New Mexico's New York Flyover Connection

April 27, 9:05 PMAlbuquerque Evangelical ExaminerTammy Boehm

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Like so many others across the nation, I vividly remember where I was and what I was doing as the events of September 11, 2001 played out across the airwaves. I remember how surreal the brilliant autumn New Mexico sky seemed with no jets hovering in the south over Kirtland AFB. The hours and days following the attack have lost none of their intensity in the past six years. The slightest thing can bring the events crashing back into my thoughts.

Its no wonder that today’s flyover photo opportunity in New York City sent Monday morning workers scrambling from their offices in self directed evacuation maneuvers. The 747 rumbling above the Manhattan skyline, closely followed by an F16 jet was simply a combined photo op/training maneuver that unfortunately was not communicated to the general public, New York City officials, or even fully articulated to our President Obama who is presumably furious over the “insensitivity” of the incident.

Although the director of the White House military office, Louis Caldera, has assumed “full responsibility” and apologized for the error in judgment, many people are still rattled by the event. Once again, it seems that New Mexico has been caught with her political knickers around her kneecaps – first with Wild Bill Richardson’s financial indiscretions and now this faux pas by former University of New Mexico President, Louis Caldera.

Bill Richardson has been pitching for the home team since he turned down Obama’s cabinet position by participating in such noble events as the lighting of Rome’s Coliseum when New Mexico joined the ranks of states revoking the death penalty. Perhaps Mr. Caldera will follow suit with some humanitarian effort of his own.

Today’s government side show in the skies is only one more example of the myriad frightening events fed to us by the media machine. The real truth of this event, however scary is that there was no threat of danger. It was, however insensitive, a miscommunication. While we are ruminating over this for days and weeks to come, the real dangers continue to grow and gain power. We need to remain diligent and limit the amount of toxic information we allow ourselves to absorb in the name of “entertainment” or “news.” Above all we need to continue to pray for those in positions of power and decision making that they will have the wisdom and foresight to pre-empt events like the flyover this morning. We are still “by the people, for the people” –even when those people make frightening mistakes.

It is quite likely there will be more fallout from today’s photo op/exercise. Already a few in the blogosphere are calling for a pound or two of Caldera’s flesh. Others are blowing it off as one more bonehead government move. What are your thoughts? Peace.