Homeland Security Launches Ad Campaign

[Khephra]

MIAMI -- Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge launched an advertising campaign Monday to educate Spanish speakers on how to prepare for terrorist attacks and other emergencies.

The "Listo" -- or "ready" -- campaign includes TV, radio, print, billboard and Internet advertisements in Spanish encouraging people to prepare emergency kits with three days' worth of food and water, develop a family communication plan and stay informed.

There are more than 35 million Hispanics in the United States, representing the nation's fastest-growing minority group.

"It is essential that everyone gets the message, because with terrorism there are often no second chances," Ridge said.

more.........

http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-homeland-security-spanish,0,7667147.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines

[sendero]

1. Or...

... we can't do jack squat about terrorism, but if it does happen our recommendation is to stick your head between your legs and kiss your sweet ass goodbye.

It seems this whole administration would prefer waging a PR campaign to actually doing something.

[SquireJons]

11. Ready..Steady...RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!!

It's all part of the scare tactics that they think will bind Hispanic voters to the Republican party. The real truth is that ultimately, the only way to end Middle East sponsored terrorism is to address the root causes. There simply is no way to stop a determined group of individuals from committing suicide and taking as many soft targets with them as possible. The WTC was a huge publicity stunt - and it worked. They don't have to do that again. It's like the theory behind the old Laugh-In TV show. It was called 'joke bombing' and it went like this: Tell one really good joke to start them laughing then pepper them with bad jokes to keep them laughing.

All the terrorists have to do is hit the occasional soft target and everyone will stay on edge. And since we came to them, they don't have to come to us. They can just hang out in Iraq and lambaste us from a secure position. The only way to counter that is to install a repressive native regime a la The Shah of Iran. And we all know how well that worked out.

But think about this; if the Islamic militants wanted to create massive casualties of civilians, they already could have many times over. (remember Bali?) In fact, most of their targets have been either government, military or major U.S. corporate assets. To my way of thinking, that is showing considerable restraint. What's easier, bombing a crowded shopping mall or attacking the USS Cole? If we don't change our policies with regards to the Middle East, and the Israeli/Palestinian conflict in particular, there is no way to stop the attacks. The one thing that occupying Iraq has proved without a shadow of doubt is the limitations of our military power. Sure we can overthrow a government, but that's all we can do - and only one at a time. After that we are left with a great big expensive mess that the whole world sees as our problem.

[Snellius]

2. Why did they wait until election campaign season?

What a blatant use of government funds for partisan political gain.

[Hobarticus]

3. Sowing multilingual paranoia, at your service.

Interesting it only took them two years to come up with this plan.

[rocktivity]

4. Apparently he's learned nothing

from the PR disaster "Operation Duct And Cover" was.

http://www.takebackthemedia.com/dtape1.html


rocknation

[pinto]

5. This is basic earthquake planning (here in CA), and it's been widely

pushed in English, Spanish, Tagalog, Mandarin, Vietnamese, etc. by the State and local governments for years. I assume many other states have similar programs.

Innovative? No.
Costly dupe? Probably.

[truthspeaker]

6. remember:

If you have set yourself on fire, do not run.

Are they just translating the www.ready.gov idiocy into Spanish? And it took them this long?

[Mr. Brown of MD]

7. This joke is a year old

Did they think if they tried it again, it still wouldn't make them a laughingstock?

I guess they did. Idiots.

-CollegeDude
Welcome to the land of the mad

[rocktivity]

8. AYE CARUMBA!!!

...Ridge said the Listo campaign is not simply a translation. Its designers chose what they said was a potent cultural symbol in Hispanic communities -- a guardian angel -- to get across the message...

Holy crap, but that's condescending--and I do mean "holy!" Why didn't they drop the pretense and use this?




rocknation

[adriennel]

9. are they trying to raise money?

or just waste it?

the dept of homeland security is a joke. anyone who has effectively learned and used new information from the dept of homeland security, please raise your hand.

Tom Ridge is a pretty boy with no real job.

PS other government agencies are translating into Spanish now as well--govt initiative, at least online, doesn't really mean anything.

[aquart]

12. Tom Ridge is not a pretty boy.

He is a decade away from looking like Mr. Magoo.

[underpants]

10. 'We could have spent this money buying chem suits for YOUR fire department

but we spent it on this advertisement instead.