Now that we’ve got a handle on the threat scenarios identified in the Department of Homeland Security’s Small Vessel Security Strategy, what are we supposed to do about it?

At last, we come to the heart of the matter.  The SVSS includes four major goals. Here they are, with my brief analysis of the impact each might have on recreational mariners.

A. Develop and leverage a strong partnership with the small vessel community and public and private sectors in order to enhance maritime domain awareness.

As I indicated in my first entry on the SVSS, I’m for this. We know what looks out-of-place in the waters we cruise. I can’t resist quoting from the unnamed “Man at Prairie Crossing” who talks with Cary Grant in North By Northwest: “That’s funny, that plane’s dustin’ crops where there ain’t no crops.”

But then, if you’ll forgive me referencing another movie classic, I think of young Rolfe from The Sound of Music.

Let’s not become a community of wannabe brown shirts, spying and informing on each other. Not only is this distasteful (and frankly, contrary to American values as I understand them), but it isn’t helpful to the Department of Homeland Security! They want to know about suspicious behavior, not every boat that stops to take pictures of the lovely bridge at Deception Pass.

For her column in today’s Seattle Times, Nicole Brodeur interviewed several boaters, one of whom, after expressing his decision not to call the Coast Guard about an erratically operated speed boat turning circles along Seattle’s waterfront, added “But if they were wearing bandannas or turbans or burqas or something… “

Ms. Brodeur attempts to contextualize this remark right away:

There’s a loaded statement. Hard as it is to hear, there’s some truth to it. It’s the stock image we have of the enemy.

This is my biggest concern about “keeping an eye on the waterways”: we know what looks unusual on our home water, but that doesn’t necessarily make it suspicious, and the exercise forces us to engage the same part of our judgement that produces xenophobia and racism. It’s difficult to keep these parallel lines of analysis distinct and separate.

Suffice to say I’m not comfortable with this. I’m reminded of the recent news story about the drunk man who beat up a turban-wearing taxi driver and called him an “Iraqi terrorist.” The victim, Sukhvir Singh, is a Sikh (not Muslim) from India (not the Middle East).

Sheesh! If you’re going to be a racist, at least know who the hell it is that you hate!!

OK, deep breaths. Relax. Alright, I’m better now.

On to the next major goal of the SVSS:

B. Enhance maritime security and safety based on a coherent plan with a layered, innovative approach.

I had a lot to say about the first goal. Not so much on this one. “Coherent plan with a layered, innovative approach”: Um…good idea!

Actually, there’s more “meat” here than meets the eye. Let’s look at the specific objectives listed.

Goal B—Specific Objectives
Enhance maritime security and safety based on a coherent plan with a layered, innovative approach.
i. Improve detection and tracking capabilities to better identify small vessels operating in or near U.S. waters.
ii. Develop a robust layered defense by expanding and enhancing maritime radiological/nuclear detection capabilities to international, Federal, state, local, Tribal, and private stakeholders.
iii. Implement basic procedures on advanced data submission and increase reporting compliance to improve situational and maritime domain awareness.
iv. Improve efforts to gather and share data on small vessels and their operators.
v. Improve data analysis capabilities to target high-risk small vessels.
vi. Assess, develop, and improve layered security for critical infrastructure and key resources.

These don’t really require active participation by recreational boaters, but it does appear that we can expect to be under a lot more surveillance than we’re accustomed to. Naturally, I don’t like this, but it seems like a natural, if unwelcome, extension of the “surveillance society” we have allowed our governments to create.

C. Leverage technology to enhance the ability to detect, determine intent, and when necessary, interdict small vessels.

Again, I’m of two minds. To the extent that the technology helps to detect “bad boats” and leave “good boats” alone, I’m all for it. But it sounds like a lot more surveillance.

D. Enhance coordination, cooperation, and communications between Federal, state, local, and Tribal partners and the private sector as well as international partners.

At last, a goal I can get behind without reservation! This effort will enable all the stakeholder agencies do their jobs more effectively. I wrote almost a year ago (here and here) about my tour of the Coast Guard’s Joint Harbor Operations Center. Let me quote from that:

By the end of my tour, I was impressed. This is what “Homeland Security” ought to look like! A responsible blending of priorities ranging from law enforcement to search & rescue to environmental protection to disaster recovery. Powerful technology, sensible protocols, and effective coordination between agencies. When I pay my taxes, I’d like to think all the money was spent on programs this valuable!

As long as the agencies’ priorities remain productive and rational, working to improve efficiency and efficacy through enhanced coordination, cooperation, and communication is always good.

But get this: When you mandate that the various agencies try to work together, it INCREASES the likelihood that the priorities remain productive and rational! It’s difficult for potential jack-booted thugs to abuse their authority when they’ve got to coordinate with personnel from other agencies at other levels of the bureaucracy. It’s much easier for potential bullies to operate in an environment where it’s still OK to say “This is our jurisdiction, sheriff…get lost!”

So where does this leave us? As participants in the maritime community, I think we ought to contribute to the effort in whatever ways and to whatever extent we feel comfortable. I think we need to assess our actions and our feelings frequently, to ensure that we are behaving with integrity to our values.

I think we need to cooperate with the authorities and contribute to the overall mission of reducing our maritime vulnerabilities, but not blindly or without question.

Recreational boaters (along with, I suspect, commercial fishers) are likely to emerge as the predominant voices for individual liberty and privacy. Engage in the discussion. Express your opinions. Write to the newspapers and your elected officials.

But please treat the people you encounter along the way, even people in uniforms with intimidating hardware, with courtesy and dignity. Even when they appear to be misinterpreting the information available to them. They’ve got a difficult job, and at the end of the day they just want to be able to get a bite to eat and sleep soundly, same as you.