Vigilance on the Metro

I left a comment on another blog today, which got me thinking about the way we handle threats of terrorism in this country. I'm going to post my comment below this paragraph, because I think it's worth mentioning to anyone who may ride the Washington Metro (or any other major metropolitan mass transit system in America), because it may be you who is faced with the choice to save us from the next terror attack (like these guys did in Britain).

I ride the Washington Metro every day to work, and each time I step on the train, I think to myself, "Is today the day we get hit?" I ask myself this question because I believe it's only a matter of time before the DC subway system is hit by terrorists.

With thoughts like these running through my head, I'm naturally vigilant. I didn't think I was alone in being watchful and aware of my surroundings, but apparently I was wrong. Here's a story:

About 6 weeks ago, I was on the Orange line train headed to the Capitol. There were two men of obvious Arab descent wearing rucksacks (the big, camper style backpacks) standing in the center of the train by the door. They seemed extremely disconnected from the environment around them (as if in a trance) - which was enough to perk my attention. I put down my book, and watched them.

A few minutes into the ride, we came to a stop at the Smithsonian station. One of the men left his backpack on the ground, and literally ran off the train. My heart stopped beating at that point (before firing up to 100 bpm) and I got extremely nervous.

I decided to approach the remaining man (I was wearing a suit, and probably looked like some kind of an authority) and asked him point blank: "Sir, is that your bag?" pointing to the abandoned bag at his feet. I couldn't have been talking to anyone else, yet the guy refused to acknowledge me at all. I asked him again, and he looked straight ahead. He was also sweating.

At this point, passengers began to subtly move away from the man. I was about to grab the bag myself when he finally looked at me and said, "Yes. That's my bag." Then he picked it up and held onto it.

I didn't know quite what to do at that point, so I just said, "Make sure you keep you bag in your possession, Sir." I got off at the next stop and notified the Metro station manager who looked at me like I was a racist idiot. He didn't write anything down or even act like the information was worth his time. In fact, he made me feel like a jerk for even approaching the guy.

However, his reaction was not what bothered me the most. It was the utter indifference of the passengers on the train that really rattled me. No one even looked inquisitively at the guy after his buddy ran off the train without a word, leaving his overstuffed backpack behind.

We've been so conditioned to avoid suspecting anyone who might be a legitimate threat to our safety out of fear of being seen as a profiler, or labeled a racist (or worse). It's a sad state of affairs, and it invites people who do not share our values to exploit and take advantage of our weaknesses in security. Am I suggesting we set up checkpoints? Of course not. I'm only suggesting that we all become a little more vigilant in guarding against terrorism. Use common sense. Had these men been white, I still would have questioned one if his buddy ran off the train leaving his bag behind. It would be silly to suggest that I had any other motive other than the safety of myself and the other passengers.

I'm convinced I witnessed a dry run that day. And, I'm sorry to say that even in the Nation's capital, where residents walk with targets on their backs, the likelihood of an attack happening under our noses is as high as it ever was.