Cargo Bomb Plot: We Do Have Something to Fear

Stewart and Colbert believe Americans irrationally fear Islamic terrorism. After this week's cargo bomb plot maybe Americans aren't so crazy after all.

The combination of the Stewart/Colbert faux rallies and the latest terrorist attempt from al Qaeda got me thinking of Homer Simpson.

Among the more unusual diversions from his work at the Springfield nuclear plant was Homer's short lived career getting shot in the stomach by a cannon as the opening act at Homerpalooza.

Prior to his act, two hipsters are talking to each other and one notes that Homer's act is really cool.  When his friend asks if he is being sarcastic, he responds, "I don't even know anymore."

During the Bush administration the hipster left represented by Stewart and Colbert came to think that Americans were being manipulated by politicians who stoked fear of Islamic terrorism for GOP electoral gains.

Today, the same hipster left comes to Washington to mock those same people that Obama believes are fearful, irrational and again in danger of being manipulated, this time by a conservative economic message.

But then, in the midst of this ironic and self-congratulatory protest, comes news of a near miss attempt on the lives of American citizens in their places of worship.

So a question for Stewart and Colbert: Do we have anything to fear?

The folks in Chicago's Jewish community probably have a pretty clear answer on this.  My hope is that the latest attempt on the lives of Americans, on American soil, leaves the ironic hipsters at this weekend's rally, and their pied pipers, as confused as the two kids at Homerpalooza.  Maybe Americans are not so crazy and irrational to think that we have things to be fearful of.