It is September 11th, 2011, and once again the painful anniversary of one of the most tragic events in modern North America consumes the mind. The total destruction of the World Trade Center Twin Towers and the loss of thousands of lives in an unprecedented, choreographed attack by extremists remains a terrorist attack unparallelled in the history of the United States. As the bell tolls at Ground Zero and countless names are read once more, it seems nothing must remain unsaid except the truth.
At Incoming Bytes we can only offer condolences and prayers for families that lost loved ones. We can only remember in silence the desperation, fear and confusion on the faces of people watching this horrific event unfold on television--a surreal happening that affected everyone as the news was updated instantly. Terrible images, being played over and over, relentlessly and cruelly destroyed any doubt that remained. We can only relive those terrible moments.
Tears welled up in the eyes of the helpless; anger rose, disbelief overwhelming reason as it became clear the tragedy was not a terrible mistake, not raw television entertainment, but reality. Stunned silence spoke of fear at the shocking transition.
The fact is, the warm, fuzzy illusion of reality and the error of believing in normal life has changed forever as many questions remain unanswered today, ten years later.
What really happened? Why? Where did this evil originate? Was it foreign, home-made, or a tangled web of murder and conspiracy to generate fear? Was it the opening salvo of a war on western civilization as we know it? Was it based on a distorted segment of organized, bitter and unforgiving religious dogma bent on giving notice to the world to convert or die? Was it a declaration of war upon an unjust, unsustainable global economic system? Here at Incoming Bytes The reader is encouraged to make conclusions by observation. Think.
The bottom line increasingly seems to suggest the truth has not yet come out, and is unlikely to be revealed in my lifetime. Each of us in careful reflection must draw our own uniqe bottom line-- and attempt to come to our own conclusions. Media spin, political lies, and distorted fact coupled with willful, evil intent is not helpful in ascertaining truth. Inevitably, the truth must come out as it always does, but meantime, let us collectively mature and admit our true feelings.
The bottom line, then immediately becomes more clear. To me it is based not only on the stark reality of 10 years ago, and the unimaginable event unfolding, but also the strange, unbelievable and terrible contradiction observed in humanity itself.
I must be honest. Ten years later, on this anniversary, I once again reflect in silence, knowing nothing can change the past, yet I remain angry. Why? The bottom line is painfully obvious and very simple. Like the people surrounding me in the waiting room, collectively numbed by the unbelievable horror of the unfolding event before us, I was in the gentle company of wonderful people trying desperately to save the life of a loved one -- in the cancer unit of a hospital-- watching with tears in my eyes---while incomprehensibly arrogant, bitter, devious and evil people secretly rejoiced at the mindless and brutal killing of thousands of innocent people--for nothing. The old adage 'know thyself' comes to mind, and the fact is, I do not know how to accommodate that unfathomable lack of humanity other than by faith in our Lord.
May they be forgiven.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Showing posts with label terrorism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label terrorism. Show all posts
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Saturday, January 15, 2011
EXILE: Is the Revival of an old punishment a Solution to Home-Grown Terrorists?
There is a growing problem the west must face, and soon.
Civilized western countries are sadly discovering“home-grown” terrorists within their borders, radicalized individuals holding passports and legal citizenship by being born or naturalized in Canada, the United States, France, Germany or England.
Some individuals have already been found guilty of planning terrorist attacks on their respective countries in spite of the fact they should clearly pledge allegiance instead of training and planning treasonous, death-dealing terrorist attacks upon the innocent within their borders.
The Asian Times Online, based in Hong Kong, citing Taliban sources, has recently reported that as many as a dozen Canadians were being trained “for jihad” in Pakistan by al Quaida. These recalcitrant individuals were reportedly being specially trained for attacks within large cities in Canada. (1)
“The Canadian RCMP and their security and intelligence partners” are reportedly investigating the information. The report adds that other westerners from the U.S, Britain, and Germany area also being trained for jihad in North Waziristan, Pakistan, which borders on Afghanistan. The Canadians reportedly joined Jihad al-Islami, an Egyptian terrorist organization.
Canada is not alone with this problem. As many as 30 or 40 “hardcore terrorists” from Germany are known to be in the same area of Pakistan. “A spokeswoman for Germany's Federal Criminal Police office said in October there was "concrete evidence" that 70 German citizens had undergone terror training in Pakistan’s lawless border region and that about a third of the militants had returned to Germany.”(1)
Returned to Germany? The question must be posed, “Why were they allowed to return to Germany?” Will the radicalized, terrorist-minded Canadians now also be allowed to innocently “return” to Canada to carry out their terrorist attacks any time they wish ?
Let us give our heads a shake. The western world needs to remove the blinders it is now wearing. The concept of treason comes to mind.
Treason has been known to be punishable by death in times past. The death sentence was usually carried out by “hanging by the neck until dead”. It sounds kind of barbaric, but do fanatic suicide bombers that kill or maim thousands of people annually care if their own terrorist activities are “barbaric”? No.
Regardless, in civilized countries, the concept of “an eye for an eye” and a death sentence inflicted is considered to be repulsive to the majority of peace-loving people. That was not always so. .
I remain unconvinced that modern society retains the stomach for applying the death sentence even to radicalized individuals who, only a few years ago, might have been quickly hung for treason or murder, and a few centuries prior to that, may have been disemboweled, drawn and quartered with their remains “spread to the corners of the kingdom”, their heads left to dry on tall pike-poles as a deterrent to any new would-be perpetrators. Some found “less guilty” may have been chained in dungeons until they became repentant skeletons.
So be it. Times have changed. What can be done now?
I fail to see how any civilized society should be required to feed and care for such evil individuals, maintained in a nice federal penitentiary, a dark dungeon or otherwise, with a nice warm bed, television, good books, education, rehabilitation, and entertainment provided to them even for a day, much less for a lifetime of luxury and enough time to foment other evil, destructive plans.
Modern times demand different solutions.
Back in the “good old days” as punishment for any number of crimes, such recalcitrant, evil or misguided individuals might also have been exiled, banned permanently from a village or city, or in the extreme, shipped off to live elsewhere offshore quite uncomfortably, never to be allowed to return to their homes under any circumstance. The basic concept was to ship convicted individuals to live where they can ultimately harm no one but themselves. Great Britain shipped thousands of convicts and criminals to Australia.
Is it time for civilized nations to begin using the same legal process once more? Let us evaluate whether complete removal of these individuals from our society and country will act as a deterrent. Most Canadians believe that living in Canada is a privilege, not a God-given right and it involves responsibilities, demands loyalty rather than deception, and most certainly should not permit treason, terrorist activities, and murderous acts.
“ Sir, do you wish to be a fanatic? You have been trained for terrorist Jihadist attacks upon Canadians? You are hereby deemed to have willfully abused and discarded your rights and privileges as a Canadian. As of today, you are no longer a Canadian citizen..... Hereafter, within a period of 24 hours, you shall be shipped off to live elsewhere, in a third-world hole of your choice, and you shall remain there for the rest of your natural life. Do not try to return to Canada under the penalty of death. ...... “ Bye-bye”.... “Next case!”
Perhaps we really should revive the concept of permanent exile. It just might be worth a try.
(1) http://ca.news.yahoo.com/rcmp-probe-report-saying-canadians-training-al-qaida-20110114-194834-598.html
Civilized western countries are sadly discovering“home-grown” terrorists within their borders, radicalized individuals holding passports and legal citizenship by being born or naturalized in Canada, the United States, France, Germany or England.
Some individuals have already been found guilty of planning terrorist attacks on their respective countries in spite of the fact they should clearly pledge allegiance instead of training and planning treasonous, death-dealing terrorist attacks upon the innocent within their borders.
The Asian Times Online, based in Hong Kong, citing Taliban sources, has recently reported that as many as a dozen Canadians were being trained “for jihad” in Pakistan by al Quaida. These recalcitrant individuals were reportedly being specially trained for attacks within large cities in Canada. (1)
“The Canadian RCMP and their security and intelligence partners” are reportedly investigating the information. The report adds that other westerners from the U.S, Britain, and Germany area also being trained for jihad in North Waziristan, Pakistan, which borders on Afghanistan. The Canadians reportedly joined Jihad al-Islami, an Egyptian terrorist organization.
Canada is not alone with this problem. As many as 30 or 40 “hardcore terrorists” from Germany are known to be in the same area of Pakistan. “A spokeswoman for Germany's Federal Criminal Police office said in October there was "concrete evidence" that 70 German citizens had undergone terror training in Pakistan’s lawless border region and that about a third of the militants had returned to Germany.”(1)
Returned to Germany? The question must be posed, “Why were they allowed to return to Germany?” Will the radicalized, terrorist-minded Canadians now also be allowed to innocently “return” to Canada to carry out their terrorist attacks any time they wish ?
Let us give our heads a shake. The western world needs to remove the blinders it is now wearing. The concept of treason comes to mind.
Treason has been known to be punishable by death in times past. The death sentence was usually carried out by “hanging by the neck until dead”. It sounds kind of barbaric, but do fanatic suicide bombers that kill or maim thousands of people annually care if their own terrorist activities are “barbaric”? No.
Regardless, in civilized countries, the concept of “an eye for an eye” and a death sentence inflicted is considered to be repulsive to the majority of peace-loving people. That was not always so. .
I remain unconvinced that modern society retains the stomach for applying the death sentence even to radicalized individuals who, only a few years ago, might have been quickly hung for treason or murder, and a few centuries prior to that, may have been disemboweled, drawn and quartered with their remains “spread to the corners of the kingdom”, their heads left to dry on tall pike-poles as a deterrent to any new would-be perpetrators. Some found “less guilty” may have been chained in dungeons until they became repentant skeletons.
So be it. Times have changed. What can be done now?
I fail to see how any civilized society should be required to feed and care for such evil individuals, maintained in a nice federal penitentiary, a dark dungeon or otherwise, with a nice warm bed, television, good books, education, rehabilitation, and entertainment provided to them even for a day, much less for a lifetime of luxury and enough time to foment other evil, destructive plans.
Modern times demand different solutions.
Back in the “good old days” as punishment for any number of crimes, such recalcitrant, evil or misguided individuals might also have been exiled, banned permanently from a village or city, or in the extreme, shipped off to live elsewhere offshore quite uncomfortably, never to be allowed to return to their homes under any circumstance. The basic concept was to ship convicted individuals to live where they can ultimately harm no one but themselves. Great Britain shipped thousands of convicts and criminals to Australia.
Is it time for civilized nations to begin using the same legal process once more? Let us evaluate whether complete removal of these individuals from our society and country will act as a deterrent. Most Canadians believe that living in Canada is a privilege, not a God-given right and it involves responsibilities, demands loyalty rather than deception, and most certainly should not permit treason, terrorist activities, and murderous acts.
“ Sir, do you wish to be a fanatic? You have been trained for terrorist Jihadist attacks upon Canadians? You are hereby deemed to have willfully abused and discarded your rights and privileges as a Canadian. As of today, you are no longer a Canadian citizen..... Hereafter, within a period of 24 hours, you shall be shipped off to live elsewhere, in a third-world hole of your choice, and you shall remain there for the rest of your natural life. Do not try to return to Canada under the penalty of death. ...... “ Bye-bye”.... “Next case!”
Perhaps we really should revive the concept of permanent exile. It just might be worth a try.
(1) http://ca.news.yahoo.com/rcmp-probe-report-saying-canadians-training-al-qaida-20110114-194834-598.html
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)