[wordup] When Will We Learn?

[Adam Shand]

he says it better, with a more even head then i did.  oh and i retract
what i said about being partisan, i didn't fully understand the meaning of
the word, having consulted a dictionary i will now agree that i'm
partisan.

Via: politech at politechbot.com
From: http://www.antiwar.com/orig/browne2.html

When Will We Learn?
by Harry Browne
September 12, 2001

The terrorist attacks against America comprise a horrible tragedy. But
they shouldn't be a surprise.

It is well known that in war, the first casualty is truth - that during
any war truth is forsaken for propaganda. But sanity was a prior casualty:
it was the loss of sanity that led to war in the first place.

Our foreign policy has been insane for decades. It was only a matter of
time until Americans would have to suffer personally for it. It is a
terrible tragedy of life that the innocent so often have to suffer for the
sins of the guilty.

When will we learn that we can't allow our politicians to bully the world
without someone bullying back eventually?

President Bush has authorized continued bombing of innocent people in
Iraq. President Clinton bombed innocent people in the Sudan, Afghanistan,
Iraq, and Serbia. President Bush Senior invaded Iraq and Panama. President
Reagan bombed innocent people in Libya and invaded Grenada. And on and on
it goes.

Did we think the people who lost their families and friends and property
in all that destruction would love America for what happened?

When will we learn that violence always begets violence?
Teaching Lessons

Supposedly, Reagan bombed Libya to teach Muammar al-Qaddafi a lesson about
terrorism. But shortly thereafter a TWA plane was destroyed over Scotland,
and our government is convinced it was Libyans who did it.

When will we learn that "teaching someone a lesson" never teaches anything
but resentment - that it only inspires the recipient to greater acts of
defiance.

How many times on Tuesday did we hear someone describe the terrorist
attacks as "cowardly acts"? But as misguided and despicable as they were,
they were anything but cowardly. The people who committed them knowingly
gave their lives for whatever stupid beliefs they held.

But what about the American presidents who order bombings of innocent
people - while the presidents remain completely insulated from any danger?
What would you call their acts?

When will we learn that forsaking truth and reason in the heat of battle
almost always assures that we will lose the battle?
Losing our Last Freedoms

And now, as sure as night follows day, we will be told we must give up
more of our freedoms to avenge what never should have happened in the
first place.

When will we learn that it makes no sense to give up our freedoms in the
name of freedom?
What to Do

What should be done?

First of all, stop the hysteria. Stand back and ask how this could have
happened. Ask how a prosperous country isolated by two oceans could have
so embroiled itself in other people's business that someone would want to
do us harm. Even sitting in the middle of Europe, Switzerland isn't beset
by terrorist attacks, because the Swiss mind their own business.

Second, resolve that we won't let our leaders use this occasion to commit
their own terrorist acts upon more innocent people, foreign and domestic,
that will inspire more terrorist attacks in the future.

Third, find a way, with enforceable constitutional limits, to prevent our
leaders from ever again provoking this kind of anger against America.
Patriotism?

There are those who will say this article is unpatriotic and un-American -
that this is not a time to question our country or our leaders.

When will we learn that without freedom and sanity, there is no reason to
be patriotic?

Harry Browne was the 2000 Libertarian Party candidate for President. You
can read more of his articles at www.HarryBrowne.org, and his books are
available at www.HBBooks.com.