About Terrorism
See also www.antipeonage.0catch.com
It is with great reluctance. I have decided to support President Bush in his decision for war. Here is why.
There are those who disingenuously use an expanded definition of the word "terrorism". They define it as the use of deadly force to coerce a government into changing its policies. The problem with this definition is like the problem of a criminal charge where ALL of the elements of the crime must be proved, but the prosecutor prefers to call the actions of the defendant the crime even though he neglected to commit a few of the necessary elements of the legal definition. Spartacus, Wat Tyler, and the Massachusetts Minutemen would be included within this definition of terrorists. Indeed, sometimes nonviolent actions, such as computer virus attacks, are called "cyberterrorism". A boycott might be called "economic terrorism". But of course, we know that this is not the true definition of terrorism. People at the Office of Support Enforcement Building in Everett, Washington accused me of being a "terrorist" for the decidedly nonviolent, and as found by Judge Roger Fisher of the Everett District Court, perfectly legal and Constitutionally protected behavior of peacefully protesting their office as a den of Peonage Criminals! They did not like me parking a car in front of their building with the message: "Child Support is Peonage Peonage is a Crime 18 U.S.C. §1581" But of course, this is not terrorism.
The true definition of "terrorism" contains the following elements:
1) The use of deadly force.
2) Directed at civilians innocent of any policy which the terrorists may oppose, and who are not in the police or military of any government.
3) In the absence of a declared or recognized war between recognized opponents, often perpetrated by persons who hide their identity and their sponsors.
4) The purpose may be to coerce the government and its body politic into changing its policies, or it may be just to murder or terrorize based upon hatred. A political purpose is not a necessary element of the definition of terrorism.
The Massachusetts Minutemen were not terrorists because they fired upon uniformed and armed soldiers of the British Army. The British Army fired back. Later on they became part of a declared or recognized war between recognized opponents.
Spartacus and his rebelling slaves were not terrorists because they rebelled directly against their oppressors, and only fought when they had to, against the Roman Army. Once the rebellion started, the Third Servile War, it was a recognized war between recognized opponents, neither of whom tried to hide their identity.
Wat Tyler led a group of English peasants from Essex and Kent on a march to London, covering both sides of the Thames. This is called the Peasant's Revolt. They were angered by the Statute of Labourers, a maximum wage law, and by the landed gentry trying to enforce peonage and villeinage. They trashed the houses of high ranking judges and attorney generals, and they opened prisons releasing the inmates along the way. In London they met at Mile End (after wrecking much of the city) with a teenaged King Richard II who promised them that he would enact new laws to address their grievances. They were not terrorists because they did not use deadly force against innocent civilians and they did not try to hide their identity. But the government of Richard II was not so nice. Wat Tyler was killed in a brawl. After troops were brought in to bring down the peasant army, the King rescinded his Mile End Orders.
The Japanese who attacked Pearl Harbor were not terrorists. They clearly identified themselves by the markings on their aircraft. Their attack was directed against a military target that was capable of fighting back. Some of the aircraft were shot down and the pilots were identifiable by uniforms and papers on their bodies as duly inducted members of the Japanese military. They did not attack civilian targets within Hawaii. They became part of a declared war between recognized opponents.
If a noncustodial parent were to shoot a support enforcement officer, he would be appropriately brought to trial for murder. I do not condone such action, I prefer protest, political action, and litigation and wish there were more noncustodial parents willing to fight back by these means, including citing the Antipeonage Act. But given the unwillingness of the appropriate authorities to enforce the Peonage Law, he could claim self defense against a person who was committing a felony against him. But if the noncustodial parent were to shoot the spouse or children of the support enforcement officer, or direct his violence at society in general, particularly at civilians innocent of the policies enforced by the government contrary to the Peonage Law, then he would be a terrorist, he could not claim self defense.
The people who sent the suicide squad to hijack the aircraft and send the aircraft into crowded buildings are terrorists by all of the above definitions. They are also mass murderers. They committed an Act of War against the United States and have taken measures to hide their identity. Any sympathy I had for the Palestinians evaporated when I saw films and pictures of them celebrating the violent death of thousands of Americans. I will believe Yasser Arafat is sincere when I see him say the same things in Arabic that he says in English and swiftly brings to justice those within his jurisdiction responsible for terrorism, whether directed at Israeli civilians or at Americans. If not, then I am afraid that he harbors terrorists, who President Bush rightly does not see as any different than the terrorists themselves. (Though he is willing to look the other way if he can somehow get the Israelis and Palestinians to quit killing each other.) I am equally appalled by those Egyptians and others in Arab states who celebrate the deaths of innocents by this violence.
At the same time, I know that the commission of these acts is not Islam. Americans who are Muslims are not guilty of these crimes and are as appalled and outraged as all other Americans. I would appreciate it if their imams would state their outrage at the terrorism and suicide bombings a little louder than they seem to, and be specific in stating that killing innocent Jews is just as evil as killing innocent Muslims. That would improve their credibility when they say that Islam is a peaceful religion. To those whose mosques were defaced and who have been insulted and threatened I say this: In anger and grief, people do funny things. Please forgive them and accept our love as fellow citizens. To those Muslims of other nations who lined up to give blood and are sincere in their support, thank you.
To the people of the City of New York: God Bless You. From Mayor Giuliani to the firemen to the ironworkers to the man who showed up with a shovel, wanting only to help, to the people who lined up to give blood, this is your FINEST HOUR.
This is clearly the work of Osama bin Laden and his network, Al Quaeda. He was hosted and protected by the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. The Taliban did not believe in freedom of religion, they considered it a crime to try to convert any Muslim to Christianity, or for a Muslim to convert to Christianity. There are many other freedoms they did not believe in, which is one reason that such people hate America and Americans. All I can say to the Taliban:
The good people of your own nation are fed up with your tyranny. They greeted us as liberators. Both Afghans and Americans say: Good bye, good riddance, enjoy your 72 virgins. I for one, would not want to get within a mile of even one such virgin, of the type you deserve.
I believe I have an explanation why these crazies hate us.
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