The colors of fear

The Department of Homeland Security raised the terror levels for domestic air travel and all flights bound for the United States from the United Kingdom to high (orange) and severe (red) respectively. This move comes with the news that a major terrorist plot was foiled in Britain.

The plot, reportedly involving terrorists boarding several America-bound commercial airliners and detonating liquid explosives, destroying the planes over the Atlantic Ocean. As a result of the terror alert, no liquids are being allowed on any commercial airline today. Such disallowed goods include toothpaste, mouthwash, cologne, drinks and hair gel. According to CNN, British authorities are also disallowing electronic key fobs, declaring that such devices could be used to trigger a bomb.

So far, 21 people have been arrested but their names and the exact charges and details are being withheld because more suspects may possibly be on the loose.

The threat level for the rest of the country remains at elevated (yellow) this afternoon.

The Homeland Security Advisory System was established by President Bush shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attacks to provide a visual system of identifying terror threats so that responsible departments could take appropriate action. There are no set criteria for determining what constitutes a raising or lowering of the alert.

Besides color, there is something else that is visible whenever the terror alert changes. The political response is always complex. The lede in a 2004 Fox News story may sum it up well and in its own way:

The politics of terrorism has Democrats tied in knots. Each time President Bush raises fears of a possible attack, the political debate shifts from his most troublesome issue (Iraq) to one of his strongest (the war on terrorism) while Democrats fight their impulse to question the president's motives.

At a popular Boston restaurant today, this reporter overheard two businessmen talking over drinks. One turned to the other laughing and asked if the other thought raising the terror alert was "bullshit," giving the government "more reasons to stay in Iraq for a few more years."

The general public seems either jaded or sincerely and seriously suspicious of their government. Posts of the New York Times' website portray a diverse American public. Some people are happy with the security measures put in place when the terror alert goes up, others seem to have lost faith in the system. Still others do see the publicity surrounding potential terror plots as another way to mollify the public into submission.

Wrote "Jenny" on the boards:

Yet another summertime plot by the right-wing to boost their poll numbers. Bush has no credibility and neither does Tony Blair. They've pulled this stunt before to boost their poll numbers and swing elections. Don't be fooled.

It is left to judgment whether or not Americans are starting to become desensitized to the aspects and consequences (both in terms of safety and civil rights) of terrorism in the 21st century. Certainly, however, nothing is taken at face value anymore.

This has everything in the world to do with public relations. A distrusting public or a jaded public means that marketing and public relations efforts are much more difficult and more easily ignored by the target audience.

In the case of the terror alert, the question is this: if a consumer does not respond when he or she is told their life is in danger, how are they going to respond to a new product or service being sold to them? Furthermore, if the public is distrusting of the government and public services, how trusting will they be towards the media, corporations and advertisers?