Who Are Terrorists?

To narrow the scope, we will look at terrorists here in the USA and in the Middle East in the last twenty years or so. To answer this seemingly basic question, it is important to look at myths about terrorists in popular culture. Generally, people think of terrorists being from poor backgrounds with little education and nothing to live for. Some may say things like they hate us for our freedom or success. Terrorists want to impose their own ideologies on the rest of us. They are all extremists in one way or another both religious and political. If you want to get an idea of the popular notions of a terrorist today all you have to do is listen to a speech by President Bush. One can also look at the portrayal of terrorists in the movies or TV shows. They are heartless bad guys with no concern for life and no room for ambiguity about their actions. Instead of understanding the threats we face, we simplify them in easy sound bite sized good versus evil phrases. Someone who becomes a terrorist is much more complicated than oversimplified notions about terrorism.

Terrorism is according to the dictionary “the use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims.” Contrary to popular belief, there are a wide range of factors that can drive someone to use terrorist tactics. The person has a strong belief in something and sees no other way of getting attention to it other than using terrorism. A very important fact to consider when looking those who use terror as a tactic is none consider themselves to be extremists. One does not have to belong to a group to be a terrorist. Two of the most well known American terrorists acted alone.

The case of Eric Rudolph is a compelling example of domestic terror. He was fund guilty of the 1996 Olympic Games and several abortion clinic bombings. Several people were killed and scores more injured. Mr. Rudolph has a high school diploma and even some college, so he is not uneducated. It is also interesting to note he had some military training making it into the 101st Airborne before being discharged for drug use. Going by his reasons given for his bombings, he knows a great deal about the issues that drive him. After reading some of his writings it is very clear he feels very strongly abortion is murder with no room for argument. What is less clear is where he got these feelings from. An ultra-right Conservative Christian upbringing may be a good starting point to determine where his views came from. Mr. Rudolph sees the US government as sanctioning murder if the form of legal abortion clinics. In his view there is no room for debate and he sees his actions as an effort to save lives. He also says those in government have forfeited their right to govern based on this practice. In his statement after his sentencing, he compares himself to the founding fathers of the United States of America breaking away from England fighting tyranny. Mr. Rudolph does not come across as many might imagine someone using terrorist tactics. In his own way he sees himself as someone trying to save lives and he says he designed his bombs in the clinic bombings to keep loss of life to a minimum. However, he sees those who died as one might see casualties in a war, nothing personal but something that had to be done. Not to in any way defend his actions but when reading his material he comes across rationally. The story of Timothy McVeigh is similar.

Timothy McVeigh was convicted of blowing up the Murragh Federal Building in Oklahoma City on April 19th, 1995. Like Eric Rudolph he also had a high school diploma and pretty extensive military training in the US Army. According to his own writing the bombing was carried out in response to the incident in Waco, Texas involving the Branch Davidians in which 74 people died. Mr. McVeigh became a drifter doing odd jobs and following the gun show circuit after an Honorable Discharge from the Army. He was present at Waco during the standoff and saw the events there as a government out of control. He says he gave non violence a chance to right the wrongs but when nothing happened to those in government he felt were responsible, he decided to take matters into his own hands. The attack on the Federal Building he saw in the same context as the US Military attacking infrastructure targets on other countries. He had no sense of remorse for the lives lost. In his view, he saw himself as preventing another Waco by attacking the place such an operation would be controlled from. He claims to have taken lessons right from US foreign policy right down to calling innocent victims collateral damage. Far from considering himself a terrorist or mass murderer, he thought of himself as fighting an oppressive government. Both Mr. Rudolph and Mr. McVeigh share some common characteristics with the most famous terrorist in the world, Osama bin Laden but come nowhere near his level of destruction.

Bin Laden is far more educated than Mr. Rudolph or Mr. McVeigh and comes from an extremely wealthy and privileged family. Bin Laden attended university but there is some question he obtained a degree in urban engineering . His real area of study is more religious than anything else. Getting western military forces and influence out of the Moslem world are his goals. Bin Laden has large financial resources and operates on a world wide stage. He is a leader who unlike the two Americans has not personally carried out act of terror but has helped in the funding, planning and execution of terrorist acts the world over. Still, he shares some important characteristics with Mr. Rudolph and Mr. McVeigh. First, one could argue the two Americans are fighting for religious reasons (less so in the case of McVeigh) and it is certainly the case for bin Laden. Second, none of the three have any remorse for lost lives caused by their acts. They view them like casualties in a war. Bin Laden has nothing but distain for non-Muslim lives lost and thinks Muslims who lose their lives as victims of terror will be rewarded in heaven. Third, in the views of these men there is no room for debate or compromise. It has to be their way and their way only. They are all three far beyond any hope of working out a peaceful solution or addressing their concerns in a non-violent way. Lastly, they have a common enemy, the US Government. All three blame the US Government for oppression, murder, and suppressing freedom of others.

Terrorists are not the simple black and while figures TV and popular culture make them out to be. Often, their concerns may have merit and when they view these concerns as not being addressed or getting worse, they see violence against others as a reasonable alternative. With the attention acts of terror bring, it is understandable why. No terrorist has ever said they hate us for our freedom or success. When our leaders say things like this it does nothing to address the very real problem of modern day terrorism. Terrorists seek publicity for their actions. Eric Rudolph and Timothy McViegh are now house hold names here in the US but the concerns they were trying to address are lost in cries of murders, extremists and terrorists. The same is true with Osama bin Laden. All do far more harm to their causes than good. Those against abortion who are sincere in their beliefs and want to work constructively to end or minimize the practice in a peaceful way may now find themselves lumped together with the likes of Eric Rudolph. After the Oklahoma City bombing nothing has been done to right the wrongs and mistakes committed by the US Government at Ruby Ridge and Waco. By his actions bin Laden has guaranteed a western military presence in the middle east that if anything will only grow. For it’s part the US Government has only made the problem worse by elevating terrorism to new heights on the world stage. The 19 men who flew planes into the World Trade Center, Pentagon and A Pennsylvania field perpetrated an act of mass murder not an act of war. By calling it an act of war we have now given a hand full of individuals the status of another country. We can never fully eliminate terrorism but we can reduce it by fighting conditions that lead to hopelessness, and total suppression of unpopular ideas and by reducing the attention given to terrorists.

Internet Sources

http://www.armyofgod.com/EricRudolphHomepage.html

http://independence.net/okc/mcveighletterfox.htm

Opting out of Christmas

I was able to opt out of Christmas and ohhh what a feeling! Due to on going concerns in the family, we had no time for the usual gift giving nonsense. It felt funny but it was also a huge relief. I just got to enjoy a little time off with the wife and seeing a few friends. A Christmas minus the presents reminded me of all I do have and that I need little. Christmas is what we make it. If you want all the high pressure shopping and drama, that's what you will get. I chose to step back and use a little time off work to breathe a little. I would be happy if I thought how ever many Christmases I have left could be this peaceful. There is another way.

We are bombarded with advertising this time of year. If I see another Wal-Mart commercial telling me to save money and live better, I may have myself committed. "Living better" and shopping at Wal-Mart do not belong in the same breath. I see it as a microcosm of everything that is wrong with US today. Outsourced jobs, poorly educated citizens, (or are we just consumers now), selling out to China and loss of of community are just a few things that come to mind. Also, cars with bows are loosening my grip on sanity! If I bought my wife a new car for Christmas, I'd be in the morgue. Surely, there is something better to spend money on than a new status symbol car! People are going with out heat, lights and enough food but you would never know it watching TV. The myth that all is well is all that matters.

I'm tired of Christmas being a leading economic indicator. Do more people shopping really mean we are back on the road to prosperity? We get mixed messages. Go buy stuff! Be charitable. What a disconnect. We are told of food drives, ways to give to the homeless and not so fortunate and children going cold but who asks why they are needed here in this country in the first place. I think I'm a good person and I think you are so why do we have a real need to help homelessness and other effects of poverty? Why do we let this go on? Most importantly, what can we do about it?

Next year, take a pass on the shopping frenzy and consider what and who are really important to you. I promise it will be a Christmas you will always remember!

Media attention...

Why is the far right getting so much media attention? How can anyone take seriously Glen Beck and friends going to Washington to try and co-op the Civil Rights Movement with a big crowd of angry and afraid white people? This is not to say they do not have some legitimate issues. The concerns of our government being out of control and unresponsive to citizens I think we can all agree are real problems. But why so much attention to "birthers", government take over of health care, FEMA camp fear mongers and they are coming to take my guns away nonsense?

It seems somebody or somebodies want us to slide even further to the right than Bush Chaney and company. Obama, fairly or not, is being portrayed as weak and ineffectual despite having got some things done. We are also developing an unhealthy reverence for all things military. This is not adding up to a bright and sunny future. It looks like we have been dummied down so far that the lunacy of the far right appears okay. Few dare to question it. Meanwhile, the people who really run the country get richer and grow more powerful. I'm thinking finance, energy and so called defense. All three may have a lot to gain from a dumb and docile public. Finance can continue to sell us on the importance of a "good credit score." Energy can continue to pollute unabated and poison the food supply via fertilizers and other chemicals. Defense can get plenty of new recruits from the ever expanding lower class, not to mention new and expensive toys. And all three feed off of each other.

Look at the bottom of many yahoo articles and note all of the left right bickering. Given a lot of people posting are high school age, many are not. I think the sad thing to note is the both believe there is substantial differences in the two parties. Not only that, they view each other as the enemy. The civil concept of loyal opposition is out the window. I think this may be one reason the far right gets so much attention, they set themselves apart. The far left on the other hand gets little attention because the changes they are calling for less suit the suit if you will. Taking better care poor people, having real health care reform and taking threats to the environment seriously lets' face it are not so hot items on corporate America's agenda. The far left is also marginalized as being naive and weak.

It is so difficult to get other narratives out there for people to consider. Why do we allow huge donors to run our politics while we are fed the tired old left vs. right story line? Why is it we cannot consider doing politics in a more constructive and collaborative manner? What will it take to break this destructive cycle?

"Can You Give Me A Job"

"Can you give me a job?" If you are having to ask this question right now (or any time for that matter), you are in serious trouble. There is not a much more dehumanizing experience than looking for a job. Getting your work history together, making a resume or resumes in some cases, completing tedious on line applications, "networking" and hoping for the phone to ring is misery. Life is in turmoil from day to day, week to week, month to month and for some year to year. It effects all aspects of life. The hardest part is not knowing when it will end. Then there is the build up of hope when you get an interview and feel you aced it only to be let down. Many companies are bad about letting people know in a timely manner the result of an interview if they do at all. How inconsiderate. As time goes by, it is harder and harder to put on a positive face. Many have been out of work for more than a year. We identify ourselves by what we do, our work. After your name, what is most often the next question? What do you do? For someone not working this usually leads to an awkward pause an an explanation of the kind of work they have done. The things I've described go on and on and take a huge toll on individuals, their family and close friends. We expect people to go through this ordeal most any time they switch jobs. Having to wait for someone to 'give" you a job is a hell all it's own. There are other ways...

One alternative is self employment. For some, this may be a way out o job search hell. And for young people a way to avoid it all together. You can mow lawns or move large objects for people but the pay is usually low and it takes a toll on your body. No, a better way is using your mind. For example, if you can learn how to talk to groups and share useful information with out fear, you can make a business. If you can write, make some blogs and sell advertising. Create ideas. It may be over stated but it is true, use your gifts. We all have unique valuable skills. If you have Been living the job search nightmare, think about what you alone may have to offer. For example, think about three skill sets or characteristics you have and then think of a way to combine them into something truly unique. Me? I don't mind talking to groups, I know a lot about conflict resolution and I'm handicapped. I can talk to professionals about hiring and working with diverse groups. There are alternatives to the job search nightmare. Email me (pdlavack@yahoo.com) and let's see what we can come up with.

If creating a business from scratch is not for you, the next best thing is having a high enough demand skill where people come knocking on your door! These are not skills that you can develop over night. There is no magic bullet / simple solution. Health care, computers / IT and the new field of green technology are all still looking good right now. These are also areas that are more resistant to outsourcing. It is too bad we have outsourced most of our manufacturing. What remains is high end, like building aircraft. If the economy does really start to recover, transportation is another are to consider. It is still possible to find jobs in trucking where a company may pay for your training. It may not be 9-5 but the pay can be pretty good, starting around 35k and going up from there.

What will happen when all of the unemployment extensions finally run out and there are still few jobs? Let's save this one for next time.

Dreamer

No Change to Real Change

I've pretty much given up on The Democratic Party. Obama's try to please everybody stands have pleased no one really. During the campaign, he seemed to be a breath of fresh air saying all the right things. I was then and still am no fan of Hillary Clinton. We were promised "change" (as we are in every election) but as I see it, little to nothing has really changed. We are still bogged down in Iraq and Afghanistan with no end in sight. There is no talk now about leaving either place, much less what out goals and intentions are. We have spent more than 1 trillion dollars so far and at least one million lives lost. Both places are a complete disaster and utter failure of our foreign policy. We have a joyous new health care reform bill mostly written by lobbyists for insurance and pharmaceutical conglomerations. As long as we have a "for profit" based system, more and more of us will suffer unnecessarily because of no or poor insurance and fall into bankruptcy. Sorry Republicans, I unlike you CANNOT in any way accept someone losing their house and all they own due to illness. It is wrong. Apparently, the Democrats agree with you. We have no real jobs creation bill and unemployment benefits are on again off again based on the whims of congress. Sure unemployment cannot go on forever but tie it to the unemployment rate or something we can understand! The BP disaster in the gulf is another fine example how nothing has changed. Both our political parties take tons of money from oil industry and when something goes wrong, play politics, potty mouth the oil industry and pass some bullshit labeled "reform" which really reforms nothing. The list of what has not changed is almost endless.

We get political theatre and spectacle. Note, "The Tea Party". They claim to be grassroots (whatever that is) but I have my doubts. I'm not going to slam fellow citizens who get out and take a stand for what they believe, but other than a fear of increasing taxes and hardcore conservatism what is the point? They slam so called illegals while completely ignoring the root causes of the problem. Businesses will hire them and with things so shitty in Mexico and points further south people will go where ever they can find work. Who among us would not do the same? Here are a few talking points. Look for yourself. "Gun Ownership Is Sacred" Why? I've been places where this is not the case and it is a hell of a lot safer. "Traditional Family Values Are Encouraged". My family values may be different than yours. "Intrusive Government Stopped." Does this mean I'll no longer have to take my shoes off at the airport? Will there still be "watch" lists? "Bail-out And Stimulus Plans Are Illegal." This may be a good idea. Why are so many in this movement older and white? I don't care for the term progressive so I will not use it. Rather, those on the left, are not much more coherent about what to do than the Tea Party people. They continue to blindly support The Democrats while ignoring their abysmal record for getting anything good done. Some on the left arrogantly dismiss people who do not think like they do as being ill informed or stupid. Conservatives have legitimate concerns and some good ideas on occasion. Personal and fiscal responsibility are good but lacking in both parties. I may be more left leaning but share some Conservative values as well. Most people are a mix of both I believe. Everyday we as a nation live with this false dichotomy of left vs. right while nothing really changes.

So it would be easy to simply tune it all out as many of us do but I'm not ready to give up. I think there may be a chance to save ourselves from some type of American style dictatorship. We MUST develop other viable parties to counter our current one party system. We now have two wings of the same party that are all about keeping the status quo. The game is so heavily rigged against building such parties, it may be too late. Who writes the rules? Those maintaining the status quo. About the only way I see any better development in this direction is some people with a ton of money getting into it and that may just make matters worse. I'm going shopping for a new party to support. The Republicans lost my vote a long tome ago and now so have The Democrats. Some say I throwing my vote away or worse, voting for Sarah Palin. Bullshit. I'm participating in something new, real opposition to what is going on. Think about it long term Democrats. At least have a look...

THE GREEN PARTY

THE COFFEE PARTY

THE MODERN WHIG PARTY

None of these work for you? Go to Google.com and find one that does and stand your ass up!

Dr. Galtung Workshop. May 21, 2010 PART I

Dr. Johan Galtung is the founder of peace studies and has been working in the field for more than 50 years, yes 50 years! He is 79 now and still teaching and traveling. For more information on him you can go to www.transcend.org.

We had a very small group of about six professors from local universities and about ten to fifteen students. It was an ideal size for having a group discussion about on going international conflicts and what we as peace scholars can do. We are going to solve little just talking to each other in isolated workshops. To an outsider, such a group may seem too idealistic or not a part of the reality based community. I think a part of that is we do not talk enough with the community we live in. There is also an anti-intellectual streak running through America now. Some people perceive collages and universities as being arrogant and elitist. “He may have a PhD but no common since.” Some in the universities think most people cannot begin to understand what they are talking about. Personally, I disagree with both viewpoints. What good is study if it is not shared with the community?

Let me share some of what I goy out of the workshop yesterday. There are solutions to many on going conflicts but they are not usually easy or simplistic. A good first step is listening to the other side’s legitimate interests. The United States in Afghanistan for example, has a legitimate interest in not having a sanctuary for terrorist groups to plan and launch attacks on US interests around the world and the US itself. Afghanistan has a legitimate interest in self-determination. What type of arrangement can be made to meet these goals? All sides in this conflict have many interests some more legitimate than others and that also has to be sorted out. A key to conflict resolution is realizing the other party may have some good points. Also, each side needs to acknowledge it’s own faults and mistakes. Fighting will not stop until both sides are ready.

As of this writing the USA is fighting three wars; “The War on Terror” (WOT), Iraq and Afghanistan. We talked a lot about Afghanistan and as Dr. Galtung sees it we (the US) have five options:

1. Victory- Extremely difficult given the fact that for each person killed spawns anywhere from 10 to 30 new fighters.
2. Defeat- The US will not allow this to happen. Outright defeat is almost out of the question.
3. Withdraw- then declare victory- This will smell too much of defeat.
4. Conflict Resolution – work out some kind of settlement everyone can live with.
5. Become Irrelevant – The fate of Afghanistan is determined by the Afghanis, and her neighbors, mainly Pakistan.

The same five options I think can be applied to Iraq as well. Both Iraq and Afghanistan are constructs of the old British Empire. The borders were drawn on maps with no input from the peoples actually living in these regions. Neither is interested in a strong central government. A good possibility for a government may be a federation of some kind. The WOT is being fought all over the world in places like the Phillipines and Samollia. This is an interesting case because it may be war with out end. Defending ourselves from attacks is a legitimate goal. Some so-called terrorist organizations may have legitimate points as well but it is difficult to see how this will end. What are some other ways terrorism can be eliminated?

Fading American Democracy...

Our American Democracy is fading fast. We are well on the road to a dictatorship. Consider the warning signs. We now have two militaries, US Army, US Air Force, US Navy US Marine Corps and US Coast Guard being one and the contractors being the other, Xe, Dyncorp, KBR etc. Our sixteen intelligence agencies and their corresponding contractors are also in this stew. The Federal Government now keeps lists of citizens The "No Fly" list for example. The mass media is no longer independent. They simply repeat what officialdom tells them too with few exceptions. Embedding goes far beyond our war zones. We have a scapegoat population to put many of our problems on via so called "illegals". Creeping militarism. We have come to revere our military, trusting it more our national government. We also devote a huge amount of resources to spying on our own citizens in the name of "national security". There are more warning signs you can read for yourself here. The weak leadership of President Obama is also a huge red flag. Add to this volatile mix the expanding role of multinational corporations and the real danger only grows.

Now corporations can express themselves as “persons” by donating as much as they want to political campaigns. Our elections are already a bad representation of democracy for a number of reasons. We only have two parties to choose from which are more similar than different. People feel they have no influence over what goes on at the national level. Where have the huge demonstrations gone? Now corporations can give all they want to political campaigns? This is problematic for a number of reasons. Only a small number of people with in a corporation will have the say in who gets contributions and who does not. A corporation is not “evil” but only a way of doing business with the goal being to make money for shareholders. Making money and doing what is right for the country are not always the same thing. Looking ahead, this is a step toward reorganizing our world along business interests and not national interests. If making money is the goal, the outcome will not be pretty. We are no longer capable of waging war with out contractors IE private companies. It is unclear where they fit in the chain of command or how they are regulated. Our future leaders will be only mouthpieces bought and paid for by amoral multinational conglomerations with no national loyalty what so sever. To a large degree, this is already happening but this ruling will only accelerate the process. Obstacles to profits (read labor and environmental regulations) will be removed.

I've given up on the Democrats as an opposition party. With the presidency and both houses of congress, all they have accomplished is a watered down stimulus bill, so called heath care reform (written by the insurance companies and financial "reform" that largely leaves the existing structures that brought on the recession in place. From what I see, little to nothing has changed in foreign policy. Iraq and Afghanistan grind on with no end in sight (Iraq is by no means a done deal). We still ignore Habeas Corpus. I'm not sure we have time to build a real opposition party before an American Fascist state rises but it is our best shot.