Tag: civil liberties

Welcome to the New America

Government Assassinates 16-Year-Old Boy; the People Cheer “Ummmm, guess you ought to be more careful when associated with and visiting known terrorists. I love them drones!!” “Terrorists are selfish too. Your kid was the one who decided that he would start killing people. He sealed his own fate and we took him out. Maybe we … Continue reading “Welcome to the New America”

A Drone Strike on the Constitution

When President Obama authorized the assassination of Anwar al-Awlaki, there was much rejoicing. A terrorist was gone, al-Qaeda was dealt a major blow, and vital links between jihadists and the West were broken. In addition to Awlaki, three other men were killed, including Samir Khan, publisher of a Muslim magazine. But more died on that … Continue reading “A Drone Strike on the Constitution”

What 2016 Might Look Like

Many traditional conservatives, libertarians, and progressives who are no longer mesmerized by the Obama persona are beginning to realize that the 2012 elections might be the last chance to right the ship of state. Either we Americans can continue down a fear-driven path that will lead to our transformation into a police state with a … Continue reading “What 2016 Might Look Like”

The Government’s Illusory Terrorist Threat

Now that the big kahuna — Osama bin Laden — has been killed, the “War on Terror” is much less exciting. Even before Osama’s demise, experts sent chills through the massive post-9/11 U.S. government anti-terrorism bureaucracies by concluding that the threat from al-Qaeda had been much weakened by the group’s own bloody excesses against civilians, … Continue reading “The Government’s Illusory Terrorist Threat”

I Am a History Teacher, and I Lie to My Students

On Sept. 30, 2011, I woke up and began my daily routine, preparing for another day of teaching history to high school students. In the course of an average school year, I literally teach the history of the world — ancient history, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Enlightenment, and modernity. My 11th-grade students take … Continue reading “I Am a History Teacher, and I Lie to My Students”

Ten Years After 9/11: Have We Become the Enemy of Freedom?

We will not walk in fear, one of another. We will not be driven by fear into an age of unreason, if we dig deep in our history and our doctrine, and remember that we are not descended from fearful men — not from men who feared to write, to speak, to associate, and to … Continue reading “Ten Years After 9/11: Have We Become the Enemy of Freedom?”

Military Trials on the Rise After Mubarak

CAIRO — Amr El-Beheiry’s trial in a military court lasted just five minutes. The 33-year-old Egyptian was arrested on Feb. 26 and sentenced without a lawyer present to five years in prison for breaking curfew and assaulting a public official during a demonstration in Cairo. He is just one of thousands of civilians tried in … Continue reading “Military Trials on the Rise After Mubarak”

The Illusion of Safety

Recent incidents of violence in Norway and London have made us understandably uncomfortable here at home, as many fear that a worsening economy will lead to violence and unrest in American cities. This is why Congress must view the economy as its first priority and a matter of national security: unless and until we get … Continue reading “The Illusion of Safety”

Big Brother Has Arrived

Leading neoconservative Richard Perle has said that one of the many reasons he admires the Israelis is the moral clarity that they exhibit on the issue of terrorism. What exactly that means is not itself clear, but it would appear to be a carte blanche for any and all Israeli punitive responses to groups that … Continue reading “Big Brother Has Arrived”

Let’s End TSA Abuses and Failures

Listen to Rep. Ron Paul deliver this address. The press reports are horrifying: 95-year-old women humiliated; children molested; disabled people abused; men and women subjected to unwarranted groping and touching of their most private areas; involuntary radiation exposure. If the perpetrators were a gang of criminals, their headquarters would be raided by SWAT teams and … Continue reading “Let’s End TSA Abuses and Failures”