Anthrax...

(the virus, not the blonde pundit)

While pointing out CNN's stupiditiy in saying that there have been no terorist attacks in the US since 9-11, Atrios reminds the Atlanta Idiots of the anthrax-related deaths. But then he makes this comment:

*People object when I suggest this, but while the 9/11 attacks were of course The Big Ones, anthrax was this creepy shit which was KILLING US THROUGH THE MAIL. While most people didn't expect a plane to fly into their building, the anthrax attacks created a heightened sense of OMIGOD THIS COULD HAPPEN TO ME. 9/11 was terrible, but the anthrax attacks were terrifying to people.

I think the reason Dr. Black sees anthrax as a more serious threat than I do is a north-south thing. He's your basic Philly yankee who doesn't live in a hotbed of anti-abortion sentiment. All too many people in the South in particular look past the initial envelopes that were actually filled with the virus to all the hoaxes and false alarms which were attributed to anti-choice activists. In spite of the deaths caused by whatever madman actually put the virus into the postal system, most folks here don't see it happening to them because they don't work at an abortion clinic.