Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

kpete

(71,994 posts)
Thu Sep 19, 2013, 09:13 AM Sep 2013

RIGHT ON!!! - Frank Rich came right out and called America "Soft on Domestic Terrorism."

Frank Rich might just have found the one argument that can move politicians back to reality "So you are saying that you are soft on domestic terrorism?"


Frank Rich on the National Circus: America Is Soft on Domestic Terrorism



Essentially, no. Perhaps the best thing we can do is at least call out the problem for what it is: state-sponsored terrorism. The American people and their elected representatives allow our own homegrown equivalent of suicide bombers — suicide shooters — legal access to weapons with which they can mow down innocents almost anywhere they please. Bloomberg’s money can’t solve this (indeed his political contributions on behalf of gun-law reformers may have backfired) and neither can the blather of a thousand moralizing talking heads. So now, as always happens after these bloodbaths, the real problem is put on hold again and we are back to talking about side issues. Many are calling for keeping a closer watch on government contractors, for instance, but where were they when government contractors at Blackwater, et al, were wreaking havoc on civilians during the Iraq War? That horse is long out of the barn; we have an increasingly privatized government, cheered on by the same anti-government political party that is most in thrall to the NRA.

......................

That old hobbyhorse of violent entertainment is also back for another run: Hosts at Fox & Friends at Fox News (Elizabeth Hasselbeck) and Morning Joe at MSNBC (Mika Brzezinski) are united in angrily decrying violent video games. No doubt this makes them feel righteous, but if they really believe this is the crux of the matter, and had guts, they’d start by publicly demanding that their own parent companies dump any and all media products trading in violence. Somehow I don’t think that’s going to happen. Nor are we going to get better mental-health treatment for psychopaths like Aaron Alexis if the opponents of Obamacare (or any national health-care alternative) have anything to say about it. But let’s do talk about it. I remain convinced that the issue of guns in American culture, as hard-wired to our national origins as slavery was, will take every bit as long to rectify as slavery, and can only happen if Americans want it to happen, which most of them don’t now. So let’s at least acknowledge the truth: This country is soft on domestic terrorism.




http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/09/frank-rich-us-is-soft-on-domestic-terrorism.html
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/09/18/1239854/-Frank-Rich-State-Sponsored-Terrorism
20 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
RIGHT ON!!! - Frank Rich came right out and called America "Soft on Domestic Terrorism." (Original Post) kpete Sep 2013 OP
Message auto-removed Name removed Sep 2013 #1
And what is your point? malaise Sep 2013 #2
Message auto-removed Name removed Sep 2013 #3
the NRA kpete Sep 2013 #4
GOP and NRA Cryptoad Sep 2013 #5
thanks Cryptoad kpete Sep 2013 #7
The GOP Congress Nancy Waterman Sep 2013 #8
Oooo! look over there at that shiny thing! America is still soft on domestic terrorism AND has ... Hekate Sep 2013 #13
You could say that about any terrorist or mass murderer IronLionZion Sep 2013 #14
Brilliant. "Congressman! Why are you soft on domestic terrorism?!" at the next town hall Hekate Sep 2013 #6
Hekate kpete Sep 2013 #9
K & R!!!!!! napkinz Sep 2013 #10
K&R billh58 Sep 2013 #11
Frank Rich is exactly right gopiscrap Sep 2013 #12
Adam Gadahn, aka "Jihad Joe", pretty much said the same thing Tanuki Sep 2013 #15
If the same kind of slaughter was being perpetrated Surya Gayatri Sep 2013 #16
The gun slaughter in this country is domestic terrorism. RC Sep 2013 #17
Thank you, Frank Rich. As someone who has laid out the vast dichotomy between efforts to keep indepat Sep 2013 #18
This exchange with Frank Rich Iwillnevergiveup Sep 2013 #19
That makes sense (nt) muriel_volestrangler Sep 2013 #20

Response to kpete (Original post)

Response to malaise (Reply #2)

Hekate

(90,704 posts)
13. Oooo! look over there at that shiny thing! America is still soft on domestic terrorism AND has ...
Thu Sep 19, 2013, 11:07 AM
Sep 2013

America is still soft on domestic terrorism AND has a grossly underfunded mental health system.

See? It IS possible to walk and chew gum at the same time.

IronLionZion

(45,447 posts)
14. You could say that about any terrorist or mass murderer
Thu Sep 19, 2013, 11:13 AM
Sep 2013

they would have to have mental problems in order to kill lots of people, or even to believe that killing lots of people is a good strategy of achieving whatever motive they might have.

Hekate

(90,704 posts)
6. Brilliant. "Congressman! Why are you soft on domestic terrorism?!" at the next town hall
Thu Sep 19, 2013, 10:35 AM
Sep 2013

I want that on bumper stickers, on more op-eds, anything to grab the eye...and conscience. Those of us who are opposed find ourselves too -- what's the word? outgunned? -- by the sheer blindness that afflicts so many. They can see the bodies, but not the true cause. They are in profound denial.

I like this: Soft on Domestic Terrorism when women's clinics are blown to smithereens and children are gunned down in schools. "Congressman! Why are you soft on domestic terrorism?!" at the next town hall. "Senator! Why are you soft on domestic terrorism?" at the next news conference.

kpete

(71,994 posts)
9. Hekate
Thu Sep 19, 2013, 10:36 AM
Sep 2013

Our Battle Cry:

"Congressman! Why are you soft on domestic terrorism?!" at the next town hall. "Senator! Why are you soft on domestic terrorism?"


peace, kp

billh58

(6,635 posts)
11. K&R
Thu Sep 19, 2013, 10:39 AM
Sep 2013

The NRA and its apologists, along with their bought-and-paid-for politician shills, don't want to admit that they are aiding and abetting terrorism against the American public. Their gunz-for-everyone mantra is directly responsible for the ease at which anyone who wants a gun, can get a gun.

When these asshats use bombs to kill several people (think Oklahoma City and Boston) they are rightfully called "domestic terrorists." When they use guns to kill several people, they are called "mentally unfit." See the difference? The use of a Holy Gun exonerates them from being terrorists, and demotes them to just being crazy.

Tanuki

(14,918 posts)
15. Adam Gadahn, aka "Jihad Joe", pretty much said the same thing
Thu Sep 19, 2013, 11:25 AM
Sep 2013

in his video when he advised would-be terrorists to obtain all the weapons they wanted, legally and without having to undergo background checks, at American gun shows.
http://mediamatters.org/blog/2013/04/11/nra-news-attacks-buzzfeeds-al-qaeda-story-to-do/193583

 

Surya Gayatri

(15,445 posts)
16. If the same kind of slaughter was being perpetrated
Thu Sep 19, 2013, 11:38 AM
Sep 2013

by individuals with links to terrorist organizations, there would be a hue and cry of epic proportions.

Rich calls a spade a spade--terrorism is terrorism no matter who carries it out.

World English Dictionary
terrorism (ˈtɛrəˌrɪzəm)
— n
1. systematic use of violence and
intimidation to achieve some goal
2. the act of terrorizing
3. the state of being terrorized

 

RC

(25,592 posts)
17. The gun slaughter in this country is domestic terrorism.
Thu Sep 19, 2013, 01:06 PM
Sep 2013

It is allowed to continue because the tools used in killing in and by this country is a big high profit business.

indepat

(20,899 posts)
18. Thank you, Frank Rich. As someone who has laid out the vast dichotomy between efforts to keep
Thu Sep 19, 2013, 02:49 PM
Sep 2013

'Murika safe from foreign terraists versus how little is done to keep us safe from domestic terraists in dozens, it not hundreds, of posts, thank you.

Iwillnevergiveup

(9,298 posts)
19. This exchange with Frank Rich
Thu Sep 19, 2013, 07:40 PM
Sep 2013

should be the most posted/recommended/viewed EVER!

But I do take issue with his next to last statement "....can only happen if Americans want it to happen, which most of them don't now."

WE DO, WE DO!

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»RIGHT ON!!! - Frank Rich ...