Irony in the War on

Irony in the War on Terror

This statement from our government strikes me as utterly bizarre:  

"In light of the recent bombings in London, it is crucial that police, fire and emergency medical personnel take notice of their surroundings, and be aware of 'vagrants' who seem out of place or unfamiliar," said the message, distributed via e-mail to some federal employees in Washington by the U.S. Attorney's office.

Can someone explain this to me?  Are there homeless people on the streets that seem like they are NOT out of place?  I mean, isn’t that the definition of what it is to be homeless – out of place – one who has been displaced by landlords, places of work, and society in general?  Have we become so callous as a society that there are ‘vagrants’ that are simply commonplace and familiar?

Of course, this warning does make some sense if you go beyond the absurd bureaucratic wording of the statement, but I think it does speak volumes to us about our society’s priorities.  

What do you think?