Larry Niven: Terrorize Latinos to Solve Health Care Crisis

Science Fiction Mavens Offer Far Out Homeland Security Advice

Now a fixture at Department of Homeland Security science and
technology conferences, SIGMA is a loosely affiliated group of science
fiction writers who are offering pro bono advice to anyone in
government who want their thoughts on how to protect the nation.

The group has the ear of Department of Homeland Security
Undersecretary Jay Cohen, head of the science and technology
directorate, who has said he likes their unconventional thinking.
Members of the group recently offered a rambling, sometimes strident
string of ideas at a panel discussion promoting the group at the DHS
science and technology conference.

Among the group=92s approximately 24 members is Larry Niven, the
bestselling and award-winning author of such books as =93Ringworld=94 and
=93Lucifer=92s Hammer,=94 which he co-wrote with SIGMA member Jerry
Pournelle.

Niven said a good way to help hospitals stem financial losses is to
spread rumors in Spanish within the Latino community that emergency
rooms are killing patients in order to harvest their organs for
transplants.

=93The problem [of hospitals going broke] is hugely exaggerated by
illegal aliens who aren=92t going to pay for anything anyway,=94 Niven
said.

=93Do you know how politically incorrect you are?=94 Pournelle asked.

=93I know it may not be possible to use this solution, but it does
work,=94 Niven replied.

=93I cannot guarantee I=92m going to be a great help to Homeland
Security,=94 Niven said earlier.

Pournelle said that once mobile phone technology and the devices
tacked on them to take pictures and record video become more
ubiquitous, then ordinary citizens will be empowered to take security
into their own hands =97 a prediction some have said already has come to
pass.

=93My guess is we won=92t need quite so many paid agents of the state to
do that for us, which means maybe we can try being a republic instead
of an incompetent empire,=94 he said, then railed against the
Transportation Security Administration for treating passengers like
=93subjects=94 rather than =93citizens.=94

The 45-minute panel discussion quickly deteriorated as federal, local
and state homeland security officials, and at least one congressional
aid, attempted to ask questions, which were largely ignored.

Instead the writers used their time to pontificate on a variety of
tangentially related topics, including their past roles advising the
government, predictions in their stories that have come to pass, the
demise of the paperback book market, and low-cost launch into space.

David Brin, keeping on the topic of empowering citizens with mobile
phone technology, delivered a self-described =93rant=94 on the lack of
funds being spent to support citizen reservists to back up the
military, homeland security officials and first responders in times of
crisis.

=93It is impossible for you to succeed without us!=94 he shouted at the
assembled officials, while banging his fist on the table and at one
point jumping off his chair to wave a mobile phone in their faces.

SIGMA is the brainchild of Arlan Andrews Sr., who noted that many of
the writers have advanced degrees, have jobs with the government or
have been hired to advise the government in the past.

=93If you like the ideas these people have, and you=92re from the
government, feel free to come talk to them,=94 Andrews said.

http://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/issues/2008/March/SecurityBeat.htm#Sc=
ience