9/18/01

LC010918

VAL>> ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT --

JESS>> MILITARY RESERVISTS ACROSS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AWAIT A POSSIBLE CALL TO ACTIVE DUTY AND PREPARE TO PUT THEIR PERSONAL LIVES ON HOLD.

GAY YEE>> LAPD SERGEANT, MICHAEL GILBERT, IS PREPARED TO PUT HIS LIFE ON THE LINE AS A MILITARY RESERVIST. HE'S BEEN CALLED TO ACTIVE DUTY BEFORE IN THE PERSIAN GULF WAR.

MICHAEL GILBERT>> I SAW SOME HORROR STORIES IN DESERT STORM OF PEOPLE LOSING THEIR HOUSES, THEIR JOBS, THEIR PRACTICES, SO I'M REALLY GLAD, IN FACT, THAT I'M EMPLOYED WITH THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT.

VAL>> AND HOW DO YOU KEEP A CITY SAFE FROM THE UNTHINKABLE? THAT QUESTION HAS OCCUPIED LOS ANGELES POLICE CHIEF, BERNARD PARKS, SINCE LAST WEEK'S ATTACKS. HE JOINS US TO TALK ABOUT THE NEED FOR HEIGHTENED SECURITY IN THE FACE OF POSSIBLE TERRORISM.

JESS>> ALSO, PATT MORRISON SUGGESTS THERE ARE GEOPHYSICAL LESSONS TO BE LEARNED AS A CONSEQUENCE OF TERRORISM.

PATT>> THE MAP IS NOT THE TERRITORY, THE WORLD IS NOT THE UNITED STATES. RELEARNING THE GLOBE, ON TONIGHT'S INFINITELY MORRISON.

VAL>> AND THE SHOW MUST GO ON, BUT SOMETIMES IT'S A STRUGGLE.

DAVID LETTERMAN>> AND I DON'T TRUST MY JUDGMENT IN MATTERS LIKE THIS.

VAL>> AMERICA'S LATE-NIGHT FUNNYMEN ANSWER THE CALL TO RETURN TO WORK, BUT WHEN IS IT OKAY TO START JOKING AGAIN, AND ARE THERE LIMITS? WE'LL TALK WITH AN EXPERT WHO WRITES AND PERFORMS COMEDY.

JESS>> THESE STORIES COMING UP NEXT ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE FOLLOWING FOUNDATIONS:

THE JAMES IRVINE FOUNDATION
WHICH IS DEDICATED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INFORMED CALIFORNIA CITIZENRY.

THE L.K. WHITTIER FOUNDATION
DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE BY SUPPORTING INNOVATIVE ENDEAVORS IN THE FIELDS OF MEDICINE, HEALTH, SCIENCE AND EDUCATION.

AND THE CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
UNDERWRITING THE SPANISH LANGUAGE TRANSLATION OF LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

VAL>> GOOD EVENING, I'M VAL ZAVALA.

JESS>> AND I'M JESS MARLOW.

IT'S A CALL THEY ALWAYS KNOW COULD BE COMING AND, IN THE AFTERMATH OF LAST WEEK'S TERRORIST ATTACKS, MILITARY RESERVISTS ACROSS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ARE ON STANDBY TO REPORT FOR ACTIVE DUTY.

VAL>> PRESIDENT BUSH HAS SAID 50,000 RESERVISTS MAY BE CALLED UPON TO PUT ASIDE THEIR NORMAL LIVES AND PUT ON UNIFORMS. AND WHILE MILITARY LEADERS DECIDE WHICH UNITS WILL BE ACTIVATED, GAY YEE TELLS US WHAT IT'S LIKE TO WAIT FOR THE CALL.

GAY>> 48-YEAR-OLD MICHAEL GILBERT IS A SERGEANT IN LAPD'S PACIFIC DIVISION. HE SAYS HE'S PREPARED TO PUT HIS LIFE ON THE LINE AGAIN AS ONE OF THE MILITARY RESERVISTS NOW ON STANDBY TO BE CALLED TO ACTIVE DUTY.

MICHAEL GILBERT>> WITHOUT RESERVATION, WITHOUT RESERVATION. THERE ISN'T ANY BUT ABOUT THIS AT ALL. I MEAN, IF IN FACT WE'RE CALLED, WE'VE ALL RAISED OUR HANDS TO THE GREATER GOOD.

GAY>> BEFORE JOINING THE LAPD, HE SERVED FOURTEEN YEARS WITH THE U.S. ARMY AS A MAJOR ASSIGNED TO MILITARY INTELLIGENCE. HE'S BEEN CALLED BACK TO ACTIVE DUTY BEFORE, A DECADE AGO. HE WAS GIVEN A COMMAND IN THE PERSIAN GULF WAR. HE SAYS IT'S NO COINCIDENCE MANY FORMER MILITARY END UP IN POLICE WORK.

MICHAEL GILBERT>> IT'S JUST A MARRIAGE OF THOSE TWO PROFESSIONS THAT COME TOGETHER. THEY'RE ALTRUISTIC.

GAY>> THERE ARE MILITARY RESERVISTS IN DEPARTMENTS ALL OVER THE CITY, BUT BY FAR, THE LARGEST HEAD COUNT IS HERE WITH THE LAPD. OVER 660 WORKERS PULL DOUBLE DUTY AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SWORN OFFICERS AS WELL AS CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES.

FORTY-ONE-YEAR-OLD ERIK TAGALOA IS AN LAPD PAYROLL SUPERVISOR. AS A RESERVIST FOR THE PAST SIXTEEN YEARS, HE PUT IN A WEEKEND EVERY MONTH AND TWO WEEKS EVERY YEAR FOR PRACTICES AND OTHER DUTIES. LIKE GILBERT, HE'S ON STANDBY, USING THE TIME TO GET HIS LIFE IN ORDER.

ERIK TAGALOA>> FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS ARE IN ORDER AND, YOU KNOW, JUST FOCUS ON SOME OF THAT STUFF THAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN YOU'RE NOT HERE.

GAY>> TAGALOA IS ASSIGNED TO THE 311TH CORPS SUPPORT COMMAND BASED AT THE U.S. ARMY RESERVE CENTER IN WEST LOS ANGELES. THE CENTER WAS PUT ON ALERT AFTER THE TERRORIST ATTACKS LAST WEEK AND REMAINS ON THREAT CON CHARLIE STATUS, ONE OF THE TOP LEVELS OF SECURITY.

MICHAEL CURRY>> WELL, THEY HAVE BEEN TOLD TO BE ON STANDBY ON ALERT FOR A CALL AT ANY GIVEN TIME TO REPORT IN TO THIS OFFICE FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS.

GAY>> AS MANY AS 1,000 RESERVISTS ARE ASSIGNED HERE. MEMBERS OF THE UNIT WERE PART OF THE BOSNIAN PEACEKEEPING FORCE, OTHERS SERVED IN THE PERSIAN GULF WAR, AND THEY MAY SOON BE CALLED UPON AGAIN.

MICHAEL CURRY>> WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO MOBILIZE THIS UNIT IN APPROXIMATELY FIVE TO SEVEN DAYS AS A NORMAL REQUIREMENT, TO DEPLOY TO ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.

GAY>> THE PENTAGON INTENDS TO CALL 35,000 RESERVISTS TO ACTIVE DUTY MAINLY TO PROTECT THE HOME FRONT. LOCALLY, A FEW ALREADY HAVE RECEIVED THEIR NOTICES, BUT THE MAJORITY HAVE BEEN PUT ON STANDBY, INCLUDING MANY WHO WORK FOR THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES. STATE LAW GRANTS MILITARY RESERVISTS THIRTY DAYS OF PAID LEAVE EVERY YEAR, BUT A TOUR IN A NEW WAR COULD LAST AS LONG AS TWO YEARS. IN THE PAST, SOME RESERVISTS HAVE SUFFERED FINANCIALLY WHEN CALLED AWAY, BUT L.A. OFFICIALS ARE WORKING TO PROTECT RESERVISTS ON LEAVE FROM CITY JOBS.

MICHAEL GILBERT>> I SAW SOME HORROR STORIES IN DESERT STORM WITH PEOPLE LOSING THEIR HOUSES, THEIR JOBS, THEIR PRACTICES. SO I'M REALLY GLAD, IN FACT, I'M EMPLOYED WITH THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT.

GAY>> GILBERT SAYS THE WORLD HAS CHANGED FOR AMERICANS SINCE THE ACTS OF TERRORISM, AS IF A SLEEPING GIANT HAS BEEN AWAKENED.

MICHAEL GILBERT>> I THINK -- JUST MY PERSONAL FEELING ON THIS -- IT'S JUST LIKE THE IRAQIS. THEY DON'T KNOW WHO THEY'RE TANGLING WITH, THE REALITY OF ATTACK, WHO THEY'VE AWAKENED HERE IN AN ANGER HAS NOT TAKEN PLACE IN THEIR MINDS YET. SO THEY'VE GOT TO COME TO TERMS WITH THAT.

GAY>> HE SAYS AFTER WHAT TOOK PLACE SEPTEMBER 11, AMERICANS HAVE NO CHOICE.

MICHAEL GILBERT>> IT WAS COWARDLY AND DASTARDLY. WE'VE GOT TO FERRET THEM OUT AND WE GOT TO DEAL WITH IT AND THERE'S GOING TO BE A PRICE TO PAY. FREEDOM ISN'T FREE.

GAY>> WHAT LIES AHEAD COULD BE A LONG AND ARDUOUS WAR. FOR TAGALOA, A SITUATION MUCH DIFFERENT THAN WHEN HE WAS CALLED UP FOR DESERT STORM. HE'S A FATHER NOW WITH THREE CHILDREN, ALL UNDER THE AGE OF EIGHT.

ERIK TAGALOA>> YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO BE PREPARED. YOU HAVE ACCEPTED THAT RISK.

GAY>> AND THE RISK COULD INVOLVE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE FOR ONE'S COUNTRY.

ERIK TAGALOA>> MY ANSWER RIGHT NOW IS YES, I THINK I AM PREPARED, WHETHER IT TURNS OUT THAT WAY OR NOT. ONLY TIME WILL TELL.

JESS>> PREPARED EMOTIONALLY AND PHYSICALLY, BUT FINANCIALLY?

GAY>> AND FINANCIALLY PERHAPS. THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THE CITY COUNCIL IS LOOKING TO DO THIS. THEY DID IT DURING THE PERSIAN GULF WAR, THEY DID IT DURING BOSNIA, BUT APPARENTLY IT HAS TO BE REINSTATED AGAIN AND AGAIN.

VAL>> YOU MEAN, EXTEND BEYOND THIRTY DAYS?

GAY>> TRYING TO EXTEND BEYOND THIRTY DAYS. APPARENTLY, THE WAY IT WORKS, THE STATE PROVIDES FOR THIRTY-ONE DAYS.

VAL>> OF REGULAR PAY?

GAY>> REGULAR PAY.

VAL>> WHILE YOU'RE ON RESERVE DUTY?

GAY>> WHILE YOU'RE ON DUTY. BUT QUITE OFTEN, THE DUTY GOES MUCH LONGER THAN THAT. RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT 270 DAYS, WHICH IS THE EQUIVALENT OF ABOUT SIX MONTHS. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THE PENTAGON IS ASKING THAT PEOPLE BE IN AS MUCH AS TWO YEARS BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH AT THIS POINT.

JESS>> AND IN THE CASE OF SERGEANT GILBERT, HE'S 48 YEARS OLD. UNDOUBTEDLY, HIS CHILDREN, MORTGAGES --

GAY>> -- SERGEANT GILBERT DOES NOT. HE'S NOT MARRIED, BUT MR. TAGALOA --

VAL>> -- WITH THE THREE KIDS.

GAY>> HAS THREE KIDS. AND THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HE TALKED ABOUT. THAT WHEN HE WAS UP DURING THE PERSIAN GULF WAR, HE HAD JUST GOTTEN MARRIED. IT WAS A DIFFERENT SCENARIO. NOW HE'S GOT THREE KIDS TO PROVIDE FOR AND HE WANTS TO BE SURE THAT HIS FAMILY AND HIS KIDS HAVE THE BENEFITS, THE MEDICAL BENEFITS, WHILE HE'S AWAY, OR DENTAL BENEFITS, ALL THE ABOVE.

VAL>> SO CITY HALL IS TAKING IT UP AND WE'LL WATCH WHAT THE CITY COUNCIL DOES?

GAY>> TAKING IT UP TOMORROW.

VAL>> TOMORROW.

GAY>> THE MOTION WILL BE MADE TOMORROW.

VAL>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, GAY.

UP NEXT, A BOMB SCARE CLOSES DOWN L.A. CITY HALL, JUST ONE OF SEVERAL INCIDENTS THAT ARE KEEPING NERVES ON EDGE. WE'LL TALK WITH LOS ANGELES POLICE CHIEF, BERNARD PARKS.

JESS>> A SUSPICIOUS PACKAGE FORCES THE EVACUATION OF CITY HALL. IT TURNS OUT TO BE A MAILBAG. A SUITCASE SETS OFF AN ALARM AT LAX. IT TURNS OUT TO HAVE BEEN A MECHANICAL ERROR. BOTH OF THOSE INCIDENTS OCCURRED TODAY AND WHILE NEITHER WAS TERRORIST-RELATED, POLICE HAVE TO REACT AS IF IT COULD BE.

VAL>> THE LAPD IS NO LONGER OFFICIALLY ON HEIGHTENED ALERT STATUS, BUT EXTRA SECURITY PRECAUTIONS ARE STILL VERY MUCH IN EVIDENCE. POLICE CHIEF BERNARD PARKS HAS BEEN ON THE FRONTLINE SINCE LAST WEEK HELPING TO CALM A JITTERY CITY. POLICE CHIEF, WELCOME TO LIFE AND TIMES.

BERNARD PARKS>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

JESS>> ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TO, AS CITIZENS, GIVE UP SOME OF OUR CIVIL LIBERTIES IN ORDER TO PROTECT OURSELVES FROM THIS KIND OF TERRORIST ACTIVITY?

BERNARD PARKS>> I THINK IT'S ALMOST ASSURED WE HAVE TO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT, ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS IN THE UNITED STATES, PEOPLE HAVE FREEDOM TO MOVE AROUND, BUT YET WE SEE THE VERY THING THAT WE CANNOT TOLERATE IS THE FACT THAT PEOPLE CAN BE SO FREE THAT YOU'RE NOT AWARE OF WHO'S IN THE COUNTRY, WHERE THEY ARE LOCATED, WHAT THEY'RE DOING, AND I THINK THIS WHOLE ISSUE OF TRAVEL IS JUST THE FIRST STEP. I THINK GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE MUCH MORE SECURE.

WE'VE ALWAYS HAD AN IDEA THAT, OR AN ATTITUDE, THAT IF YOU GO TO GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS, IT'S THERE FOR THE PUBLIC. BUT NOW I THINK WE HAVE TO BE AWARE THAT PEOPLE WANT TO DESTROY THEM AND SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT EMPLOYEES, INNOCENT BYSTANDERS, THE GENERAL COMMUNITY WHO HAVE NO AX TO GRIND WITH ANYONE EXCEPT THAT THEY COULD BE AT A PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME.

VAL>> CHIEF PARKS, TO WHAT EXTENT ARE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES INVOLVED WITH FBI INVESTIGATIONS INTO FINDING THE PERPETRATORS?

BERNARD PARKS>> IN SEVERAL WAYS. WE'RE ON SEVERAL TASKFORCES THAT DEAL WITH TERRORISM. WE ARE DEALING WITH THOSE ISSUES, PLUS WE ARE BRIEFED ROUTINELY BY THE FBI AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ACTIVITIES AND, AGAIN, THROUGH OUR ANTI-TERRORIST DIVISION, WE HAVE OUR OWN CASES THAT WE'RE WORKING ON WHICH WE SHARE READILY WITH THE VARIETY OF OTHER --

VAL>> -- SO THE LAPD HAS ITS OWN ANTI-TERRORISM UNIT?

BERNARD PARKS>> THAT'S RIGHT. WE HAVE AN ANTI-TERRORIST DIVISION FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND THEY HANDLE A SIGNIFICANT WORKLOAD UNDER SOME VERY STRICT GUIDELINES BY THE COMMISSION. WE'RE ONE OF THE FEW MUNICIPAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES THAT HAS SUCH A UNIT. BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO US BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT MANY OF THE PEOPLE THAT OPERATE IN THIS TERRORIST ENVIRONMENT, THEY HAVE SYMPATHIZERS AND PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT HAVE SOME AFFILIATION WITH THEM.

JESS>> AND THEY ALSO HAVE IMITATORS, THOSE WHO CALL IN PHONY BOMB THREATS. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT THAT?

BERNARD PARKS>> WELL, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S INTERESTING, PHONY BOMB THREATS HAPPEN YEAR-ROUND AND I THINK THEY'RE HEIGHTENED NOW. BUT AGAIN, I WOULD MUCH RATHER SOMEONE CALLS US AND WE VERIFY IT'S NOT A BOMB THAN TO HAVE ONE GO OFF AND WE'RE NOT AWARE OF IT.

JESS>> NO QUESTION.

BERNARD PARKS>> BUT I THINK WHENEVER WE HAVE SOME INCIDENT SUCH AS THIS, WE'LL HAVE A VARIETY OF PEOPLE THAT WILL CALL IN. PLUS I THINK THE OTHER THING WE FIND IS PEOPLE ARE MUCH MORE AWARE OF THEIR ENVIRONMENT. WHERE THEY MAY HAVE WALKED BY A LOCATION AND NOT PAID ATTENTION, THEY THEN ARE MORE ATTENTIVE, WHICH IS ALSO IMPORTANT. I WAS AT A MEETING TODAY AND IMMEDIATELY SOMEBODY OBSERVED A BRIEFCASE THAT WAS UNATTENDED. THAT WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED A WEEK AND A HALF AGO.

JESS>> BUT FOR THOSE WHO DELIBERATELY PHONE IN PHONY THREATS, IS THE PENALTY SEVERE ENOUGH?

BERNARD PARKS>> YOU KNOW, FIRST OF ALL, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CORRECT PENALTY IS, BUT I THINK THE ISSUE IS YOU ARE OFTEN UNABLE TO LOCATE THEM BECAUSE IF PEOPLE ARE USING PHONES -- YOU KNOW, OUR SYSTEM IN COMMUNICATIONS CAN CAPTURE PHONE NUMBERS, BUT OFTEN PEOPLE USE SUCH AS PAY PHONES, PUBLIC PHONES, WHERE YOU NEVER HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOCATE WHO THEY MIGHT BE. BUT AGAIN, WHEN YOU LOCATE SOMEBODY MAKING A FALSE CALL, WE CERTAINLY GO THROUGH EVERY EFFORT TO PROSECUTE THEM.

VAL>> CHIEF PARKS, WE JUST SAW IN GAY YEE'S REPORT THAT A LARGE NUMBER, OVER 600, LAPD OFFICERS ARE ALSO RESERVISTS AND MAY BE CALLED AWAY. MIGHT THAT IMPACT ON YOUR ABILITY TO POLICE LOS ANGELES?

BERNARD PARKS>> WELL, I THINK, FIRST OF ALL, I THINK THE 600 IS LAPD EMPLOYEES, SO THEY MAY NOT ALL BE SWORN. BUT I WOULD ASSUME A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF THEM ARE SWORN OFFICERS. ANY LOSS OF PERSONNEL IS GOING TO BE DETRIMENTAL, NO MATTER WHAT SIZE THE DEPARTMENT. BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE LARGER GOOD OF THE COUNTRY AND THAT THEY'RE SERVING TO PROTECT THIS COUNTRY IN SOME FACET. WITHOUT THAT, YOU KNOW, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT COULD NOT DO ALL THE THINGS THAT IT CAN DO IF THIS COUNTRY ISN'T SAFE. 

SO AGAIN, WE APPLAUD THEM FOR IT. WE SUPPORT THEM. WE HAVE A LARGE NUMBER THAT WE PROVIDE IN ALLOWING THEM TO GO OUT FOR THEIR MILITARY LEAVE EACH YEAR AND I'M VERY PLEASED TO SEE THE CITY COUNCIL TAKING UP THE ISSUE TO ENSURE THEIR BENEFITS ARE TAKEN CARE OF BECAUSE THEY SHOULDN'T SUFFER FOR BASICALLY GOING OUT AND DEFENDING THEIR COUNTRY.

JESS>> WOULDN'T YOU EXPECT THE CITY COUNCIL TO APPROVE, GIVEN TODAY'S CLIMATE?

BERNARD PARKS>> WELL, I WOULD HOPE SO. I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT -- BUT I THINK IN THE YEARS PAST, I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING FAIRLY RECENT. I THINK THEY DID IT IN THE LAST INCIDENT THAT WE HAD. I THINK THE ISSUE SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT'S VERY ROUTINE, THAT PEOPLE SERVING THEIR COUNTRY SHOULD NOT LOSE BENEFITS AND THEIR FAMILIES SHOULDN'T SUFFER PARTICULARLY.

JESS>> GIVEN, AGAIN, THE PROBLEM WITH POLICE FORCES, THE NUMBERS OF MEN AND WOMEN YOU HAVE IN UNIFORM, DECLINING ENROLLMENT AT THE POLICE ACADEMY, THIS IS JUST GOING TO EXACERBATE THAT PROBLEM MORE, ISN'T IT?

BERNARD PARKS>> IT IS, BUT I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE TO KEEP IN PERSPECTIVE, IF WE THINK ABOUT OUR DEPLOYMENT AND OUR NUMBERS OF OFFICERS TODAY VERSUS 1997 AND 1998, YES, WE'VE HAD A DROP. BUT IF WE GO BACK JUST TO A MERE 1993, WE FIND WE ARE 1,500 OFFICERS TODAY THAN WE WERE IN 1993. SO AGAIN, WE'VE DROPPED THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND THAT'S FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS. BUT I THINK THE ISSUE IS THAT WE WILL USE AND ADJUST OUR RESOURCES SO THAT THE COMMUNITY WILL NOT SUFFER BECAUSE OF THOSE LOSSES.

VAL>> CHIEF BERNARD PARKS, THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN FOR COMING IN AND GIVING US YOUR TIME. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

BERNARD PARKS>> THANK YOU. MY PLEASURE.

LIFEANDTIMES@KCET.ORG
WWW.KCET.ORG
LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT
4401 SUNSET BLVD.
LOS ANGELES, CA 90027
(323) 953-5555

JESS>> LAST WEEK'S TERRORIST ATTACKS CHANGED OUR WORLD. NOW PATT SAYS IT'S TIME TO LOOK BEYOND OUR LITTLE CORNER OF IT, IN TONIGHT'S INFINITELY MORRISON.

PATT>> WHEN I WAS TEACHING JOURNALISM AT A MAJOR UNIVERSITY, I BEGAN EVERY SEMESTER BY GIVING MY STUDENTS A TEST OF GENERAL KNOWLEDGE THAT INCLUDED A BLANK MAP OF THE WORLD AND A LIST OF A DOZEN OR SO PLACE NAMES TO AFFIX TO THAT MAP. THEY WEREN'T ESPECIALLY OBSCURE PLACES LIKE RAKTAVIC OR ORAGADUGU. THEY WERE PLACES LIKE JAPAN AND VIETNAM, CHICAGO AND EGYPT. YET NOT ONLY DID THE STUDENTS DO VERY POORLY, SOMETIMES COMICALLY SO, CONFUSING VIETNAM WITH NEW ZEALAND, FOR EXAMPLE, BUT THEY ACTUALLY COMPLAINED ABOUT MY ASKING IT. WHY DO WE HAVE TO DO THIS? THE NOT ALWAYS UNSPOKEN MESSAGE WAS, I'LL NEVER GO TO THESE LITTLE PLACES. THEY HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH ME AND THEY NEVER WILL.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF MY CLASSROOMS PAST, NEVER HAS ARRIVED. AS IF THE OCEANS HAD DISAPPEARED AND THE CONTINENTS HAD HUDDLED TOGETHER, TECHNOLOGY, AIRPLANES, CELL PHONES, COMPUTERS, TECHNOLOGY HAS MADE FOR A NEW LAND BRIDGE BETWEEN THE OLD WORLD AND THE NEW, AND THE WORLD IS OUR NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR. HERETOFORE, AMERICA WAS ISOLATED NOT ONLY BY GEOGRAPHY, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, BY CHOICE. NOT ONE AMERICAN IN FIVE HOLDS A PASSPORT, FOR EXAMPLE, YET PEOPLE FROM OTHER NATIONS KNOW FAR MORE ABOUT US THAN WE KNOW ABOUT THEM. IN PART, BECAUSE THE UNITED STATES IS A SUPER POWER WHOSE EVERY TWITCH AND TURN CAN REORDER THE WORLD AND IN PART BECAUSE OLDER COUNTRIES UNDERSTAND THE INEVITABLE INTERRELATIONSHIPS OF THE FAMILY OF NATIONS.

AN OLDER GENERATION OF AMERICANS, ONE THAT LOST ITS INNOCENCE IN THE HOMEGROWN HORRORS OF THE KENNEDY AND KING ASSASSINATIONS, IS NOW AWAKENING TO IMPORTED TERRORS. AND A YOUNGER GENERATION OF AMERICANS, WHO KNOW OF WAR ONLY AS IT IS PRACTICED IN VIDEO GAMES, IS AWAKENING TO A WORLD WHERE HATE, LIKE COFFEE BEANS, IS A GLOBAL COMMODITY. I HOPE THAT, IN THE MONTHS TO COME, THEY WILL NOT HAVE TO LEARN THE NAMES OF PLACES IN THE WORLD WHOSE MEANING THEY WILL SPEND THE REST OF THEIR LIVES TRYING TO FORGET, AS ANOTHER GENERATION ONCE DID WITH PLACES NAMED BATAAN AND NORMANDY AND HIROSHIMA. BUT THEY WILL BE UNFOLDING A NEW MAP AND RELUCTANTLY UNDERTAKING THE STUDY OF THIS BRAVE NEW WORLD THAT HAS SUCH BEINGS IN IT.

VAL>> YOU KNOW, IT'S OFTEN SAID THAT LAUGHTER IS THE BEST MEDICINE, BUT AFTER A TRAGEDY ON THE SCALE OF LAST WEEK'S TERRORIST ATTACKS, THERE'S LITTLE OCCASION TO LAUGH.

JESS>> BUT COMEDIANS JOINED THE REST OF THE NATION IN ANSWERING THE PRESIDENT'S CALL TO GET BACK TO WORK AS NORMAL THIS WEEK. WE'RE GOING TO TALK WITH COMEDIAN AND WRITER, ARGUS HAMILTON, ABOUT THE CHALLENGES THAT INVOLVES. BUT FIRST, WE WANT TO SHOW YOU PART OF WHAT LATE-NIGHT HOST, DAVID LETTERMAN, SAID ON HIS FIRST PROGRAM AFTER THE ATTACKS.

DAVID LETTERMAN>> IT'S TERRIBLY SAD HERE IN NEW YORK CITY. WE'VE LOST 5,000 FELLOW NEW YORKERS AND YOU CAN FEEL IT. YOU CAN FEEL IT, YOU CAN SEE IT. IT'S TERRIBLY SAD, TERRIBLY, TERRIBLY SAD. WATCHING ALL OF THIS, I WASN'T SURE THAT I SHOULD BE DOING A TELEVISION SHOW BECAUSE, FOR TWENTY YEARS WE'VE BEEN IN THE CITY MAKING FUN OF EVERYTHING, MAKING FUN OF THE CITY, MAKING FUN OF MY HAIR, MAKING FUN OF PAUL'S...WELL. (LAUGHTER) SO TO COME TO THIS CIRCUMSTANCE THAT IS SO DESPERATELY SAD, AND I DON'T TRUST MY JUDGMENT IN MATTERS LIKE THIS.

VAL>> JOINING US NOW IS ARGUS HAMILTON. HE IS A STAND-UP COMEDIAN AND TOPICAL HUMOR COLUMNIST FOR THE INTERNET. WELCOME TO LIFE AND TIMES.

ARGUS HAMILTON>> NICE TO BE HERE. THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

JESS>> IN YOUR COLUMN, YOU HAVE NOW GONE TO COMEDY AND THERE'S A VERY FINE LINE. WHERE DO YOU DRAW IT?

ARGUS HAMILTON>> WELL, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT COMEDIANS HAVE A VITAL PART IN OUR COUNTRY'S DEFENSE RIGHT NOW. WE REALLY DO. WE'VE ALL ANSWERED THE CALL. AND WE'RE NOT JUST TELLING JOKES. WE'RE HURLING LIGHTNING BOLTS FROM THE FRONTLINE OF OUR NATIONAL RESOLVE.

VAL>> WELL, WHAT DID YOU THINK OF WHAT DAVID LETTERMAN JUST SAID? HE DIDN'T HURL JOKES.

ARGUS HAMILTON>> NO, HE DIDN'T, AND I WOULD SUSPECT, AS CLOSE AS HE FEELS TO NEW YORK AND I'M SURE THEY ALL HAD FRIENDS THERE, THAT HE WAS HANDLING IT JUST THE WAY THAT HE COULD. I JUST WANT THE FOLKS TO KNOW THAT, FOR THOSE OF US THAT ARE INTO THE FRAY RIGHT NOW AND JOINING OUR COUNTRY'S CALL TO ACTION, WE'RE CERTAINLY NOT MAKING FUN OF THE CATASTROPHE IN NEW YORK CITY. WHAT WE'RE BASICALLY DOING IS DEFYING OUR ADVERSARIES AND LETTING THEM KNOW OF WHAT A VERY SKETCHY FUTURE THEY HAVE IN STORE FOR THEM.

VAL>> WELL, WOULD YOU HAVE RECOMMENDED THAT DAVID LETTERMAN GO AHEAD AND BE HIS NORMAL FUNNY SELF INSTEAD OF BEING SERIOUS?

ARGUS HAMILTON>> EVERY COMIC CAN ONLY BE HIMSELF AND THAT'S WHERE DAVID WAS AT THAT POINT. WE ALL LOVE DAVID, SO IF THAT'S WHERE HE WANTS TO BE, THAT'S FINE WITH US.

VAL>> WHERE ARE YOU?

ARGUS HAMILTON>> WELL, THE EVENT DIDN'T SURPRISE ME SO MUCH BECAUSE YOU'RE GETTING A LOT OF POLITICALLY CORRECT ANALYSES RIGHT NOW THAT THIS IS A FIRST WAR OF THE 21ST CENTURY. I DON'T THINK THAT'S TRUE AT ALL. I THINK THIS THE LAST BATTLE OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR AND I DON'T THINK THAT THE CONFLICT EVER ENDED. SO I WAS REALLY READY TO PICK RIGHT UP WHERE THE WAR LAST LEFT OFF, WHICH WAS PERHAPS A FEW DAYS EARLIER IN JERUSALEM.

JESS>> IN YOUR COLUMN OF YESTERDAY, YOU STARTED OUT BY SAYING GOD BLESS AMERICA.

ARGUS HAMILTON>> ABSOLUTELY.

JESS>> AND EVEN PRAISING PRESIDENT BUSH.

ARGUS HAMILTON>> EVEN PRAISING PRESIDENT BUSH. (LAUGHTER) YOU HAVE TO SAY THAT IN LOS ANGELES.

JESS>> YOU DIDN'T GET TOO FAR INTO THE COLUMN BEFORE YOU TALKED ABOUT THE SENATE PASSING A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING PRESIDENT BUSH TO USE ALL NECESSARY FORCE TO PREVENT FUTURE ATTACKS. THE VOTE WAS TECHNICALLY UNANIMOUS. WHEN STROM THURMOND HEARD HIS NAME CALLED, HE STOOD UP AND YELLED "BINGO".

ARGUS HAMILTON>> (LAUGHTER) ABSOLUTELY, AND GOD BLESS STROM THURMOND, OKAY? BECAUSE I'M A SOUTHERNER. NOW YOU KNOW, A LOT OF SENATORS ARE HARD OF HEARING, BUT HE'S THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN BLAME IT ON YANKEE CANNONBALLS. (LAUGHTER)

BUT THERE IS THE USUAL CAST OF CHARACTERS SURROUNDING THIS TRAGEDY THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW? FOR INSTANCE, SADDAM HUSSEIN HAD THE GALL TO GO ON WORLDWIDE TELEVISION ON FRIDAY AND FIRE SHOTGUNS FROM HIS BALCONY. DID YOU SEE THAT? MY FIRST REACTION WAS, I KNOW HE'S VERY UPSET. ANNA NICOLE SMITH IS SENDING HIM LOVE LETTERS AND SHE ONLY GOES FOR OIL BILLIONAIRES WITH LESS THAN SIX MONTHS TO LIVE. (LAUGHTER)

SO YOU GO AROUND THE PERIMETER OF THIS AND YOU FIND OUT THINGS THAT ARE FUNNY. THANKS GOODNESS, JUST IN THE NICK OF TIME, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE OF US IN CALIFORNIA WHO LOVE HIM SO, BILL CLINTON ARRIVED JUST LIKE THE CAVALRY TO THE RESCUE. HE GOT DOWN THERE TO NEW YORK CITY, GAVE AN INTERVIEW DOWN THERE NEAR THE WAR ZONE AND, AS GOD AS MY WITNESS, RIGHT OVER HIS LEFT SHOULDER WAS A MARQUEE FOR AN ADULT VIDEO STORE THAT SAID "DEBBIE DOES WASHINGTON" (LAUGHTER) AND YOU CAN'T MAKE IT UP. WHENEVER THE CHIPS ARE DOWN, YOU CAN ALWAYS COUNT ON BILL CLINTON TO DISTRACT THE COUNTRY WITH A SEX SCANDAL. (LAUGHTER)

VAL>> CONDIT IS ALSO FAIR GAME.

ARGUS HAMILTON>> WELL, I HAD HIM INVOLVED WHEN THE EVACUATION OF CONGRESS WAS ORDERED ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

VAL>> THE BOMB SCARE.

ARGUS HAMILTON>> BECAUSE NOT ALL THE CONGRESSMEN CAME OUT AT THE SAME TIME. AFTER TWENTY MINUTES, THE FIRE CHIEF FINALLY CAME OVER THE BULLHORN AND ORDERED CONDIT TO COME OUT WITH HIS PANTS UP. (LAUGHTER)

VAL>> BUT TELL US, WHY ARE -- LIKE, THIS SORT OF FEELS OKAY. YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE YOU'RE CROSSING A LINE. ARE THERE LIMITS BEYOND WHICH COMEDY SHOULD NOT GO IN THIS SITUATION?

ARGUS HAMILTON>> I HAD ONE QUESTIONABLE JOKE THE DAY AFTER, BUT IT JUST SO HAPPENED THAT PAUL HARVEY QUOTED IT ON THURSDAY NATIONWIDE OFF MY COLUMN AT ARGUSHAMILTON.COM. THE JOKE SIMPLY WENT, TUESDAY WAS ONE OF THE WORST DAYS IN AMERICAN HISTORY, THE WORLD CENTER WAS DESTROYED, THE GOVERNMENT WAS EVACUATED, THE PENTAGON WAS ATTACKED. IT'S THE FIRST DAY OF PEACE GARY CONDIT'S HAD IN THREE MONTHS. (LAUGHTER) THAT'S BORDERLINE, BUT PAUL HARVEY, OF ALL PEOPLE, THE SQUARE OF SQUARES, SURE SEEMED TO LIKE IT.

BUT IT'S INTERESTING, TOO, TO FIND MYSELF ROOTING FOR GEORGE W. BUSH. THAT'S AN ACT OF FAITH IN ITSELF. (LAUGHTER) I'M FEELING LIKE HE'S SITTING THERE GOING, "I NEVER MANAGED A NATIONAL CRISIS BEFORE, BUT I DID STAY IN A HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS LAST NIGHT." (LAUGHTER)

I WANT TO BELIEVE IN HIM. HE'S GOT A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF ADULT SUPERVISION AROUND HIM AND HE'S DOING ALL RIGHT. AS A MATTER OF FACT, YESTERDAY HE CALLED ALL THE COUNTRIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND HE WANTS TO KNOW WHO'S ON OUR SIDE AND WHO'S NOT. IT WAS IMPORTANT TO ANSWER HIM RIGHT AWAY BECAUSE HE HAD RAND MCNALLY ON THE OTHER PHONE AND THEY WANTED TO KNOW WHO'S GOING TO GO ON THE MAP BY DECEMBER. (LAUGHTER)

SO HE'S DOING A GOOD JOB PUTTING TOGETHER A COALITION JUST LIKE HIS FATHER DID, YOU KNOW? A COALITION TO FIGHT IN THE MIDDLE EAST JUST LIKE HIS FATHER DID. THERE'S NOTHING STRONGER THAN HEREDITY. I MEAN, SIX DAYS AFTER THE WAR STARTS, CHELSEA CLINTON ENROLLS IN HARVARD.

JESS>> (LAUGHTER) IF YOU WONDERED WHETHER THERE WOULD BE A TIME TO RETURN IN THE MIDST OF CRISIS, THIS APPARENTLY IS THE TIME.

ARGUS HAMILTON>> COME TO THE COMEDY STORE. I WANT ALL OF LOS ANGELES TO GO OUT THIS WEEKEND AND HAVE A GOOD TIME. THAT'S ANOTHER ACT OF DEFIANCE TOWARD THESE PEOPLE IS TO GO OUT AND HAVE A GOOD TIME AND SPEND MONEY.

JESS>> BUT YOU'RE REALLY SERIOUS ABOUT THAT.

ARGUS HAMILTON>> I'M SERIOUS. AND SO IS RUDY GIULIANA. RUDY GIULIANA INVITED NEW YORKERS TO COME SEE THE PRODUCERS, YOU KNOW?

VAL>> HE ENCOURAGED DAVID LETTERMAN TO GO BACK ON THE AIR.

ARGUS HAMILTON>> HE SAYS COME SEE THE PRODUCERS. HE DOESN'T WANT ONE GUY'S ACT TO SPOIL ALL THE HITLER IMPERSONATORS, YOU KNOW? (LAUGHTER)

VAL>> NOW DO YOU THINK THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO FIND EVEN THIS OFFENSIVE BECAUSE YOU JUST CAN'T -- WE SHOULDN'T BE -- IT'S DISRESPECTFUL TO BE LAUGHING ABOUT THIS?

ARGUS HAMILTON>> WELL, THIS COUNTRY WAS FOUNDED AS A RESULT OF THE ENGLISH CIVIL WAR. THERE ARE THE PURITANS ON ONE SIDE AND THERE'S THE CAVALIERS ON THE OTHER. I'M CAVALIER. THE PURITANS WILL ALWAYS WANT US TO JUST HANG OUR HEAD IN PIETY, NO MATTER WHAT, AND THE LONGER THEY CAN HANG ONTO THIS MOMENT, I'M SURE THE HAPPIER THEY'LL BE. BUT THIS COUNTRY HAS SOME WORK TO GET BACK TO AND ONE OF THEM IS LAUGHING BECAUSE I FEEL A SENSE OF HUMOR IS OUR COUNTRY'S STRONGEST ARMOR.

JESS>> THANKS TO ARGUS HAMILTON, BUT ALSO THE OTHER TWO WORDS THAT COME TO MIND WHEN YOU ASK WHETHER COMEDY AND WAR CAN GO TOGETHER. THAT'S BOB HOPE.

ARGUS HAMILTON>> I GOT ANOTHER ONE FOR YOU. MY GRANDFATHER'S BEST FRIEND, WILL ROGERS.

JESS>> ABSOLUTELY, YES.

VAL>> HE IS A CLASS ACT. ARGUS HAMILTON, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING IN.

ARGUS HAMILTON>> IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE.

VAL>> IF YOU'D LIKE TO READ ARGUS'S DAILY COLUMN, YOU CAN FIND IT ON THE INTERNET, AS ARGUS SO APTLY POINTED OUT, AT ARGUSHAMILTON.COM.

JESS>> THE COM FOR COMEDY. (LAUGHTER)

VAL>> (LAUGHTER) OH, VERY GOOD.

ARGUS HAMILTON>> (LAUGHTER) THANK YOU.

JESS>> THAT'S IT FOR TONIGHT'S BROADCAST. NOW FOR ALL OF US HERE AT LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT, HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE FOLLOWING FOUNDATIONS:

THE JAMES IRVINE FOUNDATION
WHICH IS DEDICATED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INFORMED CALIFORNIA CITIZENRY.

THE L.K. WHITTIER FOUNDATION
DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE BY SUPPORTING INNOVATIVE ENDEAVORS IN THE FIELDS OF MEDICINE, HEALTH, SCIENCE AND EDUCATION.

AND THE CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
UNDERWRITING THE SPANISH LANGUAGE TRANSLATION OF LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

TO REACH US AT LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT, CALL 323-953-5555. SEND US AN E-MAIL TO LIFEANDTIMES@KCET.ORG OR LOG ONTO OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.KCET.ORG TO SEND MESSAGES OR DOWNLOAD TRANSCRIPTS OF TONIGHT'S PROGRAM.