Every time I hear someone say that the war on terrorism or the latest governmental breach of civil liberties is making us safer, I think of the following exchange between Homer and Lisa Simpson (wish I could find the clip, but it doesn’t appear to be online):
Homer Simpson: Not a bear in sight. The Bear Patrol must be working like a charm.
Lisa Simpson: That’s specious reasoning, Dad.
Homer: Thank you, dear.
Lisa: By your logic I could claim that this rock keeps tigers away.
Homer: Oh, how does it work?
Lisa: It doesn’t work.
Homer: Uh-huh.
Lisa: It’s just a stupid rock.
Homer: Uh-huh.
Lisa: But you don’t see any tigers around, do you?
[Homer thinks about this, then pulls out some money]
Homer: Lisa, I want to buy your rock.
mr. jones and me 
Yep. Ernie & Bert did it years before: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_0_suZntks
Oh my that’s so awesome.
Only what if the banana/rock make terrorism worse . . .
Well yes. There are so many ironies it’s hard to keep up. Like apparently the terrorists hate us for our freedoms, so we oblige the terrorists by taking our freedoms away.