A Really Scary Thing Happened

One of the things that tops Barack Obama’s domestic political agenda is improving America’s educational system and giving US kids the schooling that they deserve.

Towards this end, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) added its own “unique” contribution to this noble endeavor….

A September 11th coloring book for kids!

Entitled A Scary Thing Happened, the online coloring book was designed to help children deal with disasters by depicting scenes of floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, and … the World Trade Center being hit by airplanes:

The coloring book is part of the FEMA for Kids website, which even has a rap song about disasters in general:

“Disaster … it can happen anywhere,

“But we’ve got a few tips, so you can be prepared,

“For floods, tornadoes, or even a ‘quake,

“You’ve got to be ready so your heart don’t break.”

What’s next? 

A Hurricane Katrina video game?!

The only thing more perverse would be, say, using Air Force One and some F-16 fighters to buzz New York City for some photo-ops that evoked memories of Sept. 11th.

Alas, A Scary Thing Happened was eventually removed from the FEMA for Kids website under pressure from the public controversy over its use of Sept. 11th imagery.

Personally, I don’t know what is scarier, the coloring book, the fact that FEMA even has a website for kids, or Herman ”the spokescrab”/mascot of the site.