Scared of our own shadows

I'm sure most of you have heard about the foofaraw in Boston surrounding the promotion of Aqua Teen Hunger Force: The Movie.

It seems as though a marketing company decided that they would hang up some of the above pictured light-brites around various cities to promote the film. It seems innocuous enough. (That is an actual picture of the promotional material in question.) But it seems as though some overly paranoid people decided these were probably bombs.

They called the bomb squad who exploded a couple of these because they were deemed "threatening" and large areas of Boston were shut down (various bridges and roads.)

Jesus Christ.

Two things shock me about this.

First: This speaks volumes about the constant state of fear that the American people live in since the incessant fear-mongering of the Bush administration has perpetrated since September 11, 2001. It says a lot about how effective they have become at making grown men and women afraid of the boogey man. If you really live in such a state of fear that a lite-brite magneted to a street sign is enough to worry enough to call the bomb squad, you need to re-evaluate your life.

Second: The reaction of the Boston officials shocks me. They estimate that this "hoax" cost the city half a million dollars. That it wasn't funny. First off, it wasn't a hoax. No one in the marketing industry in their right mind would think that a light up board with a slightly known cartoon character giving people the bird would be mistaken for a bomb. In fact, no one in their right mind would mistake this for a bomb. Maybe if they cut up a broom stick, painted it red and glued a clock to it could I see this type of reaction. Secondly, this is funny. I'm laughing at the stupidity of people and law enforcement for being so paranoid that they could imagine that they live in a world where they are afraid of their own shadow.

And seriously. Does that look like a bomb to any of you?

Me neither.

I really think that this proves that the Bush Administration is highly effective in a "post 9/11 world" of making people scared of monsters under their bed.

I also have to say too, that if I were the marketing company, I'd be cheering that this happened. It might get more people to see the movie. I think Aqua Teen Hunger Force needs more fans anyway. That shit is funny.