Does America Play Better Offense or Defense When it Comes to Security

Does America Play Better Offense or Defense When it Comes to Security

I was sitting on the couch yesterday afternoon, waiting on the pizza to bake and the “big game” to start between the Ravens and 49ers. As my boyfriend was flipping through the channels on the T.V., we started discussing if it is easier for someone to get into the U.S. or, with a valid ticket, get into the “big game”? We got a chuckle from the talk, concluding that we believe it would actually be easier to get into the U.S. But, what’s the bigger stage? A one-day event or 365 days per year covering the US border? It was time for me to hit the Internet for a little research while listening to Dan Marino interview Kaepernick.

At www.fbi.gov, I discovered that the FBI partnered with nearly 60 other law enforcement agencies to make the “big game” safe, while CBS reported that federal helicopters enforced a flight restriction zone of a 30 mile radius around the arena. Approximately 4,000 private security guards were hired to pat down patrons and monitor metal detectors and X-ray machines. Black tank vehicles were on hand, hidden in a 100-year old cotton warehouse in case of a hostage situation and US border patrol agents were on duty to inspect cargo coming into the arena. There was even mention of snipers and bomb sniffing dogs. All areas were covered including water, air, ground…even subterranean!

The U.S. border patrol’s overall mission is to protect America. They are responsible for securing almost 7,000 miles of border between the US and Canada, Mexico and other coastal areas. That’s a huge task for any organization, and I absolutely respect each and every man and woman that has dedicated their lives to this.

So, while the “big game” played on, I got to thinking about just how safe we, as Americans, actually are.

What are your thoughts regarding safety? Do Americans go overboard with security at huge, nationally-recognized events? Or, do you feel that extra security is needed? What about at America’s borders? Is enough being done? What more could be done?

After a 25 minute arena blackout and a disappointing ending, I went to bed, anxious to post this and receive your feedback.