Re-valuating Terrorism...

In the last 15 years, there have been three major terrorist attacks in the United States. First, the initial attack on the World Trade Center. Second, the attack in Oklahoma City. Finally, the attack that caused the collapse of Tower 1 and 2 on September 11, 2001. In 1993, The first bombings at the trade center were written off inconsequential. In 1994, The Oklahoma City bombing was dealt with as a matter of domestic hostility, and dealt with under the criminal law and sentenced to death. The destruction of the World Trade Center towers 1 and 2 is a wholly different story, and we all know how that part of history played out.

Now, September 11 is invoked by politicians to draw support for their cause. What is perverse about the use of a national tragedy is its transformation into propaganda. The evolution of employing this kind of rhetoric has lead to Unconstitutional Presidential action. This change in focus really does make terrorism seem like a political ploy, a movement of fear used by those in power to stay in power. To some extent, it makes sense considering the fairly small odds (towards the bottom) of even being personally involved in an act of terrorism on U.S. soil. Don't get me wrong, security is important to defend ourselves, but the reality remains that the Bush Administration continues to use the War Rhetoric to support his regime. Now this intellectual absurdity is spilling over to the pseudo-political regurgitation of partisan politicians. I think Ned Lamont puts things into interesting perspective.

Would it shock the American people that the Bush administration escalated the time table to foil the most recent terrorist plot this month? Or, that the President paved the way for Israel's attack on Hezbollah? Probably not. The problem is that American Citizens keep falling for the trap, and keep depending on a President who misleads the public under the auspices of paternal protectionism when the real goal is expanding executive power at the expense of individual liberty. This flies in the face what the founders envisioned.

It's time for this abuse to stop. Wake-up America! In today's world we cannot cower in fear, willfully giving up freedom. Fear laden politics breads the kind of New York neurosis made popular by sitcoms like Seinfeld and turns otherwise reasonable human beings into docile and subservient sheep. We can't change the tide of the times by continuing on the current path. The U.S. needs new foreign policy that does not alienate the rest of the world. That, at least, would be a start.