Late night philosophizing.
Just some late night thoughts.
When the new century passed, we as a country were optimistic about future. Most of us had thought that the vast ideological conflicts of the past had been left squarely there, in the past. Then of course 9\11 happened and our very world changed.
We suddenly became aware of a new enemy, or at least the general public did. Islamic terrorism has become the new ideological opponent, once where there was a Soviet style Marxism, we now have Osama Bin Laden.
What does this mean for the future of Democracy?
I was watching a movie of mine tonight, V for Vendetta a very powerful movie that had a very powerful message. It detailed the tale of how fear, could eventually cost a people the very values they had cherished.
Much like most Hollywood movies, there were ideological conflicts, a tragic hero, and of course the struggle to regain the good once lost. When the movie ended, with the grand explosion and the promise of a new beginning, I began to think about the one-sidedness of the movie.
It presents a noble struggle, one that would certainly find any freedom loving person nodding along in agreement. Still it got me to thinking, what realities was the movie missing?
The deadly effects of terrorism have increased ten-thousand fold since the 1970's, or at least in my opinion. Let us take for instance the "Black September Group" they killed Jewish athletes at the Olympic games.
A heinous action, but one a symbolic one.
Did the Israeli economy slow down? Did millions of Israelis flee off there land in stark fear? No, generally the Mossad went on a justifiable revenge spree.
Still as technology evolves, the deadliness of terrorists also increases. Now a well financed group of terrorists could sneak across the Mexican border, and release a bio-weapon capable of wiping out thousands of people.
Doomsday scenario I realize, but the threat becomes much larger as technology evolves. As the free flow of information increases, it will become easier for very small groups of individuals to acquire the necessary information to cause enormous damage.
Now I don't want to sound like a right-wing preacher, seeing terrorist plots around every corner, then again I don't want to be someone who sticks his head in the sand and ignores threats that do exist.
Now, as a Democracy.
How do we deal with this?
Totalitarian governments are much more effective with dealing with these types of things, because they are neither constrained by law, morality, or constitutional limitations. We are constrained though, as I've watched the President struggle to deal with, I'm a bit sympathetic.
Easy people easy, save the violent comment lashing a second.
I don't think he ever intended to fight a type of conflict like this, he was elected to generally to serve a conservative domestic cycle the country was feeling in. There is a reason that generally the Democrats, and GOP are given power in cycles.
The country has liberal moods, and conservative moods.
Now I will state this, and I believe it.
I don't believe the President is a bad man, I believe that he was an idealist that was dazzled by neoconservatism, he had never intended to deal with the dawning of the new ideological struggle of our time.
Hurricanes, Terrorist Attacks, the President has had to deal with more then Clinton ever did.
Now I'm not excusing the ineptness of his foreign policy blunders, nor am I seeking sympathy for him.
Any man that runs for the presidency should be prepared to accept these types of events will happen, but in all due fairness.
I believe Al Gore would have been just as lost.
Now let me get back on track here.
What I'm wondering is does anyone here think our Democracy can survive a series of devastating terrorist attacks, say bio-weapons that kill hundreds of thousands of people. Humans will give up about anything for security, and I doubt the public will be sympathetic to a party preaching "tolerance" and "understanding" and one that wants to act like this is a police matter.
So what are we as a nation to do?
Some would argue that we should address the root causes of terrorism, I agree some what.
Still to believe that through foreign aid, and a good PR tour will end the threat of terrorism is the worst type of idealism, and the most dangerous. That is the horror of terrorism, it only takes a very small determined group, and with religion as a motivating factor.
There will always be those who will find reasons to want to kill us, so the question I wonder is how do we respond?
Is it worth giving up a little freedom, to ensure we keep the bulk of it? Or do we wait, comfortable in our complete freedom as we are attacked, and eventually the knee jerk public fear reaction will strip away all our freedom?
I don't know, but I would be interested in hearing some rational thought on the subject.