2 Letters to the Editor in 11 Days - A Personal Record

[AnklePocket]

The following were in large regional papers today and a week and a half ago in Liberalville. My next will be a very, very good response to the anti's as soon as they act up. I'm just lying in wait. Their cause will be better served if they keep it to themselves because I'm very ready. I've tried to stop, but I can't seem to be able to.

No one is more outraged by unprofessional military conduct than the 99.9% of the highly professional military personnel out there working hard on behalf of us all. Concerning the Iraqi prisoner scandal (and any other issue) it's quite certain that the military is much more capable of policing their own than the sea of Monday morning quarterbacks who weren't even there.
Maybe the tens of thousands killed so far would still be alive today if the angry liberal left thought about anything other than themselves.

and

Make no mistake about it: The terrorists are here in the United States. Pacifying them as the liberals suggest will not make them go away. Killing them will and is the only option.
Fortunately, we have a President in Mr. Bush who understands this. He's not perfect, but he's the best that we have. His shortcoming is his failure in explaining what the jihad really is.
The extremists want us dead and their numbers are growing like wildfire. Our way of life is a threat to their utopian illusion. We are a good people, but these fanatics do not tolerate freedom. We, in effect, make them look bad just by exercising our basic human rights.
It's time for Americans to band together just like we did for a few weeks following 9/11 and oppose the anti-war-on-terror activists who will stop at nothing in their quest for political power. They seek to weaken our nation in the same exact manner that got us all into this mess in the first place.
The enemy is here and they are ready. Are you?

 

[Standing Wolf]

The terrorists are here in the United States. Pacifying them as the liberals suggest will not make them go away. Killing them will and is the only option.

Well, except for maiming. I could make a case for crippling them, sending them back, and letting them serve as examples to wannabe terrorist savages.

 

[buy guns]

Well, except for maiming. I could make a case for crippling them, sending them back, and letting them serve as examples to wannabe terrorist savages.

i agree.

but then we would be torturers and no better than the terrorists

 

[AnklePocket]

Maiming's fine. Not to be overly serious, but I saw the Twin Towers on 9/11 from a panoramic view from the NJ turnpike. I just happened to be there right at that exact moment. Of course, those who jumped from the 100th floor were much worse off than I.
Yes, maiming is good too. I've got no problem at all with that. It's part of that "Never Forget" thing. Wonder if more liberals will "convert" once another attack occurs. Just wondering - that's all. There's nothing to read into. Just a random irrelevent thought.

 

[SodiumBenzoate]

The problem with what is happening, in my view, is a lack of due process.

Fine, arrest suspected terrorists. That's a good thing.

Holding them for many months or years without even having a hearing? That's very bad. Unacceptable.

If the government is so darn sure they are terrorists, why are they too scared to give them a fair trial?

That's just my take on the matter, and I won't even consider supporting Bush until that is stopped, along with a few other issues not relating to this topic.

 

[AnklePocket]

You may be correct, but since I'm not there I can't report back with 100% certainty. I'm a Bush supporter, though, but that's just me.

 

[Standing Wolf]

The problem with what is happening, in my view, is a lack of due process.

American citizens are entitled to due process. Foreigners aren't—or at least, shouldn't be.

I wasn't entirely serious about maiming. Realistically speaking, I think it's better just to hang terrorist savages and let it go at that.

 

[AnklePocket]

Since this thread lives on - just got this from a buddy who can also speak from experience (I've edited out some of the non taking-the-high-road sentiments). Appologies for drifting a bit from forum rules, but this is about a 10 out of 10 on the serious scale and I've never seen it explained so clearly.:

OK you whining, panty-waisted, pathetic maggots. It's time for a little refresher course on exactly why we Americans occassionally have to fight wars. See if you can tear yourself away from your "reality" TV and Starbucks for a minute, pull your head our of your flabby ass and LISTEN UP!
This [Iraqi prisoner scandal picture] is not "torture" or an "atrocity". This is the kind of thing frat boys, sorority girls and Academy cadets do to newcomers. A little fun at someone else's expense. Certainly no reason to wring your hands or get your panties in a wad. Got that Kennedy?
This is an atrocity [use your imagination].
Which part don't you get?
Millions of these sons-of-bitches are plotting as we speak to destroy our country and our way of life any way they can. Some of them are here among us now. They don't want to convert you and don't want to rule you.
You are a vile infestation of Allah's paradise. They don't give a hoot how "progressive" you are, how peace-loving you are or how much you sympathize with their cause.
They want you dead and think it is God's will for them to do it. And you think Bush and Ashcroft are your worst enemies?
John Kerry thinks if he gives them a hug or listens to them that they'll like us... And you agree? You dumb-ass.
If they manage to get their hands on a nuke, chemical agents or even some anthrax you will wish to God we had hunted them down and killed them while we had the chance.
Stop bitch'in about your health care, social security, gas prices and your measly 6% unemployment rate and start worrying about your, your family's and your friends' asses.
How many more Americans must be beheaded before you stop blaming Bush for all of your troubles and grow some balls for a change.
You've fallen asleep again, maggots, and you may not get another chance.

 

[Flyboy]

American citizens are entitled to due process. Foreigners aren't—or at least, shouldn't be.

Funny, my copy of the Constitution says nothing about "citizens," merely persons. To wit:

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

and

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.

No person, and all criminal prosecutions. There's nothing in there about restricting those rights to citizens; indeed, the spirit upon which this country was founded is one of equality between all men: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights,..." All men, unalienable Rights.

I tend to agree with the parent poster: if these people are so bad and evil and scary and clearly guilty, then a trial ought to be a cakewalk.
Remember, we went over there to remove a tyrant and bring liberty. This is our golden opportunity to shine, and to showcase our system for preserving the Rights of the people; let's don't screw this one up.

 

[Iain]

American citizens are entitled to due process. Foreigners aren't?or at least, shouldn't be.

I could be way off base here but hear me out if you will. I thought that many of you regard the BoR and aspects of the Constitution as recognised rights rather than granted rights - after all what is granted can be taken away.

So are they recognised rights for just the people who happen to be US citizens or do all people have those same basic rights? If it is the latter then aren't all people arrested in the US subject to the same due process that American citizens are?

----------

As for Abu Ghraib:

Imagine that you were given the choice of:

A) Being shredded
B) Being sexually humiliated

You'd chose B right? We all would. Yet some of you are coming to the conclusion that because B is better than A then B must be ok. This ignores the fact that under our 'regime' there should be a third choice.

C) Neither

 

[SodiumBenzoate]

American citizens are entitled to due process.

Yep. And an American citizen (suspected terrorist) has been held for over a year.

Without charges.

 

[targetshootr]

"...we went over there to remove a tyrant and bring liberty. This is our golden opportunity to shine, and to showcase our system for preserving the Rights of the people; let's don't screw this one up."

Well said, Flyboy, but a I think we already screwed it up. By militarily engaging a third tier enemy, we played right into the hands of the real badguys'. The recent flip-flopping might pull a rabbit out of the hat, but it ain't looking good so far. I wrote to a columnist yesterday who imagined Colin Powell as president. Which won't happen but if he had run in 2000, think of all the things we would have done right and how much less bickering there would be between red and blue folks. As Sec of State he has played the good soldier and supported policies that ran against his own doctrine and lost his chance being remembered by history for more than his speech at the UN. He let us down as have a lot of people.
The prison abuse scandal was counterproductive policy. For little if any intel we gave the badguys their own version of 'Remember the Alamo' and 'Uncle Osama Wants You!' and left hundreds or thousands with seething resentment which will come back to haunt us. Cost ineffective, as they say.