Degrees's Journal: The terrorists have won (some bad language)

So someone here on the 'dot has a .sig that goes something like this:

Behold, for I have created a nation of humorless pussies - Osama Bin Laden

I don't normally use such language. Unfortunately, I run across stories that make me think this quote is 100% spot-on.

For example, the local newspaper ran this gem. (Because links to this newspaper's web site evaporate after a while, I will copy most of the article below, adding my own boldface, plus minor editing, without permission).

Police confiscate replica of grenade
Staff reports

A replica of a hand grenade -- which was in reality a cigarette lighter -- was discovered in a Visalia residence today and confiscated by Visalia police.

A city code enforcement officer said that his office was answering a call of multiple code violations at a home when what appeared to be an explosive hand grenade was discovered.

Visalia Police Department officers were called in to investigate and determined that the grenade was, in reality, a cigarette lighter made into the form of a grenade.

However, since Jan. 1, such replicas of explosive devices are illegal, so the grenade's owner might face charges. Visalia Police Sgt. Shawn Delaney confirmed that the device was found, but described it as a "rusty, old empty hand grenade."

Visalia police are continuing to investigate the incident.

So in the sane world, life would go something like this:

City bureaucrat: "What the heck is that?"
Citizen: "A lighter. <click> Cool, huh?"

But in the insane humorless pussy world:

City bureaucrat (into radio): "OMFG! Dispatch, we have a bomb! I repeat, we have a bomb! OMFG I'm going to die!!! Dispatch!!! Evacuate! Evacuate! Evacuate! <poops pants>"

Seriously, in what sane world does the bureaucrat call the cops on a cigarette lighter owner?

Well, it happened.

Ergo, the terrorists have won.

Is now a bad time to mention that the national debt is about 60% of GDP? Shouldn't we be getting more sanity for that?

It's not the loss of humour...

[jawtheshark]

... that is but a consequence.

The problem is the fear. The whole US seems to be in a paralysed state of fear. If you fear something you can't laugh with it, that's why humour is gone. But, yes, the terrorists have won.

Re:

[Degrees]

Yes - we have lost, because we let fear override intelligence. I'm appalled.

"Won"

[smittyoneeach]

Implies an end state. Earth still turns, this too shall pass.

Re:

[Degrees]

I must be a bit more of a cynic than you; I think it is going to have to get horribly worse before it gets better.

I had two options for setting the stage of the code enforcement officer. I went for the "silly ninny reaction" instead of the "predatory enforcement reaction" ("don't attribute to malice what might be stupidity"). But what if I'm wrong?

In the first case, the solution is that the bureaucracy becomes more intelligent. I don't see the public school system cranking out students with more common se

Re:

[smittyoneeach]

My fear is that it will take societal collapse to reset the power structure. That won't be a nice time in our history.

"This town needs an enema!"

FYI

[Captain Splendid]

That was me with the sig. Ran it for a few weeks, starting with the whole Adult Swim Boston thing. Can't take credit for it though, as I nicked it from a Fark comment on the same subject.

Re:

[Degrees]

Thanks for the comment - I'm glad to give credit where due. :-)

Another really good .sig is redhead-kitten [slashdot.org]'s