Mark S. Blackburn, Veteran USA
It is with pleasure that I reproduce Harry Browne's Article, "When Will We Learn?" Twice I have been a contributor to the Harry Browne for President Campaigns. In 1996 I had the pleasure of having dinner with Harry and his wife Pamela in Sacramento.
-Mark Blackburn
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 PanAm plane was destroyed over
Scotland,
and our government tried to convince the world 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;
his books are available at
www.HBBooks.com.
Mark Blackburn
Mark S. Blackburn, MBA
1310 E Street Victorian
Sacramento, CA 95814
916.444.6500
Write to Mark: Mark_Blackburn@Yahoo.com