Calm the Rhetoric-Be Brave

How can it be that in the most powerful nation the world has ever known there can be so much fear?   When one turns to the news all one can hear is how much fear there is in the United States.  Especially after the San Bernardino attack.  I turned to PBS to get a balanced look at the news and even the wise talking heads there were criticizing the President for not doing more to combat terrorism and calm the fears of the populace.   I had to ask (no one answered) just exactly what one could expect him to do?  Bomb the terrorists?  Check.  Build a coalition to take the fight to them?  Check.  Try to get the regional powers to give a hoot?  Check.  Discover and cut off funding for the terrorists?  Check.  Trample all over civil liberties to spy on citizens to see if they might have nefarious purposes?  Check.  Use more drones to remotely kill people we hope are terrorists?  Check.  People rail on and on about the President not doing enough but no one has any substantial suggestions as to what to do.

President Cruz would turn the sands to glass.  President Carson would kill them all and let God sort them out.  It would be more merciful. President Trump would spy on the mosques (there’s something going on in there, I don’t know).  In the meantime he would deny refugees admittance to safety on the basis of their faith (where have we heard that before)?  Presidents Rubio, Christie, Bush, Fiorina (have I left anyone out) would all just talk tougher.  That might work as well as it did for President Bush the Second when he looked into the camera and said, “bring it on.”  I can just envision portly middle aged men and the NRA fanatics jumping out of their Lay-Z-Boys and pumping their fists in the air and shouting in unison, “YEAH!”  The country would feel safer instantly.

Well, problem is that the President thinks he is talking to reasonable adults.  Truthfully, he has probably figured out by now that is not true but, heck, he only has another year to go so why change now?  Remember when he said he was going to get everyone concerned around a big table and hash our problems out?   Remember how we all said, “suuuuure?”  I think he has caught on by now but he is going to continue to treat us like adults even if we throw ourselves on the floor in a hissy fit. 
So he goes on television and explains what the United States is doing as if he expects us to understand and act as if we have good sense.  He tells us that we live in dangerous times and that we can expect to see these kinds of attacks from time to time.  While there are many that are stopped before death is the result these kinds of attacks from within our own citizenry are difficult to predict as we know from Sandy Hook, Columbine and an endless litany of others.

I am often reminded of the FDR quote, “we have nothing to fear but fear itself” and our best marched off into the last existential battle in our history.  What bravery!  Our armed forces today are just as brave but they are denied the internal resoluteness of knowing they are fighting for the salvation of our country and the ideals that make our nation unique in the world.  It is difficult to determine why we are fighting in some forsaken sandbox half way around the world.  Terrorists use bloody attacks on our citizens to dissuade us from interfering in their affairs.  It doesn’t work because no matter what they do it is unlikely to affect us on an individual basis.  Only a tiny fraction will risk life and limb to fight there.  The families grieve and we grieve with them until the next news cycle.  We haven’t even established a tax to pay for the wars fearing a voter backlash.  We just put it on the credit card and try to balance it out by cutting essential services to our citizens.  If it doesn’t cost us anything and we can’t see the body bags we’re cool.  That is until some enemy does something that hits a little close to home then we throw our arms up and wail about why no one is keeping us safe.

Well, we are safe.  At least from terrorists.  I, for one, am not the slightest bit afraid of terrorists when I go to Wal-Mart.  I am a little concerned about the guy next to me with the bulge in his back pocket.  We are 350 million people; they can’t kill even a significant number of us.  If you are worried about terrorists storming your business or other gathering place then you have a problem with irrational fear.  I really don’t believe people are that scared.  I think most are just lemmings dashing off the cliff of hysteria and want someone to hold their hands.

My Take is that people should just man up (or woman up) and be at least as brave as those we send off to die for us.

On another note, after the Paris attacks the local Islamic Council sponsored a vigil to demonstrate solidarity with the French and to denounce radicalism.  I decided to attend because I sensed the discomfort they must feel with so much careless rhetoric flying about.  It was a good time of unity and I was glad to see some well known citizens there.  What I didn’t see were local government officials and anyone covering the event for the news.  The only fear I experienced was a discomfort that some vigilantes might decide to raise a ruckus.  I am glad to report they did not.  Just one note.  If you are going to visit a mosque be sure to wear socks.  I didn’t and felt conspicuous being the only one who was barefoot.