Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Our Right to Security - Al Qaeda, not the FBI, is the greater threat
WSJ Opinion Journal ^ | 1/30/2005 | Debra Burlingame

Posted on 01/30/2006 10:06:14 AM PST by SueRae

One of the most excruciating images of the September 11 attacks is the sight of a man who was trapped in one of the World Trade Center towers. Stripped of his suit jacket and tie and hanging on to what appears to be his office curtains, he is seen trying to lower himself outside a window to the floor immediately below. Frantically kicking his legs in an effort to find a purchase, he loses his grip, and falls.

That horrific scene and thousands more were the images that awakened a sleeping nation on that long, brutal morning. Instead of overwhelming fear or paralyzing self-doubt, the attacks were met with defiance, unity and a sense of moral purpose. Following the heroic example of ordinary citizens who put their fellow human beings and the public good ahead of themselves, the country's leaders cast aside politics and personal ambition and enacted the USA Patriot Act just 45 days later.

A mere four-and-a-half years after victims were forced to choose between being burned alive and jumping from 90 stories, it is frankly shocking that there is anyone in Washington who would politicize the Patriot Act. It is an insult to those who died to tell the American people that the organization posing the greatest threat to their liberty is not al Qaeda but the FBI. Hearing any member of Congress actually crow about "killing" or "playing chicken" with this critical legislation is as disturbing today as it would have been when Ground Zero was still smoldering. Today we know in far greater detail what not having it cost us.

(Excerpt) Read more at opinionjournal.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: 911; 911families; alqaeda; alqaida; debraburlingame; dhpl; homelandsecurity; jihad; jihadinamerica; nsa; september112001; spying; terrorism; terrorists
Crystal clear article.
1 posted on 01/30/2006 10:06:17 AM PST by SueRae
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: SueRae

Go Debra! Finally someone telling it like it is!


2 posted on 01/30/2006 10:08:13 AM PST by MNJohnnie (Is there a satire god who created Al Gore for the sole purpose of making us laugh?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SueRae

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1567786/posts


3 posted on 01/30/2006 10:09:31 AM PST by rellimpank (Don't believe anything about firearms or explosives stated by the mass media---NRABenefactor)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SueRae
About the author:

Ms. Burlingame, a former attorney, is the sister of Charles F. "Chic" Burlingame III, the pilot of American Airlines flight 77, which was crashed into the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001.

4 posted on 01/30/2006 10:11:05 AM PST by fullchroma
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SueRae

The urgency, the frenzy, the heat of the moment tends to drive people together to face threats together. Once the urgency goes away, people will not necessarily forget but will become complacent. As far as politicians are concerned, if the politics of the issue don't favor your side then the peripheral issues (such as the Patriot Act or tapping into Al-Qaeda communications) surrounding the main issue are not as important as saving their party or their own jobs. The personal agenda or the party agenda trumps all national security issues or any other issues that would seem to benefit the majority.


5 posted on 01/30/2006 10:18:05 AM PST by adorno
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: StarFan; Dutchy; alisasny; BobFromNJ; BUNNY2003; Cacique; Clemenza; Coleus; cyborg; DKNY; ...
ping!

About the author:

Ms. Burlingame, a former attorney, is the sister of Charles F. "Chic" Burlingame III, the pilot of American Airlines flight 77, which was crashed into the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001.

Please FReepmail me if you want on or off my ‘miscellaneous’ ping list.

6 posted on 01/30/2006 10:50:12 PM PST by nutmeg (NEVER trust democRATs with our national security)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NautiNurse; doug from upland; Mia T; ALOHA RONNIE; jwalsh07; Born Conservative; mhking; ...
About the author:

Ms. Burlingame, a former attorney, is the sister of Charles F. "Chic" Burlingame III, the pilot of American Airlines flight 77, which was crashed into the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001.


7 posted on 01/30/2006 10:52:14 PM PST by nutmeg (NEVER trust democRATs with our national security)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: nutmeg

Good for her!


8 posted on 01/31/2006 4:02:54 AM PST by Peach
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: b4its2late; Recovering_Democrat; Alissa; Pan_Yans Wife; LADY J; mathluv; browardchad; cardinal4; ...

If you have asked to be added to this list, and haven’t been receiving the pings, please let me know. I’ve had a problem with my file synchronization between my home and work computer, and apparently have lost some names on the list. I think I have the problem fixed, and will gladly re-add your name.

9 posted on 01/31/2006 6:50:26 AM PST by Born Conservative (Chronic Positivity: http://www.livejournal.com/users/jsher/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SueRae
 
"FISA's appellate level Court of Review examined the entire statutory scheme for issuing warrants in national security investigations and declared the "wall" a nonsensical piece of legal overkill, based neither on express statutory language nor reasonable interpretation of the FISA statute. The lower court's attempt to micromanage the execution of national security warrants was deemed an assertion of authority which neither Congress or the Constitution granted it. In other words, those lawyers and judges who created, implemented and so assiduously enforced the FISA guidelines were wrong and the American people paid dearly for it."

This article needs to be shouted from the rooftops!


10 posted on 01/31/2006 9:56:26 AM PST by HawaiianGecko (Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SueRae

Thanks for posting. She's a genuine apolitical common sense voice for the WOT and the need for effective homeland defense. Bless her.


11 posted on 02/02/2006 9:12:48 PM PST by dervish (Osama, please hold, I'm trying to reach an FISC judge)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson