Bruce,
With regards to these types of issues (as well as many other issues in life) there are basically three types of people; those who lead, those who follow, and those who flip a coin.
Crisis causes the middle to disappear and the opposites to polarize. Sadly many Americans seem so irrationally frightened that they are willing to be lead by any purported authority figure that even suggests that they will provide them with the least little bit of personal security, whether or not that promise of security is real or merely vapor.
Reason and common sense play absolutely no roll here. The analogy of children, frightened by shadows lurking in their closet is most apropos.
[This message has been edited by anrkitec (edited 08-16-2002).]