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When Will We Learn?
By Harry Browne
9-12-1
The terrorist attacks against America comprise a horrible tragedy. But
they shouldn't be a surprise.
It is well known that in war, the first casualty is truth -- that during any
war truth is forsaken for propaganda. But sanity was a prior casualty: it
was the loss of sanity that led to war in the first place.
Our foreign policy has been insane for decades. It was only a matter of
time until Americans would have to suffer personally for it. It is a terrible
tragedy of life that the innocent so often have to suffer for the sins of the
guilty.
When we will learn that we can't allow our politicians to bully the world
without someone bullying back eventually?
President Bush has authorized continued bombing of innocent people in
Iraq. President Clinton bombed innocent people in the Sudan,
Afghanistan, Iraq, and Serbia. President Bush Senior invaded Iraq and
Panama. President Reagan bombed innocent people in Libya and invaded
Grenada. And on and on it goes.
Did we think the people who lost their families and friends and property
in all that destruction would love America for what happened? When will
we learn that violence always begets violence?
Teaching Lessons
Supposedly, Reagan bombed Libya to teach Muammar al-Qaddafi a
lesson about terrorism. But shortly thereafter a TWA plane was
destroyed over Scotland, and our government is convinced it was
Libyans who did it.
When will we learn that "teaching someone a lesson" never teaches
anything but resentment -- that it only inspires the recipient to greater acts
of defiance.
How many times on Tuesday did we hear someone describe the terrorist
attacks as "cowardly acts"? But as misguided and despicable as they
were, they were anything but cowardly. The people who committed them
knowingly gave their lives for whatever stupid beliefs they held.
But what about the American Presidents who order bombings of innocent
people -- while the Presidents remain completely insulated from any
danger? What would you call their acts?
When will we learn that forsaking truth and reason in the heat of battle
almost always assures that we will lose the battle?
Losing our Last Freedoms
And now, as sure as night follows day, we will be told we must give up
more of our freedoms to avenge what never should have happened in the
first place.
When will we learn that it makes no sense to give up our freedoms in the
name of freedom?
What to Do
What should be done?
First of all, stop the hysteria. Stand back and ask how this could have
happened. Ask how a prosperous country isolated by two oceans could
have so embroiled itself in other people's business that someone would
want to do us harm. Even sitting in the middle of Europe, Switzerland
isn't beset by terrorist attacks, because the Swiss mind their own
business.
Second, resolve that we won't let our leaders use this occasion to commit
their own terrorist acts upon more innocent people, foreign and domestic,
that will inspire more terrorist attacks in the future.
Third, find a way, with enforceable constitutional limits, to prevent our
leaders from ever again provoking this kind of anger against America.
Patriotism?
There are those who will say this article is unpatriotic and un-American -
that this is not a time to question our country or our leaders.
When will we learn that without freedom and sanity, there is no reason to
be patriotic? |
