The Failure of ‘See Something, Say Something’

The “See Something, Say Something” campaign implemented by the Department of Homeland Security has been a dismal failure, as political correctness and fear of social retributions deter people from raising alarm bells when they see suspicious activity.

We’ve all seen the signs at airports, public transportation hubs and public venues — but how many of us have actually said something when we’ve seen something suspicious? Probably not many.

Initial reports after the Brussels bombing on Tuesday indicate that at least one of the bombs was probably hidden inside a suitcase. Alphonse Youla, who works at airport luggage security, said that before the first bomb went off he heard a man shouting something in Arabic. “I helped carry out five dead, with their legs destroyed, as if the bomb came from a piece of luggage,” he told Reuters.

Another report and surveillance images showed that the suspects in question were wearing a single black glove on their left hands — possibly to hide detonator devices — something that could’ve been easily flagged as odd or suspicious by travelers at the airport.

In the coming days and weeks, we will learn more about the specifics of the attacks in Brussels. But imagine if this could’ve been prevented by someone reporting a stray piece of luggage or two men wearing only one glove on their left hands?

We’ve been here before. In the wake of the San Bernardino terrorist attacks, neighbors of Syed Farook and Tashfeen Malik said they had an odd feeling about the couple and noticed suspicious activity, but never said anything out of fear.

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A neighbor of the terrorist couple told ABC News he and a fellow neighbor noticed “quite a few packages” being delivered within a short amount out time. They also had noticed them doing a lot of work late at night out in the garage — but they “didn’t want to profile” Farook and his family.

It was later discovered that the couple had 12 pipe bombs and over 2,000 9mm rounds in their home.

The problem with the government-sponsored program is that this fear stems from the top down. President Obama and his administration steer clear of naming the enemy — which, for the record, is radical Islam. Instead, the administration kowtows to political correctness, afraid to utter the words “jihad” and “violent Islamic extremism.” But let’s be clear: These violent attacks aren’t acts of workplace violence but well-planned and coordinated by large terror networks who have made it clear they are in a global war with us — despite the president’s inability to say we are at war with them.

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“Unfortunately, President Obama continues to embrace political correctness,” Sen. Ted Cruz said Tuesday. “He will not even name this enemy, much less do what is necessary to defeat it.”

Let’s not forget that GOP front-runner Donald Trump has been called out for his controversial rhetoric that is criticized by many, especially within the mainstream media, for being politically incorrect.

On Tuesday, national security analyst K.T. McFarland, appearing on Fox News, addressed the problems with the “See Something, Say Something” campaign. “Political correctness is getting people killed,” she said.

Sad, but true. People are afraid if they say something, they’re going to be labeled as a bigot, racist or worse, and nobody wants to be labeled that way within their communities. But having the courage to risk being labeled as politically incorrect could save innocent lives and prevent another deadly attack.

Will Obama, who was attending a baseball game in Cuba when the attacks occurred, say so when he returns home?