How Do We React?

Hey All -- Doing the blog out of order this weekend -- gotta catch up on some work, so duty calls.

This week, we have seen a terrorist gang threaten to topple a government that we left in place in Iraq.  After all the lives given up, after all of the blood spilled, and after all of the damage sustained in this backwards, tribal, and bitterly divided country, this is the fruit of our labor - a country thought to have been liberated from a bloodthirsty dictator and utter lawlessness is now only falling to fanaticism and death-worship.  Frustrating.  Agonizing.  Infuriating!

This follows on the very heels of five other gangsters being released from Guantanamo Bay in exchange for one soldier captured by the Taliban, who may have actually been more than willing to join them.  Clearly, there is an anti-American element in the Middle East that has been gaining more and more strength, and the possibility of another attack against the United States looms large.

So what's the right way to respond here?  Another war?  Another surge?  Sending in more men and women to face an even more dangerous environment?

No.  How about this instead:

(1)  Increase CIA presence in that region.  If we want to shut down likely terrorist camps to train more American-hating gangsters, let's first find out where they are.
(2)  Persuade our only true ally in that region, Israel, to attack those camps once they are located.  They're a little better at that than we are.
(3)  In exchange for this favor, which Israel may or may not be willing to grant, stop negotiating with the Palestinians.  They are as interested in peace with Israel as most teenagers are interested in geometry.  Their eyes glaze over . . . .
(4)  Further pay Israel back the favor by aiming our famous drones at Hamas and Hezbollah gangsters.  One hand washes the other, that's real diplomacy.
(5)  Once all of these terrorist gangs have been disbanded, de-fanged, disarmed, and safely neutralized, invite all "moderate" Muslim leaders to voluntarily confirm that these gangsters do not represent the true spirit of Islam, and that they do not sympathize with their ideals.  No coercion, no threats, not like how the gangsters forced their prisoners to rail against their own countries.  Just give them the choice to go on record and condemn the terrorists, or not.  Everyone else can form their own opinions as to that action or inaction.

There should be no fear of reprisals because the threat will be contained.  There should be no "terror" because that's what these "terrorist" gangsters want us to feel.  And most importantly, we would not be sending in more soldiers to stabilize a region that does not understand how to live in peace.

No, all we need to do is take action against the actual threats to the United States.  Other than what I mentioned to preserve a strategic alliance, there is no need to intervene in the affairs of that region ever again.  Let them resolve their own problems once we've eliminated the threat against our country before someone decides to go on an anniversary flight into the Freedom Tower, and not afterwards.

Once this threat against the United States is eliminated, just like the Nazis and the Soviets eventually lost their empires, we can concentrate on the 83 million other problems our country faces.  Since we will not use military action to solve a problem that clearly was not solved earlier, there will be no hand-wringing over our allegedly imperialist nature.  Just simple research and alliance-bolstering, with the further proof that Islam itself is not the enemy, but gangsters who just happen to be Muslims most certainly are.

Much as I encourage the readers of this blog, the United States must be bold and bulletproof.  We have to be willing to make tough decisions, much like those described above, instead of always "just working it out."  We also have to be ready to face whatever reaction can be aimed at us, and to neutralize it once it's aimed at us.  I can only hope that we really can be.

Last but not least, I'd like to wish a very Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there. Specifically, I wish it to my own father, who always taught us that he who does not learn the lessons of history is forever condemned to repeat them.

DISCLAIMER:  I have no plans to run for office anytime soon, and have no intention of re-educating our diplomats, intelligence, or military brass.  I am also no bigot.  Criticism is welcome, but reading into things that are not here is strongly discouraged.

Careful How You Handle It!

Hey all --

For those of you who follow me on Facebook, you know that my link to a picture posted by a friend mine sort of says it all:  "Never sacrifice who you are just because someone else has a problem with it."

As we get closer to 2012, I can only hope that we all can abide by this all-too-simple rule of life.  When other people have problems with us simply being who we are, they lead us to a crossroads:  Should we admit that they know best, and that we're just simply subpar individuals who don't deserve respect?  Or should we refuse to let them beat us just because they have issues?

The sad fact is that no matter how nice we are, how friendly we are, how good-looking or popular we might be (if that's the case), or how wealthy and "on top of things" we are, not everyone will like us.  Even if you do nothing wrong at all, someone else may very well still have a problem with you, simply because they don't like you.

Guess what, that's their right.  Nobody is forcing you to love and worship people you don't like, so how can you expect them to shower you with love?  If they don't like you, that's their business.  Thing is, it's only their business -- don't buy into it!

Also, they need to realize that such dislike must also be tempered with respect.  That means they don't have the right to bash you, bully you, isolate you, defame you, or harass you.  If they are, you must set them straight and protect yourself.

That being said, as I've previously mentioned in this blog, we don't live in a comic book, or in a Sylvester Stallone movie.  We can't whip out a Jesse Ventura gun and kill them all when they screw with us.  Sometimes we have to use our heads first. 

It might be that if you stand your ground against some miscreant or gangster, and you don't keep your head, you might find yourself without money or a place to live.  If that's the case, you must either (a) temporarily take it on the chin, while actively finding a new source of income or a new home; or (b) be prepared to do without income or a home for an indefinite period of time, while continuing to find a better life. 

There are many of us out there who re-define the words "tough" and "resilient," and have no problem choosing choice (b).  However, common sense tells me that choice (a), despite the fact that it forces us to temporarily endure treatment we don't deserve, is the smarter choice to make.  This is because it prevents us from allowing our aggression to ruin the entire situation. 

And let's be objective:  As intolerable as bullying is, and always will be, life could still be worse.  You're not in a concentration camp, you haven't had limbs removed from your body, and you're not in jail.  Imagine how it would feel if you were in either of those messes!

At the very least, choice (a) gives you time to think:  Time to plan your next response, your next maneuver, and your next counterstrike.  And you can also plan for what the main character in "Quantum Leap" forever searched for:  the final leap home!

Don't get me wrong, I'm not going soft on the bullies and thugs who try to siphon off our self-esteem and usurp our power.  I'm telling you all to be smart in your dealings with them.  If they have enough legitimate power to hurt you, no matter how right you are, then be careful.  You won't be sacrificing who you are by any means.  If anything, you'll be preserving your rights to continue being who you are, free from those who don't think anything's wrong with disrespecting you.  Just watch yourself to make sure that they, and not you, are on the receiving end of something unpleasant!

Feel free to comment, all!

Last Mile Of The Year!

Bloggin' time, bloggin' time, across the U.S.A., bloggin' time, bloggin' time, yeah yeah yay!

Yes, people, it's Sunday night, and you know what that means!  There already was a post about Black Friday, which some of you all enjoyed, but that's not knocking me off track!

Our friends who braved late-night mob scenes and come home with their hard-won bounty, without spending too much booty, may be ready for the holiday season.  But are we as ready as they are?

I don't mean, have you bought all your presents yet.  I already said that can be done next week, if you're so inclined.  When I say ready, I don't mean whether you've gained all you need to gain.  I mean, have you gotten rid of everything you need to get rid of?

Have you gotten rid of the clothes that are too small to fit you?  Or, if you're a runner like me, have you gotten rid of the clothes that are too large to fit you?  Either donate them or chuck them.

Did you make good on all those New Years' Resolutions you made in January?  Or at least two of them?  Cross them off your list!

Was there a conflict with someone?  Is it no longer happening?  Are you still replaying it in your head, like you're in the team's projection room?  Time to dump it and make room for next year's episodes!

Are there friends on Facebook who ignore you?  Are there other people who IM or e-mail you when you don't have the time or the inclination to chat?  That's why some genius invented the Unfriend button, and some other genius invented the Block button -- toss 'em!

We're heading towards the finish line of 2011, people.  Like I said in an earlier entry, we don't need anyone or anything riding piggy back on our shoulders, weighing us down and planting negative and self-hating thoughts in our heads if we're running a race.  Lose the unnecessary baggage!  Throw it in the garbage!  You'll hit that finish line so fast you won't know you had it in you!!!  You don't need any of that crapola in 2012, so why hold onto it?

So here comes December, the last leg of this race -- make it a good one . . . and have a happy holiday season, no matter how you celebrate it!

Don't forget to comment!

9/11/11 Ten Years Later

Part of this is a reprint from New Day's post from last year, but it's also updated.

At the time, I was working in-house for a no-fault insurance carrier on Wall Street. I was scheduled to attend two arbitrations in Huntington, Long Island. Physically, I was far removed from what was about to happen, but I still felt the impact.

Driving to Huntington on the Northern State Parkway, I decided to put on Howard Stern. At the time, he was still on 92.3 K-Rock, and not Sirius or XM Radio. Hadn't listened to him in some time, so I wanted a chuckle.

Howard was not joking that morning. He did let through a few asides about how frustrated he was that Pamela Anderson wouldn't hook up with him, but that was NOT the point of that morning's broadcast. People were calling in telling him that two planes had hit the WTC Twin Towers! Some had seen those planes passing overhead, some had seen the actual impact. I didn't understand what this all meant -- hadn't it already been 8 years since something happened to the World Trade Center?

Notwithstanding Howard's stature, I switched to the other stations on the radio -- surely this was either a rebroadcast of the 1993 bombing, or something entirely different. All other radio stations were reporting the same thing -- the Towers were hit, people were jumping out the windows, Muslim extremists were responsible. How the hell was this happening?!?!?!?

I made it to the first arbitration. The arbitrator had the TV news on, showing both towers in flames, yet we proceeded. Headed to the next one, my adversary was there, but the arbitrator was not.

After 20 minutes, she arrived, after pulling her daughter out of school. She explained to us both that she would not be able to adequately decide the arbitration and continued the case, exhorting us both to "go home and be with your families."

Before leaving, we briefly discussed what had just happened. Although it may be the work of terrorist, she said, it might have been an American, like Timothy McVeigh, who was behind this. I disagreed -- one week beforehand, Israel had pulled out of the World Counsel on Racism, and the US had followed suit. I opined that this was most likely the work of some Palestinian extremists who thought they could punish the US for our "Zionist" leanings. I said, "This was an act of war, nothing else. The US simply has to respond to this, or the rest of the world will think we're weak."

I called my Mom and my girlfriend (at the time) to let them know I was OK. Tried calling the office, but the calls wouldn't go through. I couldn't tell if I had to go into the office, but it seemed that just going home would be the best choice under the circumstances.

The traffic was heavier than normal on the parkways that day -- the State Troopers were out in full force. As I proceeded home, the Towers fell. Without the benefit of TV or Internet access (there were no Blackberries back then), I imagined them both falling down to one side, not collapsing in a stack. I began to fear that all of Wall Street had just been taken out.

I also got angry. I began to mutter under my breath, "Who did this? Who the ---- thought they could do this in our country?!?!?! Find them, kill them all, and let G-D sort them out!"

At the time, I still lived with my parents in Baldwin. My mother's birthday was that day, so as planned, we all had Carvel ice cream cake with my aunt, uncle, & grandmother as we watched CNN. By that time, in the evening, they had removed footage that rumored to show people in the West Bank dancing and selling candy, reveling in this lethal blow rendered by their would-be heroes. Damn them.

For the next week, there was no work. Mayor Giuliani had sealed off everything south of 14th Street in Manhattan, and that included my office. I did not know if I still had a job, or if my co-workers were safe.

Later, we learned that the husband of my mother's friend had perished during the attack. He was on the 90th floor of Tower One -- exactly the point of impact where the plane hit. We decided amongst ourselves that he never knew it happened, and we found solace in that thought. A week later, a memorial service was held in his honor at our synagogue -- it was jam-packed to the rafters.
In the following months, nobody hated anyone else. Total strangers would talk to each other on the subway as if there were no boundaries. A respect for the sanctity of life began to permeate everyone's thoughts and actions. At the same time, an enemy named Osama bin Laden, who had already claimed responsibility for the 1998 attack on the U.S.S. Cole, and the U.S. Embassy in Tanzania, appeared to have been the central figure responsible for the attack. he would follow this up with video and audio tapes decrying perceived injustices against the Muslim world, that somehow justified this mass murder. He was being protected by the Taliban, an extremist religious party that bullied Afghanistan into submission, and was a leader in a gang known as Al-Qaeda.
In a more shocking turn of events, after the U.S. began its eventual attack of retaliation against Afghanistan, it was learned that one member of the Taliban was an American citizen named John Walker Lindh. America screamed for his head as a traitor, but he was instead convicted of a lesser sentence.
Looking back, it seemed like a cross between Pearl Harbor and JFK's assassination. Like those both events, 9/11 brought our country together in a time of shared pain, outrage, and chaos. Like both events, our country emerged stronger than before. Admittedly, it did not lead to victory in a just war, and did not serve to lionize the leader of our nation at that time. But it did remind us, the hard way, that life is short and fragile. It awakened us to the reality that others in this world are so easily swayed by inflammatory rhetoric, that they de-value human life. It made us more patriotic, more G-D-fearing, and more wary of who in the world seeks us well or harm.

Today, since 9/11 happened to have been on a weekend, I had the opportunity to watch the memorial service in lower Manhattan on TV.  It's hard not to get choked up or burst into tears not watching it -- it is more depressing than a Holocaust documentary with the theme from "Platoon" as the soundtrack.  The reaction I felt today was, "How MANY people died that day?  How MANY families were hurt by these terrorists?  How CAN they all heal, even ten years after?"

Unless we individually lost someone that day, we can't know.  We can only admire their resolve, including the numerous children who read the names of parents they'd lost, some of whom were only in infancy at the time. 

Since that time, there has been a small amount of closure with the death of Osama Bin Laden on May 1, 2011.  However, this only led to mass hysteria and continued conspiracy theories.  All day long we've been waiting with baited breath over a terrorist attack that (as I predicted) never materialized.  Apparently, we forgot the healing words of our leaders in the months following September 11, 2001 -- STOP BEING AFRAID.  Go out and live as you normally would.  To do otherwise is what these gangstas WANT us to do!

The Four Pillars would not normally be needed for the last remaining superpower on the planet, but some segments of the population need it, so here goes:

THE UNITED STATES EXISTS.  We revolted against Britain to seek independence and freedom.  We grew from a weak confederation of loosely united colonies to be the strong UNITED country that we are.

THE UNITED STATES MATTERS.  No matter how much hate is hurled at us by other nations and cultures, we remain relevant in this world, no matter what they try to do to us.

THE UNITED STATES BELONGS.  The rest of this world must admit, no matter how begrudgingly, that we are needed.  To promote freedom and democracy, and to develop lacking nations into respectable countries -- if they don't want that help, it's their fault, and not ours. 

THE UNITED STATES DESERVES.  Other nations owe us respect, even if they wish they didn't.  Without the United States, the rest of the world would fall into the two extremes of dictatorship and anarchy, and democracy would become extinct.

We are the wealthiest country, we have the strongest army, and we have the fairest and justest government in the world.  Who are we to become self-hating, weak-willed people pleasers?  Because a bunch of gangstas hate us?!?!?!  LET them hate us.  LET them talk their pseudo religious trash.  LET them demonize us in their cheaply-made, amateurish videos.  Who the heck are they?

They're NOTHING.  Why give them power they don't deserve by being afraid?

And once again, my best wishes to the families of those who lost loved ones on that day, and of those first responders who met their deaths later from Ground Zero-related illnesses.  G-D bless the NYPD, the FDNY, and the PAPD.  G-D bless the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard.  G-D bless New York and New Jersey, and the United States of America.