Posted on 09/13/2001 11:54:38 PM PDT by kristinn
Recently, some well known posters on FR have stated that criticism of the Bush administration is treasonous and cause for those critics to be arrested under martial law. Those comments have been cheered by dozens of other active FReepers.
I am watching Free Republic turn into a totalitarian groupthink of the kind that the left used to unjustly smear us with when we criticized the Clinton administration.
Good people like Alan Keyes and Larry Klayman who stood tall and faithful with FR for years, and posters who supported them, have been crucified as heretics and run out of the FR family for daring to criticize the Bush administration.
The forum is now dominated by vicious Bush supporters with an 'Us versus Them' mentality against fellow conservatives. The desire to root out government corruption and advance conservative causes has been replaced with a bloodlust and blacklisting for those who don't worship the Bush administration like they do. This situation has been going on for awhile, but it has gotten out of hand with this week's terrorist attacks.
Now, with regards to the present situation, I'd like to pose some questions: Why were all passenger flights grounded for almost three days since the attacks so that new security procedures could be put in place? If our air traffic safety was so secure before, why is there a perceived problem now ? Could it be that it wasn't really that safe ?
Where were our intelligence services ? Why did we have Clinton holdover DCI, George Tenent, doing the work of the Secretary of State in the Middle East instead of cleaning up the wreckage of the past eight years ?
How is it that foreign terrorists can go to flight school in the U.S., plot and carry out a complicated, coordinated massive assault involving several dozen conspirators against two vital American facilities without being detected ?
How is it that four hijacked planes flew unmolested and unchallenged by neither our air traffic control system or our military ?
We have experienced a massive failure of our almighty-two-trillion-dollar-peacekeeper-of-everywhere-but-home-bipartisan-protection-racket-federal government.
Thousands upon thousands of our fellow citizens are dead because of this failure to detect or intercept these heinous terrorist acts during either the months before or the hours of their execution.
The federal government lulled us into thinking that those silly questions (is this your luggage ?) and an ID check at the gate made flying safe. All the while there were gaping holes in our defenses.
They let us down.
The purpose; the job; the responsibility of the federal government is set forth in the preamble to the Constitution:
WE THE PEOPLE of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
The eight corrupt years of President Clinton accompanied by four corrupt, compromised Congresses followed by nine months of a Bush administration that chose to sweep the rot of those years under the rug rather than clean it up has cost us dearly.
For those who say nine months is too short to change things in the government, remember this was the return of the grown-ups to Washington; this was the return of wise, experienced old hands such as Dick Cheney, Don Rumsfeld, Colin Powell, John Ashcroft and former President Bush; this was the era of the rising stars like Condi Rice, Karl Rove, and Karen Hughes. They chose to 'move on', not clean up.
In the aftermath of the attacks, it appears that the Executive and Legislative branches of our constitutional republic are finally bearing their responsibilties as they should. Except that while they call this attack an act of war, they are refusing to actually declare war.
The terrorists and those who aided and abetted them bear full responsibilty for the deaths and destruction and should pay with their lives and their cities.
But the federal government bears responsibility for leaving this nation and its citizens so vulnerable. Saying that is not treasonous--it is said out of patriotism and borne of a love of this Great Nation and a desire to see it survive.
One of Free Republic's greatest strengths has been the freedom to ask the hard questions of our government. It would be a crime to lose this freedom to any mob of posters, especially in this time of crisis.
I support President Bush, but I reserve the right to criticize him without my patriotism being called into doubt.
And if so, what the heck are going to do about that now? Throw them out? What makes you think thier replacements would be better? They could even be worse. Old Chinese proverb, "Don't fix blame fix problem." And Klayman is an idiot.
NO! They are not dead because AMERICAS "failure to detect". They are dead because a bunch of SICK TERRORISTS decided their lives were worthless because they were AMERICAN and didn't give a crap because the only thing that mattered to the terrorists was going to their 'heaven' in a blaze so they could greet 'allah' and have sex with anyone they wanted to in 'heaven'. Never forget.
The federal government lulled us into thinking that those silly questions (is this your luggage ?) and an ID check at the gate made flying safe. All the while there were gaping holes in our defenses.
The federal government has regulations but they do not own the airlines. We do not live in a communist country. Well, the airlines will be very secure now...arrive 2 hours ahead of time...no curbside luggage...show government ID...no carry-on luggage...etc. Happy now?
They let us down.
"They" are people. "They" are not machines. "They" had friends and family affected by this attack. "They" are AMERICANS, just like you.
The purpose; the job; the responsibility of the federal government is set forth in the preamble to the Constitution: We the people
It says WE THE PEOPLE not the "federal government"....We the people....................
Believe it or not, plans are NOT traced every step of their flight. Why should the terorist siezed planes have been intercepted ? Were any MayDays sent ? NO ! Was there any hint of trouble prior to the WTC kamakazi hit ? Absolutely not !
How could some of the terrorists go to flight school here ? They enrolled. They paid their fees, and went to class. That's how. They certainly didn't tell theer instructors : " Hey man, I'm gonna highjack a plane ... that's why I need to know how to learn how to fly one. Big surprise, Kristen, this is a FREE COUNTRY ! We didn't have any reason to suspect this scenario. What should we have done ?
Maybe you would like all schools to deny entrance anyone who isn't blonde, blue eyed, and six feet tall , and can prove that their ancestors fought in the Revolution , by supplying corroborating DNA ? Would THAT please you ? Frankly, I just can not see why you would even imagine that some of the things you have raised have any merit, let alone an answer.
Personally, I detest the " droolers ", the syciphantic group , who are just as bad as the Cintonistas , whom they despised. OTOH, likewise, I also detest those whose presidential candidates not only did not win , but who had less chance than Nader of garnishing a microsipic vote, who continually find fault with EVERYTHING, probably even President Bush's breathing, that he has or has not done. Both camps, though the opposite sides of one coin, are doing a disservice to this site, and to this nation.
This post of your's , especailly at this time, is just adding fuel to an already roaring fire. It's an embarassment ; as are so many of the extranious, banal, and unnecessary, ego driven vanities that have stalled FR , for the past two days.
"Tempted though some may be to glean talking points from the tragedy, this is no time for sermonizing about failed intelligence or soured imperialism. This is a season for a heartsick nation to mourn our fallen and commend our heroes. Details will surface soon enough, but they won't fill empty chairs at dinner tables. Buildings can be reconstructed; broken families cannot."
Yes, I can see how this is narrow minded and dangerous...we wouldn't want to show respect for our dead or exercise a modest level of decency.
Bush Jr. is merely the latest practitioner of this misguided mess.
As for the die hard Pubbies censors on this forum, Pat Buchanan sure has America's immigration policy wrong, eh?
Thousands upon thousands of our fellow citizens are dead because of this failure to detect or intercept these heinous terrorist acts during either the months before or the hours of their execution.
The federal government lulled us into thinking that those silly questions (is this your luggage ?) and an ID check at the gate made flying safe. All the while there were gaping holes in our defenses.
They let us down.
Would you have preferred cameras in every toilet peering up your anus?
Really, that's it. Many here would apparently welcome a Hitler who promised genocide of all Muslims. (And Hitler didn't even talk about genocide up front.)
I think we are seeing the worst human mentality emerge. However I'm hoping it's only a temporary aberration due to extreme emotions.
That's not true. And they're working around the clock right now to find out who's responsible. How about putting the old grudges on hold for a while, and showing the support they deserve?
Your freeping of the White House has been admirable, but that does not give you a pass to be unfair, and this tasteless.
Pat Buchanan.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.