Since the alert level has been raised to...pink? Orange? Whatever it is I thought I would get opinions on it from others.

Is it helpful or useless?

I think it's kinda in between, it lets Americans know to be carefull, I think it's a good idea.

CP

It's totally useless, except from the warped view that it increases the fear and hate factor of gullible Americans.

Obviously, our military and security structure needs something like this internally, much like the DEFCON structure, in order to make decisions about mobilization, preparedness, etc. But for the rest of us? What are we going to do, hide under a desk when the risk is "high," based on we-don't-know-what factors?
Do we start eyeing Arabs around us with increased suspicion? All this system does is create fear, distrust, and divisiveness in the American people.

It is propaganda, and of the worst kind. It's like Orwell's "2 minutes of hate," because it serves no purpose other than as a puerile attempt to make us more afraid and more angry, and presumably, more supportive of whatever the government decides to do to "counter" it.

I'll back Quarkie on this one.

It would be more useful for military/police and other emergency response teams. But for the general public? nah, it's pretty worthless.

--cheers

It means time for me to get all my guns out of storage and have them all ready and armed.

Actually, I agree with QH and DP, it means nothing for the general public. Military, police force, firemen, etc should be ready to be kicked into immediate action when there's a high state of alert.

Very worthless for to the General Public but fine for the Emergency teams

Someone probably got paid $100,000 to make the bloody thing up

The reason I like it is because if it wasn't there and I turned on the TV I would never know the terrorism risk of this country.

CP

The problem is, you have no idea what that risk really is, what it is based on, and it's not likely that information will be disseminated, either. I don't see it as anything other than a tool for keeping people scared. Really, what are you going to do differently in your daily affairs when the risk is shown as high? Nothing, except maybe work on your ulcer. If you do change your daily behavior, it could also have a negative economic impact - people see the high risk factor, and perhaps don't get on a plane, don't go to work, etc.

It gives us an idea of what the terrorist threat is, thats's all.

CP

From the military point of view, at least at my level, it means nothing.

The powers that be will alert us, deploy us and screw with us (it seems) with us having no knowledge of the national terror alert system or if it ties in with what we are doing.

Coast Guard and Military Police may be different however.

I don't have TV, so I never see this alert thing, but I live on a Coast Guard base. I can always tell when the "risk factor" is up because the gate to the base will be closed at times when it is usually open. Just in case someone in my little tiny Native American village decides to bomb the base using a car instead of walking in (the entrance is never guarded).

Exactly, the Department of Defense does use a 'Force Protection Threat Level' or what used to be known as 'threatcon'. I can only assume it is now tied into the terror alert system.
That does affect entry and searches onto military installations.
The only way it affects me is a longer wait to get on post.