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GWBintel
I remember at early adolescence having to stand for the pledge of allegiance and hold my hand over my heart. The same for the National Anthem. What happened to the “home of the brave?”
Bravery
noun
1. a quality of spirit that enables you to face danger or pain without showing fear [syn: courage] [ant: cowardice]
2. feeling no fear [syn: fearlessness] [ant: fear]
Cowardice
–noun lack of courage to face danger, difficulty, opposition, pain, etc.
“War is Fear cloaked in Courage” -Gen. William Westmoreland
911 was the opportunity to show the home of the brave. Instead we operated solely on fear, anger, hostility and other traits exhibited by small children. Enabled by the opportunistic MSM, false fear ridden intelligence, some conspiracy for certain (yellowcake, aluminum tubes, Curveball, etc) and an administration devoid of courage. Not necessarily Cojones, but courage.
Should 911 have been an opportunity to be courageous and keep the focus on finding the truth and true culprits and accomplices? Would courage have been better demonstrated by a proportional response? Was in fact, our decider's response completely disproportional? I, like many believe the Iraqi war was planned, aided and embedded by the WTC tragedy. Whether the administration was or was not complicit in the events aside, I address the American people as to the question of it’s courage.
Had I been the supreme decider in this situation, unlike Harry Truman the response to Pearl Harbor was not proportional. Nor was Bush’s. I would have applied considerable resources to the intelligence community. Along with this effort I would have gone public as to America’s decision not to look to respond against any particular nation. I believe the reward and immunity angle is poorly structured and could have included information that may have not led to whereabouts and arrest. We could imagine the better position we would find ourselves in had the invasion never occurred.
But to focus on the future and the fact that unlike Bush and his supporters all 27% of them, we know that we are not safer for his efforts and we have yet to reap the long term of his decisions. What legacy have we left for our children? And what will America decide next time? Was bravery and honor their motivators, or was it anger and fear? After the rush to judgement has their personal feelings changed. Has the death toll of 1.5 million or so just become too bloody in lieu of all the facts that have come to light over the last five years?
To my son I will say, “the reason we put our hand over our heart during the pledge is to sheild our humanity from the lie of patriotism. For Americas true greatness comes from it’s people and not it’s republic or army.” Maybe come that day it will be different.
