USE AT YOUR OWN RISK!

Just when I was getting comfortable with online banking and putting my files in the cloud, NSA comes along and breaks down the encryption codes designed to make the Internet secure. As I recall, NSA refers to the National Security Agency. That's strange. A government agency which is supposed to make me feel more secure has now made my Internet activities less secure. I'm told it is their way of catching the bad guys. That may be so, but if the price for security is to give up security, then we may be heading down the wrong path. It is comparable to throwing out the concept that "Its better that 10 guilty men go free than one innocent man is wrongfully convicted". I think that in the future any secure Internet web site should be required to publish the  disclaimer, "USE AT YOUR OWN RISK!"

You can't have your cake and eat it too

In the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombing, it is not surprising that once again we will seek measures to protect ourselves from domestic violence. Once again, we will be frustrated that in doing so we will sacrifice some cherished liberties. Frank Bruni’s New York Times, 4/27 Op-Ed column, “The Lesson of Boston” puts it all in perspective.

As Mr. Bruni concluded:

“While we can and will figure out small ways to be safer, we have to come to terms with the reality that we’ll never be safe, not with unrestricted travel through cyberspace. Not with the Second Amendment. Not with the privacy we expect. Not with the liberty we demand.

That’s the bargain we’ve made. It’s imperfect, but it’s the right one.”

It is a sad commentary that there are those in this world who would prey upon the innocent to advance their own bloodthirsty agendas. They have always existed and unfortunately always will. There are measures we can take to make our lives safer but as the battle moves forward which should remember that old cliché, “you can’t have your cake and eat it too”.

Of Pessimists,Realists And Optimists

Monday morning; a new week. Will wonders never cease; the sun is shining. The optimist in me says that it will be a week bereft of tragedies. The realist in me insists that I modify that last statement to "a week bereft of major tragedies". Demanding equal time, the pessimist in me says that the worse is yet to come. To hell with the pessimist! Humor the realist! Long live the optimist!

Cherry Picking Constitutional Rights

Dzhokhnar Tsamaev, the alleged Boston Marathon bomber, is being held by the FBI and apparently has not been Mirandized. Just as the Second Amendment gives American Citizens the right to bear arms, the Constitution provides rights for those accused of a crime. They have the right to remain silent, and the right to an attorney. The right to bear arms is interpreted literally by those opposing legislation intended to curb gun violence. The right to remain silent and the right to an attorney is treated more liberally. If public safety is involved, these Miranda rights can be waived in an effort to get information from the accused. This smells of hypocrisy. Massacres involving guns do not warrant the passage of legislation limiting the right to bear arms. Massacres involving bombs do warrant a delay in reading the accused his rights. If limiting  the rights of an accused American citizen in the interest of public safety is justified, why is it not justified to implement meaningful background checks in order to reduce gun violence in the interest of public safety? Was the Boston Marathon massacre anymore heinous than the Newtown massacre? It made more noise, but that is hardly a reason for it receiving more attention. The Newtown dead are as dead as the Boston dead. Picking and choosing  what rights we are willing to compromise is a dangerous game. I do not disagree with delaying Miranda rights to gain information on the source of bomb materials and the whereabouts of possibly additional bombs. I do not agree that the right to bear arms is infringed by efforts to limit their possession to responsible citizens.

All terrorists were not created equal

We are angry and mortified that 'terrorists', foreign or domestic committed a crime against humanity at the finish line of the Boston Marathon and well we should be. It is ironic that at the same time the Senate found it difficult to garner enough votes to pass a watered down gun control bill which at least provided for expanded background checks. In view of the Newtown massacre, one would have thought that some form of gun control legislation would sail through Congress much as the Patriot Act did after 9/11. Apparently when it comes to legislation, in the eyes of Congress all terrorists were not created equal.

About Drones

Much has been made of President Obama and his gaffe on a metaphor he used last Friday, March 1. During his news conference, Obama said some people unfairly expected him to be able to force Republicans to accept his terms. “Even though most people agree... I’m presenting a fair deal, the fact that they don’t take it means that I should somehow do a Jedi mind-meld with these folks and convince them to do what’s right,” he said. He goofed when he confused "Star Wars" with " Star Trek" ( I must admit that it was lost on me). Regardless, this man more and more appears to be an aficionado of "Star Wars" and "Star Trek" weaponry. His administration has gone for drones in a big way. Drones are the weapon of choice not only in Afghanistan and Pakistan but reportedly are hovering in the beautiful, spacious skies over amber waves of grain. between the purple mountain majesties, above the fruited plain of America.

The era of the drone may very well herald Star Wars , Obama style. As with the atomic bomb, justification for this new weapon is that it will save the lives of our soldiers as we combat insurgents, terrorists and mass killers at home and throughout the world. The day is not far off, when conflict among nations will be like playing a video game. I daresay that in this type of conflict, civilians will bear the brunt of war like they never have before. As with nuclear weapons of mass destruction, the day will come when the United Nations will be debating the necessity for drone control - and with similar results. I wonder how long it will be before we have rogue drones?

I'm all for saving the lives of our military. I'm just not comfortable with the decision making process being used  to determine how and when drones will be deployed. I wish I could do Jedi mind-meld with the folks with their finger on the red button and convince them to do what's right.

Arab Spring Revisited

The harvest season is over and still nowhere in the bounty is there a sign of any meaningful yield from the seeds sowed during the Arab Spring. Tunisia's Prime Minister has warned the West that the transition to democracy has run into political and economic obstacles and the West must provide more financial backing "before it's too late".  President Morsi of Egypt has assumed dictatorial powers. Apparently Egypt has replaced a  dictator with strong military ties with a dictator with strong religious ties. Libya has become a haven for terrorists as shown by the deadly attack on the U.S. embassy last month in Benghazi.

 The road to democracy is full of bumps and wrong turns but I doubt that democracy as we know it will ever be a fruit of the Arab Spring. To achieve any workable degree of a democratic society, Arabs must break the stranglehold that religion holds over their destiny.

Whoever said that democracy as we know it is the answer for meaningful human rights reform in the Arab world? Taxpayer dollars and American lives do not build democracies. At best they help instill stability.  That is the Gospel according to Tony this Sunday morning. Go in peace.

The killing of al-Awlaki

The killing of Anwar al-Awlaki on Friday in Yemen by American drones is being questioned as to its constitutionality. An American was killed without the benefit of a trial.

Al-Awlaki was an American by reason of birth on American soil. Is an American committed to Jihad really an American? One could make the argument that such a person is an American traitor and because of his responsibility in the taking of American lives and his admitted guilt thereof he convicted himself without the formality of a trial. I’m sure it is not quite that simple and the argument over the constitutionality of last Friday’s action will go on ad infinitum.

Before anyone is tempted to raise his voice in anger or shed any tears over the killing of an Anwar al-Awlaki , let them consider the loss of American lives in Afghanistan and Iraq, the loss of American  lives on 9/11, the loss of lives at Fort Hood.  Muslim extremists are dedicated to Jihad and the taking of American lives. They have loyalty only to  a bloody version of their religion. They have no loyalty to a nation. If an American life is taken by our counter terrorism efforts as in the case of  al-Awlaki, let's remember that it was the life of a practising Jihadist not a practising American.

Perhaps it would help if Washington formally clarifies what is meant by the War on Terror and to what extent we are prepared to go in order to protect our national security. Both the President and Congress need to formally approve such a declaration. Any war worth fighting warrants a Declaration of War.  

Bin Laden Is Dead! Jihad Lives!

Headlines galore - Osama Bin Laden Is Dead! Countless stories about 9/11. Celebrations at Ground Zero. Yet, there is something missing. Unless it is buried in some news article, there have been no  reports of a Muslim leader strongly condemning Bin Laden for his crimes. American Muslims especially must come forward in no uncertain terms to condemn Bin Laden and all he stood for. There will be no closure for 9/11 until this happens. Furthermore, until Jihad is put to death by Islam, we will have every reason to remain vigilant concerning the threat of terrorism.

al-Qaeda's Real Damage

al-Qaeda's blow to this country on 9/11/01 was more than the destruction of 3000 lives and some real estate. Unwittingly the terrorists set into motion a mentality of fear in the American electorate which ensured the reelection of George Bush and consequently provided the right wing policies which have brought the country to the brink of economic meltdown.