Like a lot of other people, 9-11 changed the way that I think of politics, the world and our country forever.

Somehow, over the last three years, I started looking at President Bush very differently as well; I’m not sure if it is maturity, or I just realized things that I did not see before.

That being said, we are/were in desperate need for a change, however, no one can deny that we have not been attacked since 9-11, therefore, the last administration “must” have done something right. Now, if this administration comes in and starts reversing a whole lot of policies, just to be politically favored, and we get attacked again, then I do believe, this administration “will” have hell to pay. Perhaps that is what it will take for a lot of people to open their eyes up again, and realize that we are living in a very dangerous time, in history.

It is the old saying, “the grass is not always greener, on the other side”.

My post was really a parallel between what George Bush and FDR did, however, you may have noticed that I did not even need to name George Bush once in the post.

So, FDR was a democrat, yet he sent The Japanese “citizens” off to camps; Citizens! that had the “same” constitutional rights as any other America citizens; that is almost insane when you think about it; can you imagine if we had rounded up every Middle Eastern descendant, that is legally an American citizen, after 9-11, and sent them off to camps? Bush would have been castrated! The point is that both FDR and Bush took measures (right or wrong) that they felt were keeping The American people safe; yet how many people really appreciate that?

Still, people are bitching because we have “suspected” terrorist in a Naval Base, in Cuba; they are “not” American citizens and they do “not” have the same constitutional rights as we do.
In the past, when suspected or known enemy combatants were captured, in the field, we had military tribunals..Do I need to bring up The Nuremberg Trials? Instead, should we have brought those high level Nazis to America and handed them some lemon-aid and a Lazy Boy chair? They were f-ing hung!
Ten to be exact. They were responsible for the death of millions of innocent people.

There was a time to where American politicians had fuzz on their kiwis; now, on this issue, they bounce around like parakeets, afraid that they may upset the apple cart; while they “can” take billions of our tax payer dollars and toss it into the wind.

OK, well, thus far, 62 of these known enemy combatants, in Gitmo, that have been released, have proved to go back to the combat zone and have taken up arms against America.
Yes, that is only 10% of those that are held, however, it may only take a handful of them to pull another 9-11.

Do we have an extremely bad economy right now? Dam right we do!
And if they had their way, on 9-11, we may not even be here to talk about it.

And how about Jack Murtha? Let’s bring them to Pennsylvania.; excuse me Mr. Murtha, but I’d rather not have enemy combatants in my state, thank you very much!

It is simply insane! When are we going to start putting America, and The citizens of this country, first again? And when are we going to be able to stand behind our leader’s decisions again?

I truly do believe that if our politicians continue to dance around like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, we are going to pay a hard price again.

I am begging them to please…wise up!

Mark

That is the beauty of writing, isn't it?

One may get touched by something that another will skim right over, and vice verse.

I write what I feel, when I feel like writing. Often, my intent is just to get people to converse, and to spur on conversation, rather then "just" putting out my "own" feelings about things.

I actually enjoy giving my commentary on other people's writings, as much, if not more then writing it myself.

K, In this case, let's keep in mind that I am writing what "we" discern as being right; however, I'm pretty sure, others may not see it as such; so be it!

Usually, when writing, I try to be as fair and rational "as possible", however, in this post, I felt the need to be more expressive of my own, "true" feelings…

Many times we find ourselves in the position of making decisions that we don't find appealing. Every time I have to discipline my children, I feel as if I have betrayed them just a bit, but yet even then, I realize that it is the right thing to do, regardless of whether I think it at the time.

The juxtaposition of FDR and Obama to compare and constrast their attitudes gives me pause to consider the direction our country has taken in the last 60 years. We have become a nation of "feel good" politics. The right thing to do is no longer the "right thing to do".

I have a creed I have lived with for many years. If I am not making someone angry, then I am not doing what I think is best. A wise man once said, "You can make some of the people happy all the time, and you can make all of the people happy some of the time, but you will NEVER make all of the people happy all of the time." This is as true today as when those words were first uttered. However, the problem we face in the current culture of the country, is that in an effort to cater to the masses, many things that should be done, are not, and many things that should not be done, are.

Until we have a true statesman take reign of our country and provide the true leadership and dedication this country needs, we will be left to flounder about gasping for air.

I WANT friends to commiserate with me. I WANT enemies to provide dissonence. I NEED a leader to provide Direction, Dicipline, and Dedication to this country. Without it, we will be a short lived people.

I like using history to draw modern day parallels; history can be a great barometer for how to handle modern day events. I see the above, as both reactionary (Obama's Inaugural Speech, and some recent executive decisions made) and reflective, as in looking back over the past.

In any case, I am glad that you enjoyed it. : )

Mark

Before now, I had thought of you as more of a reactive thinker. This is perhaps the most insightful thing I have seen in quite some time.