WASHINGTON D.C. —With the arrest of the terrorist suspect this week in New York City, after his attempted car bombing of one of the world’s greatest cities, it has become very evident that we continue to face threats from outside our borders and also within. After the chilling chants and words of a major cable news journalist who referred to his audience as, “Tim McVeigh wannabes,” to which they cheered, it is becoming highly relevant at this time to speak out against terrorists’ tactics no matter what their reasons for hate may be. Whether it’s the foreign born Al Qaeda throw offs who show up on our shores to destroy our beautiful nation of freedom and democracy, or if it’s the homegrown variety that seem to believe they are victims of our government —which they most certainly are not —terrorism has to be taken seriously and we have to see both threats, foreign and domestic, as enemies of our nation.
Terrorism is not brave, it is most obviously an act that proves the perpetrator is a coward. Bravery and strength are proven by fighting realistically and sensibly to cause change within your nation or the world. Imagine if the people who make millions of dollars calling our government nasty names and attacking the character of our leaders would spend that same amount of energy and time doing work for our troops, (which I do on a daily basis) getting a better education and building up a local group that plans on voting the next election? The time and positive energy would pay off on a very positive level. Not only that, but you’d also feel better about yourself.
What a shame we live in a world where people have so many abilities but they spend the vast majority of their time, complaining about the status quo, bearing false witness against thy neighbor, spreading gossip and untruths or half truths, while at the turn of the last century, the American people were trying to make the world a better place. Minorities restrained within Jim Crow laws were going to college at an almost epidemic pace, feeling their way out of poverty and being discriminated against was through an education, our business community was also innovative and using the skills and talents of people who were citizens of the most productive nation in the history of the world, and our governmental leaders were shown respect but also lived respectful lives. Whether popular or not, our leaders were called presidents, congressmen and justices and not by their last names or a made up nicknames by the opposing party, and certainly Justice Sotomayor would never have been called a “Hispanic chick” as she was on a major cable news channel.
Most of our children today lack any discipline, any self respect and even less respect for their elders, persons of authority or even their own parents. However, it is not surprising that we have the nation we have today. It’s not all the fault of the people in the Ivory towers in Washington D.C. Maybe you should take a long look at what comes through your computers and your lips, all within ear shot of today’s youth.
Please remember our heroes who fight on the front lines of the war on terror in Afghanistan and Iraq and throughout this dangerous planet today. They are fighting for our freedoms and security and for those who are freedom loving citizens throughout the world.
