A disturbing trend is rearing its ugly head again. There has always been an element of the political establishment that has seen terrorist acts in America as a criminal offense. Beginning with the bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993 many in this country have been proponents of the position that these terrorist acts are criminal in nature. Now you may say to yourself what difference does this make? Well, let's look at our current situation.
After 9/11, we struggled as a nation with how to react to the greatest act of terrorism in the history of America. I always felt that the attack in 1993 and the later attack on 9/11 were acts of war. I have a little experience with criminal matters and these did not fit the pattern. Criminal acts are usually perpetrated for either economic gain or revenge. Terrorism is an act of politics. In other words, one group is trying to gain leverage against another. In this case it's done with terror tactics. Violence is a great motivator.
Throughout history, terrorism has worked to subjugate one group to another. I could cite many, but I'll leave it to the Vikings, Vandals, Huns, and the other so-called "barbarian" hordes of ancient times. I submit these were terrorist groups on the scale of today's terrorist groups. Hitler and the Nazis used terrorism to gain power. It was standard fare to enter a town and hang everyday citizens to strike fear in the hearts of anyone who harbored any hope of resisting. The Holocaust happened how? People were terrorized to the point that they saw resistance as futile. When people give up resisting, terrorism is successful.
Terrorism causes people to give up. They begin to seek life, rather than the quality of life. Survival becomes the goal. How we survive doesn't matter. Many people before us have said to themselves that their individual survival is not as important as the survival of what we are; the survival of a set of ideals we know as America. We all walk in the footsteps of those who went before us. Americans have fought in two world wars and countless other skirmishes to protect their rights. That is the ultimate act of proving that our ideals are important, important enough to put your life on the line to preserve them. People have come to America from the world over to be a part of our experiment. Our experiment in self government.
My ancestors and countless others came to America to be a part of that experiment. It is a strong draw to enjoy self determination. Immigrants were willing to sail oceans, brave the journey to a land where they couldn't communcate, all in order to be part of the experiment. History has proved the experiment to be a success. So far.
Our government sees terrorism as a crime. We are going to release terrrorists into America to live among us. Criminals who flaunt the system to get into America aren't really criminals, ask "La Nap" and the rest of the "Brown Shirts" at the DHS about that. At this point, you may ask yourself what is the problem with designating terrorists as criminals? Check out this court decision on legal responsibility.
The problem with lawsuits is that someone has to be liable. That's all well and good, but what happens when the true responsible party, the terrorist, can not provide financial remuneration to the plaintiffs. The law defaults to someone who can pay. Look at the McDonald's coffee case. Look at it from a law enforcement standpoint. When the police pursue, it suddenly becomes the legal responsibility of the police when someone runs and endangers the public. What happened to the thought that if you run and cause the pursuit you are guilty. What happened was that the people who run have no money. The government (police) do. That's the "deep pockets" default position.
Towards the end of my career the pursuit policy of police departments changed completely. It changed from get the bad guy, to get the bad guy if you can do it without damage. I found myself morphing in my career from go get the bad guy, to covering my ass. CYA became more important to me than getting the bad guy. In other words, I did my job, but I didn't want to expose myself to problems. I was a knight in shining armor, but it was tarnished. I'm glad I'm out.
What happens when we become a nation that seeks to protect ourselves from the government at all costs? What happens when "I" becomes more important than "we"? What happens when we forget what we are all about? What happens when our ideals aren't as important anymore?
When terrorists become criminals, we forget about the ideals that make us Americans. We become slaves to procedure and that becomes more important to us than fighting against those who would make us their slaves. These people aren't criminals, they are terrorists and we go to war with terrorists. From the Barbary Pirates to the Islamofacists we fight for our country. Our Founding Fathers are talking to us.
After 9/11, we struggled as a nation with how to react to the greatest act of terrorism in the history of America. I always felt that the attack in 1993 and the later attack on 9/11 were acts of war. I have a little experience with criminal matters and these did not fit the pattern. Criminal acts are usually perpetrated for either economic gain or revenge. Terrorism is an act of politics. In other words, one group is trying to gain leverage against another. In this case it's done with terror tactics. Violence is a great motivator.
Throughout history, terrorism has worked to subjugate one group to another. I could cite many, but I'll leave it to the Vikings, Vandals, Huns, and the other so-called "barbarian" hordes of ancient times. I submit these were terrorist groups on the scale of today's terrorist groups. Hitler and the Nazis used terrorism to gain power. It was standard fare to enter a town and hang everyday citizens to strike fear in the hearts of anyone who harbored any hope of resisting. The Holocaust happened how? People were terrorized to the point that they saw resistance as futile. When people give up resisting, terrorism is successful.
Terrorism causes people to give up. They begin to seek life, rather than the quality of life. Survival becomes the goal. How we survive doesn't matter. Many people before us have said to themselves that their individual survival is not as important as the survival of what we are; the survival of a set of ideals we know as America. We all walk in the footsteps of those who went before us. Americans have fought in two world wars and countless other skirmishes to protect their rights. That is the ultimate act of proving that our ideals are important, important enough to put your life on the line to preserve them. People have come to America from the world over to be a part of our experiment. Our experiment in self government.
My ancestors and countless others came to America to be a part of that experiment. It is a strong draw to enjoy self determination. Immigrants were willing to sail oceans, brave the journey to a land where they couldn't communcate, all in order to be part of the experiment. History has proved the experiment to be a success. So far.
Our government sees terrorism as a crime. We are going to release terrrorists into America to live among us. Criminals who flaunt the system to get into America aren't really criminals, ask "La Nap" and the rest of the "Brown Shirts" at the DHS about that. At this point, you may ask yourself what is the problem with designating terrorists as criminals? Check out this court decision on legal responsibility.
The problem with lawsuits is that someone has to be liable. That's all well and good, but what happens when the true responsible party, the terrorist, can not provide financial remuneration to the plaintiffs. The law defaults to someone who can pay. Look at the McDonald's coffee case. Look at it from a law enforcement standpoint. When the police pursue, it suddenly becomes the legal responsibility of the police when someone runs and endangers the public. What happened to the thought that if you run and cause the pursuit you are guilty. What happened was that the people who run have no money. The government (police) do. That's the "deep pockets" default position.
Towards the end of my career the pursuit policy of police departments changed completely. It changed from get the bad guy, to get the bad guy if you can do it without damage. I found myself morphing in my career from go get the bad guy, to covering my ass. CYA became more important to me than getting the bad guy. In other words, I did my job, but I didn't want to expose myself to problems. I was a knight in shining armor, but it was tarnished. I'm glad I'm out.
What happens when we become a nation that seeks to protect ourselves from the government at all costs? What happens when "I" becomes more important than "we"? What happens when we forget what we are all about? What happens when our ideals aren't as important anymore?
When terrorists become criminals, we forget about the ideals that make us Americans. We become slaves to procedure and that becomes more important to us than fighting against those who would make us their slaves. These people aren't criminals, they are terrorists and we go to war with terrorists. From the Barbary Pirates to the Islamofacists we fight for our country. Our Founding Fathers are talking to us.
There was an inscription left on the Twin Towers after the 1993 bombing that we should heed,
"On February 26, 1993, a bomb set by terrorists exploded below this site. This horrible act of violence killed innocent people, injured thousands, and made victims of us all."
My grandfather and my father called on me to respond to America's enemies. I did.
My question is will our descendants be proud of us?
9 comments:
I wonder how many more decendents are in our future. The way things are going, that 2012 date we hear about as being the end of the world does not seem all that far-fetched. Very scary!
AA,
Thanks for the visit. I agree that 2012 looks a long way off. As you said, we need to take back the country in 2010.
I suspect I know the answer to your question, LOT ... but it would be speculation. Here's what I do know: Our ancestors are puking their guts out.
Mustang,
Thanks for the visit. I fear you are correct. The wholesale sellout of our country is under way. Another question: will enough people recognize it soon enough to save us?
We have a Leftist admin. which says we created more terrorists because we tortured. Yet THEIR lefty buddies are the ones who broadcast that torture. It's TRANSPARENCY!! NOW the ACLU won their suit and photos of our torturing will be displayed around the world.
That ought to calm terrorists down, eh? Are they THINKING? Are they SANE? you can't make this stuff up.
And I've the feeling we Americans are just along for the ride.........and the fall.
We will never be safe again, L&0...how can we be? EVER? Anybody think islamists are going away? Anybody think Napolitano will keep us as safe as possible from swine flu,dirty bombs, nukes, etc.? Ya, RIGHT.
Thank GOD for that "peace which surpasses all understanding.."
and now I'll end this happy little ditty comment! (SORRY!) xx
Violence Worker just made an excellent recent observation on some juveniles arrested for killing a man in Seattle, and they received a sentence of "15-36 weeks in juvenile detention."
WEEKS.
THERE'S your comparison.
So now, let's apply this to terrorists and thugs. What about the "juvenile" in custody related to the Maersk Alabama? Tried criminally, mightn't he be subject to, likewise, a few weeks in detention and then "released" on probation?
We open up and walk through this door with Dire Consequences trailing in our wake. VERY dire.
We acquired 9/11 because we went out of our way to prove to terrorists that we were simply cavalier about taking our national defense seriously.
BZ
Z,
Thanks for your visit. I don't want to let this thought process go. I think the most dangerous thing we can do is deny we are at war. BO is locked into that.
BZ,
I'll read it and comment. Thanks for your visit.
My guess is Washington, Jefferson, and Franklin, are spinning in their graves, or trying to climb out so they can hang the SOBs running the show in Washington DC these days.
Pat,
The thought of the Founding Fathers returning and chewing some ass, is really appealing. That would be cool.
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