Running Terrorists?

One of the country's most popular and offbeat social running clubs was considered a terrorist group last week.

The New Haven, Conn., chapter of the Hash House Harriers, a worldwide group that bills itself as a "drinking club with a running problem," met last Thursday for their weekly group run, called a "hash." In a hash, "hares" are given a head-start and mark their trail with flour, and a few minutes later, the other runners give chase—following the trail of flour through an unpredictable mix of urban landscapes.

Last Thursday, the hares ran through the parking lot of an IKEA furniture store. Police received a phone call that someone was throwing powder on the ground, prompting a massive police response, and the entire IKEA store was evacuated. The hares have been charged with a felony, and the mayor of New Haven plans to seek restitution from the hares and the running club for causing a bioterrorism scare.

Hashers are as American as they get--beer-guzzling, fun-loving outdoor enthusiasts trying not to take themselves too seriously. The only thing more patriotic than drinking beer is exercising; hashers do both, often at the same time. Sadly, too much national security can create a state of insecurity.

-W.H.