Suspicious Packages

As federal investigators and the U.S. Postal Service scramble to figure out who is responsible for sending those pipe bombs to multiple Democratic leaders and backers, I’m rooting for a speedy arrest in the case.

My brother and sister-in-law work for the Postal Service, both behind the scenes in places where they’d be likely to encounter such a “problem package” if it came through their mail-handling facilities.

My brother assures me I don’t need to worry; they’ve had meetings where additional caution is urged, photos of the suspicious packages are shown, and so on. But when there are 170 billion pieces of mail to sort annually – including about 6 billion packages – a caring sibling can’t help but be concerned.

According to this NPR story, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigates “an average of 16 mail bombs annually.” It made 11 arrests last year for sending contraband through the mail – “which includes bombs, explosives and chemical weapons” – and 20 people were convicted.

My brother says they’re also trained to spot drugs and chemicals being sent illegally.

Sending and receiving mail are among the best bargains around. Would you personally take something across the country and deliver it by hand for a few bucks? Neither would I!

So, I’m hoping in this age of incivility and confusion, a few misguided wackos making pipe bombs don’t end up permanently damaging a truly American institution. Or, for that matter, my kin.

(Photo by Mathyas Kurmann/StockSnap)