There is a lot we don’t know. What we do know is around 50 injured and a handful have been killed. Two bombs were detonated and a third was found and disposed.
http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2013/04/15/explosions-near-finish-of-boston-marathon/
The Racist Shooting No One is Really Talking About
Toulouse shootings in France – on March 11, Mohammed Merah began his one man war with France and the west.
First killing a French soldier (who also was Muslim), then he killed two more soldiers. At least his first choices were military targets, I’ve expressed in the past my views on the legitimacy of military targets. The Pentagon was and is a valid target in wartime. However, the third attack went somewhere that sent chills down the spine of the nation, and the world.
Mohammed Merah drove up to a Jewish Day school and shot a killed a Jewish man and two sons, then chased down a 7 year old girl picked her up by her hair and assassinated her at point blank range. The attack was clearly racially and religiously motivated. And perhaps one of the most heinious events witnessed in recent years.
It is such a heart breaking issue. And to be honest, it touches a fiber in my being. When I look at Miriam Monsonego’s photo. I don’t want Mohammed Merah to be dead. That was far too easy for the crime. We have a law against cruel and unusual punishment, but when it comes to such cold and deliberate crimes against children my definition of cruel and unusual does not reach a point of finiteness. Were he tied to a table and tortured continually day after day, I would not consider that cruel or unusual punishment for such a crime.
Call me immoral and I’ll simply respond with one word “Daddy”.
The claim is that this was all done in the name of the children of Palestine. But if we kill children for children, we end up a childless race destined for doom. Taking the life of a child does not bring back the life of another child.
But little does Mohammed Merah realize he has accomplished the exact opposite of his goal. Rather than me being motivated for the Palestinian cause, I am reminded that the Jewish people have been hunting down and brutally murdered everywhere they’ve lived. That they have no escape.
In America we had another recent tragedy that left me outraged. A group of young men entered a house, murdered an Iraqi woman and mother of five and left a racist note. This should not have happened, not in my country. And I hope these culprits are caught and hung. But When I compare the situated, I must conclude that were America society to plummit to an anti-Iraqi state akin to Naz Germany, there is still a nation of Iraq, and numerous other Muslim nations for which Iraqi Americans could flee too.
This is not the case for Jews, or was not, until 1948. They have a long history of unique and peculiar persecution. Oft because of mis-guided religious beliefs that laid the blame of Christ’s death on the Jews – rather than recognizing that Christ himself and all the apostles were Jewish. Yes, Israel takes actions which I feel can be over-the-top and extreme. But acts like Mohhamed Merah’s reminds me why they do that. They’ve been cornered into a wall the size of New Jersey, surrounded by enemies, they have no where safe. And there are ZERO other Jewish states they can flee too. Palestinians are surrounded by Muslim states that share a commonality of beliefs – the Jewish people, not so much. As such, their focus on self-defense has been raised to a very heightened level.
It is also interesting to note that Israel’s understanding of such crimes is not to disarm, but to be armed themselves so as to protect themselves.
Lastly, Mohammed reminds me that the Palestinian cause is led by insane people. When you murder children in the name of murdered children, but then are okay with using a child as a bomb….what is there for me to understand about you?
What most leaves me bothered about this incident is the fact that I am not seeing article after article by Muslim scholar and news reporter condemning this. I do not see any statement on CAIR’s website denouncing the deed. If there are moderate Muslims, (and I do believe there are), they need to be vocal about denouncing Mohammed Merah and his actions. Vocal within their communites and vocal publicly. Yes the are Muslims who are denouncing these tragic events, but there needs to be much more outcry. [Put this in perspective with the Trayvon Martin case, in which the New Black Panthers made calls seemingly advocating potential violence, the vast majority of the black community has come out against such calls.]
So congratulations Mohammed Merah, rather than aiding the Palestinian cause, you just pushed it back farther; you’ve affirmed me that the Jewish people without a doubt need a place to call their own.
“already committed certain infractions, some with violence,”
Western tendency is to be soft on violent criminals. The result is that they often engage in further and more excessive violent action.
[Editor’s Note: This post is likely to be one of my more controversial posts, some may consider it inflammatory. I apologize if you view it that way. But this is how and what these events make me feel. This incident has been on my mind and heart for a few weeks. I just couldn’t really talk about it. Ever since I saw that picture of little Miriam. The world lost a beautiful smile and France lost a national treasure.]
Do you ANY OF the following:
NOTE: I believe this flyer to likely be fake. That just outlines another problem. The problem is the fact that several similar flyers have been released by the government in recent years (with initial ones being assumed to be fake until they were in fact substantiated). So while this may be a fake flyer (causing quite a bit of stir on sites like Slashdot), the real problem lies in the fact that our goverment keeps making such declarations. Losing face with We The People. It’s also possible this was done privately through an educational grant program to teach alertness to terrorism (Grant Number 2007-MU-BX-K002).
People Who:
[X] Are overly concerned about privacy, attempts to shield the screen from view of
others Me: especially when using ATMs.
[X] Always pay cash or use credit card(s) in different name(s) Me: Trying to get rid of credit cards and use more cash. Wife’s got her maiden name, so she must be suspicious too.
[ ] Apparently use tradecraft: lookout, blocker or someone to distract employees Response: I will have to Google what a tradecraft is?
[X] Act nervous or suspicious behavior inconsistent with activities Me: Ah…the challenges of not being a socialite. You just described most of us NERDS.
[ ] Are observed switching SIM cards in cell phone or use of multiple cell phones Response: Mind you, this describes many friends who have personal and work lines.
[ ] Travel illogical distance to use Internet Café Response: Is the internet cafe free? Raises eyebrow inquisitively as he asks “Please define ‘illogical'”.
Activities on Computer indicate:
[X] Evidence of a residential based internet provider (signs on to Comcast, AOL,
etc.) Me: Not even sure what they mean.I mean aren’t there millions of people who use Comcast and AOL. Perhaps this confirms my suspicions that the government now views most Americans as a threat.
[ ] Use of anonymizers, portals, or other means to shield IP address Response: Well gee, most people don’t want their activities followed, especially at online cafes. Of course, it might also mean they have a porn addiction.
[X] Suspicious or coded writings, use of code word sheets, cryptic ledgers, etc. Me: B h0m3 500N 5w33ty ❤
[ ] Encryption or use of software to hide encrypted data in digital photos, etc. ResponseNo but I figure it’s a better place to save a password list than an unencrypted text file.
[X] Suspicious communications using VOIP or communicating through a PC game Me: Crud, you found me out. I used to chat with friends while playing Halo. Oh, did I mention Halo, where you used guns and grenades to fight aliens. Clearly the aliens represent government agencies.
IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW DOES ANY OF THESE THINGS. THEN YOU SHOULD REPORT THEM TO THE PROPER AUTHORITIES
http://info.publicintelligence.net/FBI-SuspiciousActivity/Internet_Cafe.pdf
There was a time when the first thing that came to mine when you said “PARANOID” was some whack hidden in a bunker with lots of guns and room full of MREs. Now I find myself thinking of beauracrats in suits publishing PDFs.
That’s not to say we don’t need to be vigilant. But seriously, how does having to drive past a lit up billboard exclaiming to report any suspicious activity help? I am half expecting the President to announce the formation of the Nightwatch.
If we can’t trust our Senators…who can we trust?
U.S. Senator Rand Paul was stopped by TSA and prevented from boarding a flight. Apparently, he triggered an alarm while going through the body scanner. He refused a pat down, but had offered to go through the scanner again.
It’s pretty sad, when a Senator, son of a Presidential candidate, is unable to board a flight courtesy of the TSA. And while I know that many will say we should all be treated equal, to which I mostly agree, but I must state that if we are really that afraid of our top elected officials being terrorists. Then we have serious, serious, problems.
[UPDATE: May even be some breach of power issues in this case as well.]
SECTION 6 of the Constitution reads “They shall in all Cases, except Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace, be privileged from Arrest during their Attendance at the Session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any Speech or Debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other Place.”
The one good side to this incident is that the Silly TSA agents just gave one of their biggest opponents extra ammunition.
There was a time I was concerned to fly because of Al Quaeda. There was a one in a million chance I might be terrorized. Now, thanks to the TSA, I am nearly guaranteed to be terrorized. I have not flown since the TSA scanner/pat down policies were implemented. Thankfully, I’ve been able to avoid this conflict. My concern is increased with reports that the TSA seems to be increasingly leaving their airports, and train stations to venture onto American highways.
We all talk about lines in the sand. Where do we draw them? How do we draw them? I believe unwarranted random stops, searches and seizures on the part of the TSA violate the Constitution. When should a U.S. citizen simply continue driving in civil disobedience. (Yes, there will be consequences. But there were consequences for Rosa Parks when she rode the bus.)
When does one say enough of the slippery slope? I do not know…but I am greatly saddened that my fear of our own government agencies is surpassing my fear of Al-Quaeda. Is this the “Victory” in the war on terror we were looking for?
Will I one day find myself detained for simply having “Ron Paul 2012” emblazened on my bumper? If so, what do we do America?
One of the biggest reasons I am supporting Ron Paul in this election, is because I believe we are heading toward a tipping point. And we need someone who will absolutely say “We won’t go there.” And for all the talk of candidates, there is only one who has made that stance.
I don’t want to ever have to face my lines in the sand. I know a few of them, that I will not let be crossed. Those pretty much involve the harm and/or detention of my children or wife. Most others are still gray and in the distant fog. I want them to stay that way. I don’t want them to ever be close enough that I will be able to see them defined with their edges.
I want to continue believing in and loving America!
Rahm Emmanuel – scariest man in Washington?
Rahm Emmanuel expresses his plan to eliminate the 2nd Amendment for many Americans without due process. (Video from approx. 2 yrs ago.)
Simply appearing on the “No Fly List” (same list that has had Senators and numerous others names on it and provides no recourse). Americans need to wake up!
***
Rahm, you are the biggest terrorist and threat to America I currently see…
N.U.G.U.N. - New User of GUNs Blog 