Why aren’t America’s psychics helping keep us safe?
December 28, 2009
There are thousands—perhaps tens of thousands—of people who claim to have psychic powers. Some of them can be found in little storefront shops not far from where you may work or live. Some of them can be found on TV, such as convicted felon Sylvia Browne, James van Praagh, John Edward, Alison DuBois, Carla Baron, and others. But all of them have one thing in common: they claim to have specific, accurate information about things outside their immediate knowledge. Some say they can read minds or auras; others say they can predict future events.
Which brings us back to the would-be Christmas bomber. The biggest challenge to national security, by definition, is that there is no way to distinguish threats from non-threats, passengers from terrorists, false-positives from positives. Airport security must thoroughly screen every single passenger, from the wheelchair-bound grandmother to the harried businessman to the nose-picking toddler, because everyone must be suspect; anyone could be a potential threat. Psychics, if real, could change all that.
If what they say is true—if these people have the powers they claim, why are 99.99% of innocent airline passengers subjected to invasive screening, delays, and hassles, when a psychic should be able to identify the terrorists and direct the security resources toward those people?
If psychics can do what they claim, why aren't they hired by the TSA or airport security to identify the terrorists? Why are they telling fortunes for $50 a pop in New Age shops instead of in salaried positions at security command centers, using their psychic powers to find people who have evil on their minds and explosives on their person, who want to kill hundreds of innocent Americans on Christmas Day?
Even if the psychics can't narrow it down to a specific passenger (though I see no reason why they wouldn't be able to), even if they could accurately tell police which day (even which week or month) terrorists will attack, that would be invaluable. Security officials would know that people flying any other time don't need to be screened, and tighter security measures would be imposed during the specified time frame.
Forget James Randi's $1 million prize; it's a drop in the bucket compared to the costs in time and money spent on airport security. If a psychic could prove that he or she has the ability to reliably distinguish an innocent traveler from a terrorist (using ESP, tarot cards, tea leaves, or any other method) that service would literally be worth billions of dollars to the American government and its citizens. Any psychic who could actually do what they claim to do could save countless innocent lives, make history as the first validated psychic, and become a multi-millionaire in the process.
So where are they? Why are all the psychics happy to tell you about your dead grandmother, your love life, and where you might find your lost watch, but can't seem to provide any useful information on significant, real-world issues like missing persons or national security? I guess they are too busy with their TV shows and local fortunetelling gigs.
If psychics don't have the powers they claim, they are either frauds or gullible, self-deluded suckers. If psychics do have the powers they claim, but for whatever reason refuse to help save innocent lives, they are selfish and evil.
The next time you or someone you know visits a psychic, ask why psychics aren’t helping save lives and keep America safe from terrorism. It’s time for psychics put up or shut up.
#1 Richard (Guest) on Tuesday December 29, 2009 at 8:32am
That is the stupidest article I have ever read. You never once asked, “why isn’t airport security doing their job.”
I believe psychics are great at reading body language, work off suggesting possibilities and provide what everyone wants to hear, good fortune. However, I am sure John Edwards would not like being listed after “convicted felon Sylvia Browne.” You made it sound like he is a convicted felon. I hope you don’t get sued for that error.
I don’t know if there are any people out there that can predict the future, but even if they can I still think your article is poorly written and stupid.
#2 Gord (Guest) on Tuesday December 29, 2009 at 9:05am
Richard: Not stupid at all, that wasn’t the question he raised.
Also, Ben wrote “convicted felon”. Singular. If he used “felons” you’d have pointed out a true mistake.
#3 CRS (Guest) on Tuesday December 29, 2009 at 9:15am
“Felon” is singular, therefore it only applies to one subject, in this case the person that is mention directly after it. Therefore, even if John Edward wanted to sue, he’d be laughed out of court.
The article is sardonic and stupid people often mistake that for stupidity.
#4 H G Stern (Guest) on Wednesday December 30, 2009 at 7:52am
Interesting and provocative post. Two things:
“Why aren’t America’s psychics helping keep us safe?”
I would posit that it’s the same reason they aren’t all cashing in winning Lotto tickets.
“Airport security must thoroughly screen every single passenger”
Um, no: they *should* be screening specific demographics - in every single instance (thus far), these are men in their 20’s and 30’s with specific physical features and behaviors. There is zero reason to search Granny in her wheelchair, but very good reason to give the gentleman with the beard, no luggage and one way ticket a second look.
#5 Ed of the Delta (Guest) on Thursday December 31, 2009 at 1:03pm
First, let me say I don’t believe in the mambo jumble about people who have the psychic ability to read other people minds per se like mediums etc.
I do however think that we should explore the possibility of folks who do possess some degree of talent that makes them more perceptive in evaluating people instinctively if said people possess some form of danger to those in or around them.
I also believe that women are more sensitive to threats than men as they are the primary keepers of our children. Mother Nature has provided different ways and the ability for various species of animals to hide and protect their offspring. We should explore this ability in humans.
Granted, folks who may possess this talent is very hard to explain to the average layperson and would be very hard to convince the powers in our government that this idea may have some merit.
Under the circumstances today of a real danger of terrorists in our transportation system, we should not overlook any remedy to help in identifying potential predators. We use dogs to sniff out various odors so let us try some latent untapped abilities that humans may possess.
Maybe only one out of a million people have this unique ability to perceive this aura of danger. but it is one facet that we should explore.
#6 Max (Guest) on Monday January 11, 2010 at 12:09pm
Don’t give them any ideas. The TSA might start hiring psychics.