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Moo!
Calm and Clear Message of Reassurance (Y2K)
By Sally Strackbein
I am learning that the government is neither:
- going to make sure the Year 2000 problem is fixed nor
- going to tell the public whether or not they need to worry or prepare
I just returned from attending a town meeting held by my congressman, Frank R. Wolf. He looked exhausted. I was at the last of several given today. The stated purpose of the meeting was to listen to the
concerns of the citizens. He listened patiently while an elderly homeless woman complained about Clinton's spending on plane rides. He asked one of his staffers to take her aside to see if she could be
helped. He listened while a group of senior citizens worried about the possibility of a metro train stop being built near their building. He listened to several other citizens' concerns politely and
responded to their concerns. He sent staffers over to speak with several of them.
I got up and spoke about the Year 2000 problem. Perhaps I was a little emotional. I tried not to be. I was going to talk about the food industry, but with a whole group of seniors in attendance, I quoted
the Senate report's assessment, "Medicare has zero Y2K compliant payment programs, according to the most recent GAO report." I quoted directly from the report. I also touched on various areas
such as electricity, water, food and sewage. I pointed out that computers touch every area of our lives. I asked him to help by letting the American people make their own plans and decisions. I urged him
to tell the Congress to speak out and tell the us to prepare. I said that I believe that we will get through this safely if the people are prepared. I didn't get very far.
His response to me was to hand me a letter he wrote to the President in December. Representative Frank R. Wolf said, "I am concerned that without a clear and calm message of reassurance from high
ranking federal officials, the public may begin to panic over the uncertainty surrounding this matter. I believe that a panic reaction and a herd mentality from the public could be more damaging to our
nation that (sic) any technical computer malfunction that might occur as a result of the date change."
My reply to Representative Wolf is, "Moo."
His letter is an embedded system. Embedded in his letter is, "However, there is serious reason for concern." Preceded by, "Let me be perfectly clear that I do not believe an alarmist
reaction is the plan we should follow." Attached to the copy of the letter is a copy of an article about "Heading for the Hills" in Mississippi. I guess he missed the front page article in
the Washington Post about some of his own constituents who are building community in neighborhoods in his district. We are moderates, advocating a moderate approach to preparing for Y2K. Why is it
that anyone who is doing something to prepare is automatically labeled an extremist? Why the polarization? Why the name calling? Why the emotional words like "alarmist," "panic
reaction" and "herd mentality"?
The audience response was typical. They listened politely to me and nodded. I lost them when he responded to me with the attitude that I was a naughty child who should sit down and listen while he told me
that my fears are boogie men.
After the meeting, I stopped and talked with one of his staffers, with whom I had had a nice conversation before the meeting. I felt like I was talking to an open refrigerator.
We need high ranking federal officials, like Representative Wolf, to stop with the calming messages and tell the truth! We have a problem. It may cause disruptions in the lives of many people. The Senate
report says that Y2K will kill people.
I am as worried about our government as I am about Y2K. I wonder how people will react if there really is a severe Y2K problem and they aren't prepared because they trusted the "clear and calm
message of reassurance."
If there are severe problems and the public was not given advance warning, the consequence to the elected officials who did nothing will be severe. They will be fired. They will not keep their offices.
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