]7th December 2010[/editline]
[QUOTE=tinhead50;26540431]This shows that our country will trade freedom for security any day. Fun times were had, but fun times are over.[/QUOTE]
PSA's restrict my freedom? What?
"Oh, hey I'm going to need you to finish watching that before I check you out. Otherwise you've got to go."
They're no more restricting then fucking shampoo ads.
[editline]7th December 2010[/editline]
[QUOTE=tomahawk2;26540062]Why is Homeland Security hellbent on making us all paranoid? Soon I'm going to have to be patted down and ID checked just to walk in a store. They act we live in Tel Aviv.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, okay. This is exactly what this is leading too. Kind of like how all those Duck-and-Cover videos lead to that huge nuclear war. Oh, wait.
*sigh*
Such a fundamental failure of understanding how to combat terrorism.
It's funny how people are relating this to 1984. This has nothing to do with turning your friends, family or people around you for going against the government, and has everything to do with stopping things from vandalism to terrorism on a small scale.
You blow these things out of proportion.
you see that guy over there he could be a terrorist. no one is going to try to blow up a wallmart and making people paranoid is a wast of time.
the only thing this will do is get a lot of brown people searched because some fat lady in a wheel chair thinks every guy with a beard is out to kill her
[QUOTE=CodeMonkey3;26540669]
At any given time there are a hundred people at Wal-Mart at any given town. A few gunmen or a couple of bombs and you have a pretty decent body count.
[/QUOTE]
[IMG]http://www.voont.com/files/images/edit/future/fat3.jpg[/IMG]
and nothing of value was lost.
[QUOTE=Mudbone;26540944][img_thumb]http://www.voont.com/files/images/edit/future/fat3.jpg[/img_thumb]
and nothing of value was lost.[/QUOTE]
You're ridiculous.
If the terrorists think Walmart is a priority target, I don't think we have much to worry about.
[QUOTE=imasillypiggy;26540939]you see that guy over there he could be a terrorist. no one is going to try to blow up a wallmart and making people paranoid is a wast of time[/QUOTE]
You make some pretty bold assumptions considering they've arrested people in relation to plots like this. There have been people who planned to shoot up Wal-Marts and I believe just recently they arrested someone who was planning to set a bomb off at a Christmas tree lighting event. It's more likely then you think.
[QUOTE=sloppy_joes;26540952]You're ridiculous.[/QUOTE]
I don't know what the local Walmart in your area looks like but here its loaded with morbidly obese people in their carts and white trash. I will spend the extra fifty cents and shop at normal stores.
[QUOTE=sloppy_joes;26540952]You're ridiculous.[/QUOTE]
tell me the last time someone blew up a wall mart. now tell me what are the chances that someone who is going to blow up a wallmart gets caught because someone was realy looking. now tell me how many people are going to tell on some random guy who did nothing wrong but broke the crime of being the wrong skin color
[editline]6th December 2010[/editline]
[QUOTE=CodeMonkey3;26540968]You make some pretty bold assumptions considering they've arrested people in relation to plots like this. There have been people who planned to shoot up Wal-Marts and I believe just recently they arrested someone who was planning to set a bomb off at a Christmas tree lighting event. It's more likely then you think.[/QUOTE]
then there just going to star blowing up places with even more people
[QUOTE=imasillypiggy;26540939]you see that guy over there he could be a terrorist. no one is going to try to blow up a wallmart and making people paranoid is a wast of time.
the only thing this will do is get a lot of brown people searched because some fat lady in a wheel chair thinks every guy with a beard is out to kill her[/QUOTE]
If this is what I think it is for, it won't be used for that. All this does is if someone reports something suspicious, that data gets thrown into a giant algorithm that may lead to a suspected terrorist attack. It's not to waste cops time questioning random people.
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