I distrust the "Homeland Security Department" mostly because "homeland" sounds far too close to "fatherland." Had the department been called "domestic securty," I don't think the image of jack-booted Nazis goosestepping in the capital would have come so quickly to mind.
Sorta
pudge on 2003-02-04T14:31:06
I don't think of Fatherland, but I think it sounds fascist in some way. Maybe I am subconsciously thinking of Fatherland. Something about it sounds very fascist, though.
I do think of 1984 ("HomeSec"), however.
Also, the proper name is Department of Homeland Security, which makes the name sound even worse: "DHS" was the initials of the high school where I grew up.
homeland security
inkdroid on 2003-02-04T15:34:52
Not only is it a somewhat scary institution I think it is redundant as well...I always thought the FBI handled the stuff within the US, and the CIA handled the stuff outside the US...
Won't last forever
djberg96 on 2003-02-04T17:03:49
I don't expect the DHS to stick around forever. I figure if nothing major happens in the next 20 years, it'll probably be eliminated or absorbed by the FBI.
marketing
wickline on 2003-02-04T19:08:07
The name smells like a marketing move to me. It's supposed to make you feel all warm and fuzzy and patriotic and safe. I suppose they wanted to avoid anything that sounded like the various national security organizations from cold war era eastern european nations.
-matt
It's not just you
rjray on 2003-02-04T20:22:54
The name really bothers me, as well, for pretty much those exact same reasons. Even my hard-right friends who favor going into Iraq, and think Bush is just swell, find the whole "Homeland Security" thing making them itch.
