Author’s Note: What follows is the true account of a series of failures on the part of law enforcement and government officials at various levels to adequately address, respond, follow through and resolve numerous public safety complaints of American citizens residing in one South Carolina neighborhood. No names have been changed to shield the parties involved.

"We learned a lesson on September the 11th, and that is, our nation is vulnerable to attack. And we're doing everything we can to protect the homeland."
~ President George W. Bush, August 2003 ~

Hickory Grove is a tiny, sleepy country town in Horry County, tucked into the northeastern corner of South Carolina. It’s a laid-back little berg roughly 20 miles from Myrtle Beach, where the locals are friendly and neighbors socialize with one another. In 2000, its population was a scant 337 people. The folks who live there consider it their little slice of paradise. In comparison to the county it sits in - Horry - it’s a mere “blip” on the map, similar to thousands of pint-size cities across the nation. In past years, the people of this remote community haven’t had to worry about the possibility of “terror attacks” right in their own backyards. Yet, oddly enough, this is EXACTLY what has happened. The story of what is happening at Rebel Ridge should cause us to sit up and pay close attention. Who is protecting YOUR neighborhood?

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Richard and Lisa Tebbs have lived peacefully in Hickory Grove for ten years, within a quiet subdivision known as “Rebel Ridge”. The Tebbs’ nightmare began at 8:35 a.m. on the morning of July 7th, 2001. Richard was watching the news before heading off to work when suddenly, an unfamiliar sound caught his attention and his dogs began barking furiously. Thinking this noise was a loud motorcycle, he walked to the front door of his home to check it out, and witnessed not a motorcycle - but an aircraft - flying less than fifty feet from “dead ground” within his subdivision. “Smoke” appeared to be coming out from below its wings. As Tebbs watched, the low-flying aircraft began approaching his home, still emitting this “smoke-like” substance. Tebbs raced to open the back door and the plane flew directly over his rooftop, causing a powerful “suction” and what he describes as a “whoosh” sound in his home. The plane was now less than ten feet in altitude. He watched the pilot turn sharply, the driver-side wing pointed down, while the opposite wing pointed toward the sky. Tebbs says this maneuver occurred at less than 50 feet in altitude, giving him the rather uncommon perspective of being able to “look down on the plane from above”. All the while, the strange “smoke” substance continued to be dispersed from the craft. Richard Tebbs instinctively reacted and called 911. Based on the rather erratic behavior of the plane, he thought he was witnessing an aircraft that might crash right on his property.

Tebbs reported the incident to a 911 dispatcher and requested immediate assistance from police and rescue responders. The 911 operator assured him help was on the way. Following this initial call, he turned to see the plane suddenly fly off to the northeast and out of sight. Tebbs wasn’t the only witness to these events. His neighbors also watched as the aircraft left the area. The concerned homeowner made a second call to 911, informing them that the plane was no longer in the area. He was told once again by the dispatcher that an officer would be sent to his home. No police ever arrived.

Troubled by what had happened, Tebbs assumed that perhaps the pilot had been taking a little “joyride”, although he had no explanation for the strange “smoke” he’d witnessed. Two weeks later, the plane returned, approaching from the north. As it entered Rebel Ridge, it began to once again “ride rooftops” at an altitude not more than five feet from the highest point of many of his neighbors’ homes. Neighbors ran from their houses to watch as the plane flew in circles around them, all wondering what was going on. According to Tebbs, it looked like the plane might hit a house. He says, “At its farthest point, this plane turned and began heading back toward my house, flying 10-20 feet off the ground.” Tebbs and his wife are convinced the pilot saw them standing in their backyard. In spite of this, the plane flew right AT them, still at a dangerously low altitude. As Tebbs’ wife, Lisa, ran screaming toward their home, Tebbs remained where he was, staring in disbelief and horror as the approaching aircraft flew directly toward him. The plane’s tail passed less than five feet from his head. Its forward force knocked him to the ground and suddenly, he found himself enveloped in a cloud of choking “smoke”. The plane flew into a left turn and once again, began “riding the rooftops”, says Tebbs. He ran to call 911 again, screaming into the phone that a plane was diving at houses and people on the ground. He provided the dispatcher with a description of the aircraft and the identification number on the fuselage. He told the dispatcher “everyone in this development is scared to death” and once again, requested immediate assistance. And, as before, Richard Tebbs was assured that help was on the way. The plane, meanwhile, returned once more to the Tebbs’ backyard, subsequently gained altitude and flew off to the east. Tebbs waited an hour for the police, who never showed up.

Think of it. 60 minutes elapsed and NO first responders appeared on the scene. As many as 10 phone calls were made by Tebbs and his neighbors to 911 regardng the above described events, yet no one was sent to help these people. How is this possible? Tebbs called 911 again later that day and spoke to a supervisor. The supervisor informed him that an officer had, indeed, been sent. Unfortunately, he went to another address. Oops!! For the “umpteenth time”, Tebbs recounted the frightening incidents that had taken place on both occasions, providing the identification number and description of the aircraft. He clearly demanded that an officer be sent to his home, telling the supervisor “I want to see that this pilot is apprehended and charged.” The supervisor informed Tebbs that an “investigating officer” would contact him. And, for the fourth time, no officer responded. It’s mind-boggling, isn’t it? Tebbs later found out that an officer did contact a neighbor shortly thereafter. The neighbor, David Brinson, corroborated Tebbs’ account of the low-flying aircraft, also giving a description and a partial identification number from the fuselage. Mr. Brinson was even able to describe the pilot to the officer, who then left without making a report. Mr. Brinson sent his original statement to the police officer directly to the FAA.

At this point, the average person might presume the matter would be taken care of, and some action would be taken by the authorities, right? Unbelievably, this is not what happened. Beginning with the failure of 911 dispatchers to send responders to the scene, this story reads almost like some implausible Hollywood movie. Though Richard Tebbs contacted all the right people, nothing was done to correct this situation, all the way up to the FAA and Department of Homeland Security. From this point on, Richard Tebbs’ life transformed into a living hell as he pursued truthful answers, cooperation, and accountability. Tebbs has been confronted with denial, stonewalling, blatant disregard, and what amounts to gross incompetence instead. Although he contacted the local agencies, authorities and individuals available to him - curiously enough - no one WANTS to investigate. I would really like to know WHY.

So I began calling every phone number Richard Tebbs has provided me, one by one. I left several voice messages and was finally able to speak with two of the individuals involved in this matter. The first was police detective Robert Carr. To my surprise, Detective Carr seemed more interested in discussing Richard Tebbs rather than the subject of Tebbs’ complaints. He characterized Richard Tebbs as obsessive and unbalanced, emotionally, mentally, or both. He informed me on the phone that he no longer wishes to hear from Tebbs AT ALL regarding the crop duster aircraft flyovers at Rebel Ridge. When I asked, “Why?” he told me that the matter was, in his mind, resolved. You see, Ladies and Gentlemen, the pilot had broken no laws, according to Detective Carr.

Now think of it, folks. A crop duster enters your neighborhood and dive-bombs at people and houses and sprays them with a toxin. It uses rooftops for runways, flying in erratic patterns, on repeated occasions. The events are witnessed by many people, who happen to take photographs. The pilot is supposedly questioned by police, and denies the accusations. There is an existing police report, but so far, no way to confirm that any proper investigation ever took place. So, the pilot is taken at his word and without any further investigation, the case is closed. Just like that. Are we to presume that this pilot has more credibility than Richard Tebbs and all his neighbors? There is no resolution for Richard and Lisa Tebbs or any of the other witnesses. Everyone is supposed to just pretend that nothing ever happened, is that it? I sure wonder if the persons sitting in power in Horry County have given any serious consideration as to what kind of message this sends to the community…

Let me offer a little perspective here. The incidents at Rebel Ridge began approximately two months before the events of September 11th, when our government tells us that “terrorists” attacked the Pentagon, the World Trade Center, and killed airplane passengers in a plane over Pennsylvania. Of course, just like Horry County local government and law enforcement, our federal government would rather we forget all about that bloody September day in 2001, which is why they refuse to answer the many tough questions they’re being confronted with. From the top rungs of our Federal government to the bottom rung of local government, I guess the nut doesn’t fall far from the tree. Can you see a parallel here?

After September 11th, the incidents at Rebel Ridge continued. The most recent occurrence occurring on February 10, 2004. After 9-11, amidst an outpouring of public outrage and shock, flag waving and tears, President Bush urged all of us patriotic Americans to be vigilant and on the lookout for any unusual events. We were urged to report suspicious incidents/individuals to the proper authorities. Richard Tebbs and approximately 16 others witnessed the incidents at Rebel Ridge on multiple occasions, duly reported these to the appropriate authorities, and believed that those authorities would act responsibly. Common sense tells us they did not. Incidentally, the plane Tebbs describes is a crop duster. It weighs about 1,100 pounds and flies at speeds exceeding 100 mph. A crop duster loaded with a toxic substance is a potential deadly weapon. Let’s call a spade a spade here.

In his continuing attempts to get to the bottom of the matter, Tebbs has gone round and round the merry-go-round with 911, local law enforcement, the Horry County Council, Horry County Public Safety, and the FAA. He has contacted the White House, and received a letter saying his information was important and would be forwarded to the Department of Homeland Security. Homeland Security, in turn, provided ZERO assistance. He has pleaded endlessly with numerous individuals to investigate this case and do their jobs, providing anyone who would give him five minutes of their valuable time all the information he has compiled. Even Horry County local media, who did manage to arrive at his home with a camera crew, ultimately failed to report on the events. Why is this? Could it possibly have something to do with a potential loss of money from tourism if the story were to be reported by the press? Who didn’t want this story to run? Remember, Myrtle Beach is a stone’s throw away from Hickory Grove and Horry County’s local economy is dependent upon tourists. Tom Ridge has all the crayons. Connect some dots here.

To date, it would appear that not a single person acting in an official capacity regarding this matter has DONE their job. It’s hard to believe that this type of irresponsible, aggressive flying which OBVIOUSLY endangers lives and property – not to mention violates several LAWS – has been allowed to go virtually unchecked and uncorrected by law enforcement, Horry County Public Safety officials, the FAA, or even the big-shot “Department of Homeland Security”.

I also spoke with Mr. Paul Whitten, head of Horry County Public Safety, on February 18, 2004 regarding the incidents involving the low-flying crop duster at Rebel Ridge. In our peculiar phone conversation, Mr. Whitten informed me that Richard Tebbs’ “complaint has been addressed”, and said spraying operations had been canceled over Tebbs’ property after the initial complaint. Tebbs refutes this, saying Whitten is not telling the truth. Whitten conceded that there had definitely been “failures” on the part of the 911 emergency system to follow through on Mr. Tebbs’ calls on July 7th and 21st, 2001. He calls them “mistakes”. I asked Whitten what, if any, corrective measures had been taken in order to insure that these types of “failures” could not happen again. Whitten stated that training had been increased and those responsible for the failures had been disciplined. Period. End of explanation.

So I asked, “In what way?” Whitten refused to answer. Wow, this must be extremely top-secret, classified information. He then firmly tried to impress upon me that Richard Tebbs is a man who is irrational and obsessed. As he spoke, I got the distinct impression that Whitten would like nothing better than to be able to forget Richard Tebbs. In fact, Paul Whitten sounded like a very worried man. As I continued asking some general questions in order to get the “other” side of the story, he suddenly burst out with the words “conspiracy theory!” and began talking very excitedly. This was completely out of “left field” to me, as I wasn’t slanting my questions either way to take one “side” or another. He did tell me Horry County 911 had responded to 2700 calls in 2003. One can only hope that these calls were handled appropriately. I use the word “hope”, because Mr. Whitten was not forthcoming as to how they were, in fact, handled. He seemed more interested in personally attacking the character of Mr. Tebbs, for unexplained reasons. Whitten downplayed the Tebbs’ 911 complaint “failures” as “isolated” incidents but when I asked him “What are the odds that a single individual should experience MULTIPLE failures in this way? “ he became even more agitated and flustered. He expressed concern that I was going to write a story saying they are “bad people”. At this point, my radar was on, and I was still trying to ascertain why Whitten seemed to be flipping out. My questions had been simple and straightforward, without bias. I had simply been looking for the facts, according to both sides. Whitten seemed unsettled by my questioning. Be aware that I had immediately informed Mr. Whitten at the beginning of our conversation that I write for WING TV, which is an independent media. I can only speculate that because of this, he quickly realized I am not subject to censorship by Horry County bigwigs and therefore, this story had potential for significant public exposure, which it does. If I were Paul Whitten, this probably wouldn’t sit too well with me, either.

I asked Whitten to identify for me the “smoke” substance being sprayed by the crop duster. His swift response: “Malathion”. Gee, that’s funny. According to Tebbs, he had initially refused to identify the substance. Tebbs’ requests to Horry County Public Safety asking that the plane’s dispersal tanks be tested and checked have repeatedly been denied, even though, at the time, the plane and pilot had been contracted by none other than Horry County to do the spraying. More than two months after the initial fly-overs on July 7th and 21st, Tebbs asked Whitten if he and his wife should be taking antibiotics because of their extremely close repeated contacts with this “smoke”. Remember, Tebbs was basically fumigated in a cloud of malathion when the plane nearly hit him dead-on in his own yard. His wife Lisa, who also had close contact with the smoke-like spray, suffers from chronic respiratory problems.

So, what was Mr. Whitten’s response to the Tebbs antibiotic question?

“No, you both look okay to me.” This guy is the HEAD of Public Safety, but he isn’t a physician. What credentials does he possess to make such a careless, offhand diagnosis? Shouldn’t he have suggested that if they had health concerns, that the Tebbs should seek the advice of a doctor? When pressed about who the pilot had contracted with to perform these pesticide spraying operations, Whitten quietly replied to me that it was Horry County. When Richard Tebbs asked him, he “didn’t know”. In our phone conversation, Whitten was quick to add that Malathion is the “nation’s standard”, although he didn’t go so far as to say on the record that it is “safe”. He seemed to suggest it, but never made that direct claim. He did urge me to check it out and “do research” on this pesticide, which I did.

The EPA says malathion is “not harmful” to humans, animals and the environment in low levels when dispersed properly. Of course, nobody has any way of knowing if it has been dispersed properly, because Horry County has refused to examine the dispersal tanks or the concentration levels of Malathion – or Fyfanon ULV (a form of malathion) being sprayed. So, there is no way to track this spraying without cooperation from local authorities and no way of knowing if any other Horry County citizens – or tourists, for that matter - have developed health problems because if it. How convenient. I did find that there is a great deal of opposing medical information that would indicate that this pesticide is a very dangerous toxin and I’ve included just one source, although there are plenty of others to be found. See: “Malathion medical Research”

http://www.chem-tox.com/malathion/research/

Richard Tebbs has kept a meticulous, chronological diary of the events over the course of continued sprayings and flyovers. It chronicles his own personal investigation into this matter, including names, dates, places, letters to government authorities, as well as the minutes of Horry County Council meetings. Years have gone by and the flyovers have continued, even in the dead of winter, when there are no mosquitoes to be found in Hickory Grove. Tebbs also points out that while his subdivision is considered to be rurally located, there are no farms in close proximity to Rebel Ridge. The subdivision is not farmland. I asked an FAA inspector, a Mr. Jenkins why such low-level flying of a crop duster would occur in the month of February, since there was nothing to spray. He was also puzzled by this. While Jenkins was very pleasant, informative, and assured me that the content of information he was relating to me was accurate, still he refused to be quoted, for unexplained reasons.

Tebbs and his neighbors appear to be the only persons interested in what’s happening in their own backyards, and the pilots involved have not faced any serious scrutiny, examination, consequence or disciplinary action. During the course of my initial investigations into this matter, it’s come to my attention that this crop duster plane has since been repainted and renumbered. This is because the plane has been sold to another individual, who, for the time being, remains nameless. In my follow-up article, I’ll get into this interesting aspect in more detail.

The story becomes even more interesting. When I questioned local police Detective Carr about this second pilot, he made what I believe to be a careless “slip”, confiding to me that he personally “knows” the pilot. The pilot is a “friend” of his (his words). When I asked the name and contact information of this “pilot friend”, Detective Carr went silent. He hesitated and stumbled for a response. He told me he didn’t want Richard Tebbs to learn the name of his “friend”. I assured him I would keep the information confidential, but he refused to divulge it – obviously protecting this pilot - from “something”. I asked if he would give my contact information to this “friend” and have him contact me. He said “if” he saw the guy, he would do that. I have not yet heard from the pilot. Something tells me I shouldn’t hold my breath, either. Likewise, none of the other local officials I tried to contact regarding this matter have responded to my calls and messages.

Like Paul Whitten, Detective Carr seemed pretty agitated overall by my phone call. His responses to my questions regarding his “alleged” investigation into Rebel Ridge citizen complaints were, at best, hedgy and non-specific. I was denied a copy of the police report. However, Richard Tebbs is now sending it to me. I asked both Whitten and Carr what could possibly be Tebbs’ motivation to continue pursuing investigation into this matter if it had, indeed, been resolved? Surely after so much time has elapsed, a person would tend to give up if there were nothing to it and if confronted with the discouraging circumstances that Tebbs has had to deal with (lack of response, lack of investigation, marginalization, mischaracterization, etc..)

Neither man – Whitten or Carr - had an answer for me other than similar remarks that Richard Tebbs is “obsessed”. I caught the not-so-subtle insinuations by both men that he is mentally or emotionally “not quite right”. In my ongoing contacts with Tebbs, including phone conversations, he appears to be a man who has been pushed to the limits of his patience, but this is surely understandable. He is a soft spoken man, but a man convinced he’s been lied to by many people in whom he’d placed his trust, as we all do. He feels betrayed by the individuals and agencies who have failed him, his family and friends. He feels as though he’s been made to look like a fool. He also believes he has let important people in his life down. You see, he made a promise to a couple of terrified neighborhood boys that he wouldn’t let the plane come back to frighten them. He doesn’t forgive himself for what he considers a failure to keep his promise to these children. It is my impression that Tebbs is not a nutcase, nor is he irrational. He is an exasperated man who has been put through hell trying to get to the truth. Nobody wants this problem solved more than Richard Tebbs. I firmly believe that. The trouble is, no one will help him.

In fact, Tebbs was told that the pilot broke no “laws” or flight regulations. This is preposterous, folks. If a pilot is dive-bombing at people and homes, he is breaking laws. I even posed the question to Paul Whitten, “What if someone were doing this to you and your family? How would you react?” Whitten offered no answer. This is a no-brainer. The FAA cites very specific low-level flight regulations concerning crop dusters. For example, consider these regulations issued under the law governing the federal aviation program: 'Except when necessary for take-off or landing, no person may operate an aircraft below the following altitudes: ... (b) Over congested areas ... 1,000 feet ... (c) Over other than congested areas ... 500 feet. ...' (Regulations of the Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Transportation, subchapter F ['Air Traffic and General Operation Rules'], part 91 ['General Operating and Flight Rules'] s 91.79 ['Minimum safe altitudes, general']; 14 C.F.R. ch. 1, s 91.79 [formerly s 60.17].)

Furthermore, the FAA defines “agricultural aircraft” such as crop dusters: Agricultural aircraft operation means the operation of an aircraft for the purpose of (1) dispensing any economic poison, (2) dispensing any other substance intended for plant nourishment, soil treatment, propagation of plant life, or pest control, or (3) engaging in dispensing activities directly affecting agriculture, horticulture, or forest preservation, but not including the dispensing of live insects.

Economic poison means (1) any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating any insects, rodents, nematodes, fungi, weeds, and other forms of plant or animal life or viruses, except viruses on or in living man or other animals, which the Secretary of Agriculture shall declare to be a pest, and (2) any substance or mixture of substances intended for use as a plant regulator, defoliant or desiccant. [Doc. No. 1464, 30 FR 8106, June 24, 1965, as amended by Amdt. 137-3, 33 FR 9601, July 2, 1968]

Malathion is an economic poison. And, according to Paul Whitten of Horry County Public Safety, Malathion is THE NATIONAL STANDARD. Not one person in Rebel Ridge was informed prior to the spraying operations that this would be taking place. Since the sale of the plane to a private individual, Paul Whitten has informed me that he has nothing to do with this issue, nor does the county. The spraying is being done by a private party, perhaps a farmer, he offered. He refused outright to try and locate any such farmer, if this is the case. He says he cannot regulate this private individual and there is no way to have the dispersal tanks on this crop duster tested to ensure that the “economic poison” being emitted are being sprayed in the proper concentrations at safe distances from people and homes. I’m so glad the FAA also provides limitations on private agricultural aircraft operators, limiting spraying of such “poison” which applies to private crop duster operators:

§ 137.35 Limitations on private agricultural aircraft operator.
(c) Over any property unless he is the owner or lessee of the property, or has ownership or other property interest in the crop located on that property.

§ 137.49 Operations over other than congested areas.
Notwithstanding part 91 of this chapter, during the actual dispensing operation, including approaches, departures, and turnarounds reasonably necessary for the operation, an aircraft may be operated over other than congested areas below 500 feet above the surface and closer than 500 feet to persons, vessels, vehicles, and structures, if the operations are conducted without creating a hazard to persons or property on the surface.
[Amdt. 137-3, 33 FR 9601, July 2, 1968]

(2) Notice of the intended operation must be given to the public by some effective means, such as daily newspapers, radio, television, or door-to-door notice.

Richard Tebbs contends that the flying acrobatics he has witnessed - along with his wife and other residents of Rebel Ridge – have been conducted without their prior consent and do pose a serious hazard to both persons and property. Keep in mind that these spraying operations have been going on for more than two years, well before the spraying of pesticides upon populated areas without obtaining consent was decided to be “ethical”.

So why isn’t anyone INVESTIGATING this?

The Department of Homeland Security, established March 1, 2003, states: “A chemical attack is the deliberate release of a toxic gas, liquid or solid that can poison people and the environment.” (Ready.gov, from the Office of the Department of Homeland Security) http://www.ready.gov/chemical.html

We’ve already established that Malathion and Fyfanon are economic poisons, as defined by the FAA. Can we also define the sprayings at Rebel Ridge as chemical attacks upon an unsuspecting, uninformed population? In this instance involving the people of Rebel Ridge, how can we not?

Furthermore, how many other communities are being sprayed under similar circumstances? I shudder to think. The following statements were written by the neighbors of Richard and Lisa Tebbs regarding these incidents.

WITNESS STATEMENTS

#1:
My name is Cathy Johnson. On two different days, a small aircraft flew very low over our subdivision. The dates were July 7, and July 21, 2001. These flights occurred very early in the morning, between 6:30 and 9 am. The plane flew very, very low over our houses. It almost looked as though it was going to hit a few houses. My husband and I stood on the deck and watched this with our two children.

#2:
On the morning of July 7, 2001, while making breakfast, I heard the sound of a very low flying aircraft. I went outside to see what it was, because it sounded like it was flying so low. I noticed the aircraft coming back in from the North, across the rooftops of the homes of Rebel Ridge Subdivision. It then flew out to the South and turned and came North and almost landed in the field behind my home. On July 21, 2001 early in the morning again, I heard the same sound of a low flying aircraft. The same on as the previous time, which was a single engine crop dusting plane. This time he buzzed the houses heading South and turned to the west. From my front porch I watched him come in from the west heading east. He dropped down and flew right above the homes in the development. He turned Southward and almost hit the trees on the way out of the development. It was definitely the same aircraft on both occasions. I have seen this aircraft parked in an airport in Loris South Carolina - Jim and Rita Connell

#3:
My name is Arlene Hasquin. I am writing this letter about the plane that flew over the houses on July 7 and July 21 2001. I was inside and heard a plane go over my house. It was so low, I ran outside to see if it was in trouble, but it was not. It made 5 or 6 more passes, it was so low I thought it might hit someone's house. That was not all, the one time I thought it was coming after the people that were outside looking at it. I think something should be done about this. I called a few places, and never heard from any one of them. I would like to see this investigated, to set our minds at ease. We all saw this plane and want some answers.

#4:
On the days of the plane flying so low, it really upset us and scared us. It flew so low that it brushed the tops of some trees right behind my house. It flew so low that I thought it was going to hit my neighbor's house. I still have fear from this at night when I lay down to go to sleep. Something needs to be done about this matter. I have not been right since. Mike Thompson and Family

The security and safety of the UNITED STATES is the greatest responsibility of the Department of Homeland Security. One of the KEY areas this department is supposed to address and improve is “emergency preparedness and response”. It is charged with improving upon the system that was previously in place prior to September 11, 2001 and is tasked with coordinating the efforts of various other departments and agencies across the country – big and small - so that they all work together like a well-oiled machine. Are they doing this or are “mistakes” being made? You decide. Are we impressed with some of their “advice” on what to do in certain crisis situations? Do we need to revisit the ridiculous “duct tape” advice peddled by Tom Ridge not too long ago? What does he recommend in the event of an outdoor chemical attack? This is a good one. The Department of Homeland Security suggests that, in the event of an outdoor chemical attack, you should (get a load of this): FIND CLEAN AIR. Yes, that’s right. You should FIND CLEAN AIR. My 9 year old could have come up with that one.

So, my question is this: how does Tom Ridge intend to “secure the homeland” if he can’t even manage to “secure” a small town with a population of less than 400 – or one lousy street in a single neighborhood, for that matter? I’m seeing an old game being played here. There’s a lot of “passing the buck”, stonewalling, denial and lying being done to cover the asses of certain persons who have screwed up, at the expense of innocent people, in order to avoid embarrassment and – just maybe - loss of revenue. People, we see this sort of thing all the time on a much larger scale in the upper echelons of the government. Why would it be any different in local governments? Cover-ups, corruption, and deception all thrive just as well in “Small-Town, America” too.

Which brings me to the COST of all this perceived “security” we’re promised. As of February 2, 2004, the Department of Homeland Security budget for FY2005 stands at a whopping $40.2 billion. Think of it, people. We’re going to foot the bill for this insane amount of money so we can get shiny new terror alert cards – maybe with all 64 Crayola colors this time, if we’re lucky. We’ll continue to be monitored every time we blink in a government building, continue to be forced to remove our shoes, pants and God-knows-what-else as they practically – and sometimes literally - molest us at airports, continue to be subjected to privacy violations and background checks that couldn’t be imposed under more “normal” circumstances.

The future looks grim but Tom Ridge is probably happy. After all, “We, the People” will be subjected to more intrusive aerial surveillance, radiation detectors, fingerprint, iris and retinal scanning, as well as the ever-growing “lists” and databases filled with the names of those of us considered to be “high risk” according to the Bush administration’s definition of the word “terrorist”. You see, American citizens are considered “potential terrorists” now.

Our government is overly-occupied with the relentless spending of our hard-earned dollars, but never too busy to stop feeding us the layer cake of lies. We’re adrift in a spectrum of color - from yellow to orange to the dreaded “Code Red”, and we’re so dizzied and distracted by their terror charts and color codes, many of us can’t seem to see the simple black-and-white of anything anymore – as in, now it’s ETHICAL to spray people with poison. How much “security” are we really buying for ourselves with $40.2 billion? Ask the children of Rebel Ridge how safe they feel every time a plane not only enters their airspace, but descends into their neighborhood. Ask the families of Rebel Ridge how safe they feel in their own backyards as they’re sprayed with poison and their homes are dive-bombed by aircraft. What kind of twisted person would deliberately do such a thing to children? To anyone?

Ask Richard Tebbs, an American citizen who has courageously resisted every person who has tried to stifle, suppress, discredit, mischaracterize, humiliate and discourage him in his pursuit of the truth how safe he feels.

I began the investigation of this story as an objective outsider. I have experienced a mere fraction of the response that Tebbs has had to endure for the last 19 months and I’m already disgusted. It’s conceivable that it would be enough to break the spirit of any person if they had to endure what Tebbs has had to suffer. At every level, from Horry County local government and law enforcement all the way up the ladder to the Federal level, the people of Rebel Ridge have been given the “national standard” of the “brush-off”. Aren’t these people paid to be our “public servants”?

If we can’t rely on calls to 911 or our local officials to assist us quickly in times of crisis, what in God’s name are we supposed to do? Significant failures are occurring. Too many “mistakes” are being made. If Rebel Ridge is any example of what can happen, I’d wager a bet that similar situations DO happen all across this nation. This case has been called a “victimless”crime because LUCKILY no deaths or physical injuries were caused by the rogue pilot(s) in the crop duster. How can we measure the emotional and psychological toll of such a traumatizing experience? How do we assess damage that isn’t apparent to the naked eye?

Furthermore, how long will we continue buying into this illusion of safety? When Americans are subjected to continuing “terror attacks” in his own backyard, and “Big Brother” allows this to happen – and keep happening - what does that little voice inside tell you? If you’re listening, it’s saying the unthinkable.

There is NO Homeland Security. We’re on our own.