It’s been a rough week for many Americans. The bombing of the Boston Marathon, the explosion in West, Texas, the natural disasters of weather destructions.
America will deal with these things. We always do.
Last night they caught, alive, the second suspect in the bombing of the Boston Marathon.
Many wanted him dead.
Many hoped to catch him alive.
The persons who chose to set a bomb off at this public event played jury and judge and sentenced to death:
And then:
And sentenced to a life time of suffering and mourning hundreds of others, a city, a state, a country. And a world full of people who don’t understand acts of violence on innocent people.
The persons who took these actions immediately stripped all rights from all individuals who were affected. Stripped the rights and inflicted punishment.
For what crime?
To the best of my knowledge the young people killed were innocent of the hate inflicted on them by the bombers. They were innocent of detrimental action towards anyone.
The man who was caught last night?
The man who stripped hundreds, thousands of Americans of their rights with his actions?
He will have every right afforded to him.
Here’s the hard part about being American.
He gets those rights whether we want him to have them or not.
He will get the best medical care our country can provide. From a hospital who treated his victims and couldn’t save them all from the injuries he inflicted.
He will be afforded the legal defense he needs to have his day in court.
He will face an actual judge.
He will face an actual jury.
The hard part about being American, is that is what we need to do here. Now.
Part of us wants to continually ask why!?
But what could he possibly say that will make it understood? You and I, who don’t think of such actions let alone inflict them, will never understand what he has to say.
The hard part about being American, now, is doing what is right for the victims and their families and our country.
Whether it’s what we want to do or not.
***
It would be easy to go back to my chatter about my life. But it will never be ‘easy’ for these victims and their families again. I feel helpless and guilty having my normal life go on. My prayers and hopes are for the victims, their families and friends. And for America, I hope we realize that our bonds do not have to wait on tragedy to strengthen. I hope we are kinder to our fellow citizens, remain eager to help and find resolutions, and continue building our world in to a safer and desirable place to live.
The Chatter Blog 
Personally, I want him to be made whole again, then placed in a room that is empty–except for a single pressure cooker bomb THAT HE MADE. I want him to stare at it, unable to touch it. I want him to sweat and to wonder, and to fear. And I want the faces of each one of his victims to flash on the walls until he has every pore on their faces memorized. And I want his chair rigged so it feels the same as it did when he ran over his own brother. I want this to go on every day until he cries out in remorse or insanity. Then it can stop, and he can then be informed that we, the people, are not like him. He did this to himself.
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I know. There will be so many different ideas and thoughts on what should happen. His day of reckoning will come. I have no sympathy for him. At all. I only worry about the families, the friends, and our country.
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How we act/react speaks of us. And we are nothing like him.
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As do I. Excellent post, dear sister.
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Thank you. What a difficult emotional process this will be.
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As much as I emotionally want him to suffer for what he did I want to be a better person than he is by doing this the right way.
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It’s hard to watch the rights we fight so hard for be extended to someone who has committed such a horrible crime against this country. Such a sad sad thing.
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This is what will be so hard. Watching him get rights bestowed on him that many Americans, and others, have fought for and worked so hard to protect and ensure.
My worry isn’t about him. My worry, or concern, is about us, and how we handle ourselves.
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Your words are without malice, Chatter Master, but that is the defining border – civil law vs military law. I am not condoning stripping his rights as an American…but as a military combatant who was captured. Civil law ends and military law steps in.
My dad’s Army unit interrogated captured Japanese military in hopes of extracting valuable Intel to save military lives. That is what I believe in here. He is a prisoner of war. We need to find out what he knows…
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Koji I had not considered the differences between civil law and military law. I don’t know enough about either to comment with any semblance of intelligence. I do appreciate your point about military law being different. And I do think a terrorist act against a country/people (in my limited understanding of law) would be considered an act of war. A different way to look at this. For me.
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I agree – although I am not sure if he is a citizen or still here on a visa, but either way the day he decided to set those bombs off he became an enemy of the state – a traitor and now a POW.
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This a very hot issue in my book – I understand the hate and rage from people, but my personal view is that nobody has the right to take somebody else’s life .. government, justice system … terrorists, friends or lovers. Look what happen in London where the police shot and killed a young man, because they thought he was one of the London Underground bombers – shot him 8 times in the head in front of passengers on the Underground. He was from Mexico and had nothing to do what so ever with the bombings.How many innocent hasn’t been executed in US??? Nobody has the right to take an other life, but this only my opinion.
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I would never want an innocent person to be put to death either. Like the people at the Boston Marathon were put to death, or the police officer afterwards.
They were innocent.
I have always waffled on the death penalty issue. It’s times like this when my waffling turns in the other direction…..
It will be very emotional for many people to watch this man be afforded liberties, medical care, and rights that he stole from so many. Of his own volition. Regardless of the influences of others on him, he will be held accountable (rightfully) for actions he took.
Most Americans fully support the “rights” that our country were founded on. Do we ever want to stray from those rights offered, even in the aftermath of something so heinous, and become something we don’t want to be.
No one here, regardless of what anyone says, would want an innocent person put to death. And many here do not believe in the death penalty. He shouted his guilt to the world when he hijacked a man, threw bombs out of his vehicle at others, and ran over his own brother.
If I have to prioritize my feelings, first and foremost they are for the victims and their families/friends/community, next it is for the people of the USA and the world who do not ever condone this kind of act, next it is for the way we as Americans handle this in our anger, outrage and frustration.
I can hate a man. As much as I despise that feeling, I know I can hate. But in hating him I don’t want to become like him.
Like I said, so many incredible emotions around this. It will be so hard for so many to deal with.
I appreciate your opinion Viveka. And I tend to agree with it. But to be honest, my emotions are truly playing a game of tug-of-war with what I think.
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CB
I see parents do horrid things like this everyday…. We never get the answers we want. What would be the right answer anyway? Maybe…. Maybe we stop wasting time and money on those who kill or harm the innocent.
When will it stop?
A cure for cancer
A cure for making this stop
As strong and powerful and good as I believe America is, we still can’t fix everything and it leaves us helpless and hopeless.
You have stirred up so many thoughts to ponder….
**(I edited this comment because it said “Italy’s” where I think it was meant to say “it leaves us”. Anonymous, if I misspoke there please let me know.)
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We can’t fix everything, you’re right. We work so hard to do what is right. I believe the majority of the human beings on this planet try hard to do what is right. But at times like this, we are truly tested. And truthfully? What “is” right for something like this??? That’s part of my confusion. What is right.
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The “affording of every right” sometimes is carried out a bit too far… said in plain English with no (damn) lawyer BS behind it. We have a mass murderer in Colorado who we know committed the crime but we must spend millions to ensure he gets the best trial LAWYERS determine he needs (a self-serving resolution, isn’t it?)…
In this case with this bomber, no, he does NOT deserve all rights due people normally living in this country. He is a war criminal in IMHO. He needs to be interrogated to find out who else needs to be “nabbed” so that the next Campbell, Richards or Lingzi are not in the news. We should have done that with the last Bin Laden lieutenant we captured but the White House singly classed him as a non-combatant and thusly deserved a trial… No interrogations or the like. Perhaps he knew of this latest plot? We will never know.
In essence, I agree “normal” residents need fair trial. But not this enemy.
We are at war. Pardon my soapbox…and five cups of coffee. 🙂
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No pardon necessary Koji. I want to hear everyone’s feedback. We all have different thoughts, opinions, feelings. This is something that has affected millions of people. People, as a norm (and I truly believe this) are caring and compassionate. It is obvious it has sent ripples around the world for those hurt.
I fully support anyone’s opinion who thinks he has no rights. And I fully support those who feel he needs to go through due process. I can’t tell anyone what they should or shouldn’t feel about this. It is a horror story that he created for himself.
And from this horror story comes humanity at it’s finest. For everyone who has reached out to comfort, soothe, mourn for, support and assist the hurt and suffering- who am I to tell them how to feel.
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I hope you don’t misconstrue the substance of my rant. Normal people are entitled to due process. I should know that the best since my dad and family were unjustly imprisoned during WWII…as you imply, stripped of rights for no reason.
However, in this case, he is an enemy combatant… a prisoner of war now. War is still ongoing until a treaty is signed and honored… like on board the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay in Ausust 1945.
Because he is a “POW” in essence, he has no rights. He failed in his covert and cowardly attack on civilians.
There is a distinction but I wholeheartedly agree with your blog’s substance.
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I don’t even think you are “ranting”. I appreciate your feedback. I think I understand your point. Though I don’t know what dictates an act as “terrorism” I think an act like this, taken against innocent people and the magnitude of the acts taken, would qualify it as an act of terrorism. Being an act of terrorism, what are the laws dictated to handle that? Is it military? And the laws are different? (I truly don’t know the points to question). I do have a very difficult time hearing the media or anyone else keep commenting about the Miranda Rights not being given in the midst of his capture. Which makes me think I lean more towards what you are saying. But, if it is military law, what is that law and process?
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I wish people would just learn from these things so it wouldn’t happen over and over.
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Reblogged this on Masako and Spam Musubi and commented:
Some sincere feelings posted by a good American…
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Thank you Koji.
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Very well said. As difficult as it is to afford this terrorist his rights, I do consider that if we did what many of us want to do to him, the slippery slope of what each individual considers justice might make us no better than he is. My continued prayers go to all the victims and their families.
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Thank you Jan. I really appreciate everyone’s feelings on this. It isn’t easy. That slippery slope is what scares me. Not for him, but for us as Americans. This point about military law is not one I know enough about. I share my prayers for all, with you.
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I found this post thanks to Koji. I have never met Koji in person, but I believe to the core of my heart that there are few who possess the amount of love for this country that Koji possess. He is a true American hero and I love him for his convictions. He knows personally about the injustice that was placed on American citizens in WWII, just because they did not look like the rest. It is a shameful act on part of a country the prides itself on rights, freedoms, and democracy. It is a credit to his integrity that he re-posts something that he does not agree with. He is one of the rarest of all, a true honest man.
Democracy must prevail at all costs; to believe otherwise is a world that is unconceivable. But Ms. Chatter Master is absolutely correct. Freedom isn’t free. It costs something and until we start to practice freedom, we will never be free. The rights of bomber #2 are defined under the Constitution. Like it or not, he is an American Citizen and he deserves his rights. Is he a terrorist, yes. Is the mafia guy that threatens others a terrorist, yes. They are the same, they use violence or the threat of violence to achieve their desires.
Bomber #2 should have a lawyer. He should get a trial and he will be convicted. Legally, honestly and morally. He will face his punishment and he will answer for his actions. But not because of vigilante justice, not because of Wild West justice, not because of Jack Bauer justice and not because of Gitmo justice. Because of American justice. That will start us back onto the righteous path and help restore our credibility in the world.
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Thank you so much for such kind words…undeserved, most of all…and for your thoughts on the situation… If I may direct you to my reply to mssampson999 above, I just feel this is a situation where civil law ends and military law begins… Not really a stripping of rights per se… 🙂
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Honestly Koji I could care less about bomber#2’s second rights. In many ways, had he not been a coward and blown himself up or shot himself we would not have this issue. But here we are, and it is a discussion that must happen. Now, today.
In isolation I don’t have a problem identifying him as an enemy combatant, tossing him in Gitmo and losing the key. But this isn’t in isolation; it is about all of our collective rights. If we do not give bomber #2 the access to his rights, now. We may wake up five years from now and find ourselves identified as an enemy combatant, just because you thought we were exercising our right to free speech by having a blog.
It is very dangerous to give away any rights, especially when I read how we are so concerned about the government taking our guns, forcing health care on the country, raising taxes and printing money.
This is just one reason why I disagree with your position.
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Your thoughts are deep and honest…and bear great weight coming from a veteran. I, not being a lawyer in the least, am very ignorant. I just can’t see telling him to remain silent if you know what I mean, vis-à-vis “anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law…” That stuff, so to speak. Can we afford that?
This is a great discussion. 🙂
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Robakers and Koji, thank you very much for your comments. It is so much easier to take differing opinions and consider them both when done with such civility. I appreciate you both.
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Robakers, thank you for reading and sharing your comments. When I wrote this I recognized that this will be a very emotional process for many of us. We believe in our rights and we have lost many men and women over our history who believed enough to fight and die for us. I think the legal due process will be emotional for many because even though he is an American citizen it will be difficult for many Americans to “accept” him as a citizen. Right or wrong, it will be difficult to accept. I think it would be difficult for most of us to grasp a concept of moving to another country, going through a process to become a citizen, and then inflicting terror and death on our newly adopted country men/women/children. It makes no sense.
I agree with you that we must do what is right. For our country. For the rights that so many have fought for. And for the victims.
But, after reading Koji’s comments about military law vs. civil law…. Which will this fall under? I suppose we don’t really know because we do not know everything yet.
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Your last paragraph says it the way I wish everyone would think about all the tragedies we have faced, or will ever face, regardless of the country. Obviously, “getting even” has never worked, and never will. As for the Boston tragedy, with God’s help, we must never, ever, by-pass the due the process of rationality and civil law, for if we do, we are no better than the infamous and evil in this world.
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I agree getting even is inappropriate… I just believe it is a case of military law vs civil law…
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I’m with you on that!
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Thank you No Ulterior Motive. “Getting Even” does seem to head us into trouble doesn’t it? After reading the other comments, legally, I don’t know what to expect. Civil or Military? Or do we have enough information to even know yet? I don’t think by-passing due process (which ever ‘due process’ it is suppose to go through) will serve our country well. Ever.
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I use to be a person who believed eye for an eye…punish and put to death those who have taken another’s life, raped, molested and other evil acts until… I’ve looked at my own evil acts. When you look up the word evil in the dictionary, there are no degrees. Evil comes in many forms such as… When I was young, I learned that it’s okay to speak unkindly about others and when someone inflicted emotional pain on me, I wanted to do the same in return. I’m not condoning what these two young men did at the Boston Marathon. I do have compassion for them and perhaps because I’m willing to see that there are no degrees on evil acts. Jesus taught to love your enemies. What if Jesus didn’t love his enemies? What if Jesus wasn’t willing to go through what he came here to teach…unconditional love, compassion and forgiveness. Jesus knew that all those who chose to condemn him acted from their wrong minds just as these two young men and every other being who commits evil acts and yes even those who speak unkindly about another person. I went to see the movie 42 (about baseball legend Jackie Robinson) last night. I learned much and received many gifts… To see what this man went through and the hatred directed his way! To me there is no difference from what these two young men did at the Boston Marathon and the people who did their best to destroy Jackie Robinson with their words and threats on his life. By the way a must see movie! I believe every being is a child of God. None of us were born evil. These young men strayed away from their true being as many of us do. I believe there is way more to life than what we see and realize. I believe we all come here to learn. Some of us are on this earth longer than others…in the end we are all brothers and sisters. I pray that these two young men will remember the Love that created them and love their neighbor as themselves. My heart goes out to all the families whose loved ones have physically left here and those whose lives have changed because of this evil act. As Gandhi said, “You must be the change you want to see in the world.” Fighting against anything does not bring peace and healing only more fear.
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FeelingJoy thank you for your comment. I am betting (from what I have personally heard, and read) that many will not be able to share your convictions. But, I suspect there are more who do, than we will hear from. I said in another response that I don’t want to hate. And I would be lying if I said I haven’t dealt with hateful feelings for what has happened. But much of what you said resonates within me and how I ‘want’ to be. I do not want to “be” hate. I do not want to be capable of the thoughts and actions that these men (and others) take against other human beings. So I have to work through this. Things to ponder: there are no degrees of evil and “You must be the change you want to see in the world.” Thank you for your thoughtful comment.
(And I intend to see that movie.)
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I understand your feelings of hate. I’ve had and can still feel hate. What I now understand is my feelings of hate are about me and not the other person. When I’m feeling hate, peace cannot exist within me. When I’m feeling hate, I ask myself what do I believe and ask the Holy Spirit within me to see this differently. I’ve also learned, you don’t want to lie to yourself about what your feeling and thinking because than you cannot change the thought and feeling. I like your honesty. I see we must be honest in order to change. I’ve also learned and this makes sense to me that we cannot be something that doesn’t exist within the Creator. We cannot “be” hate, although we can feel and act from hate. I’ve learned my feelings of hate come from my own judgments about myself, which many stem from childhood and as I grew I held onto my judgments. We also accept judgments from others when we are young. There is a wonderful scene in the movie, which shows this. We have the power to break any belief and pattern that doesn’t support our true self. Blessings to you!
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Thank you FeelingJoy. I agree that many times our hate or judgement comes from something we are hating or judging about ourselves. In some instances though, I do believe these feelings are not from judging ourselves. I can’t comprehend the intentional and very complex actions these men took to hurt others, to willfully hurt others. Have I ever hurt others? I’m sure of it. But I don’t recall putting effort and time and energy in to thinking/plotting/planning hateful acts to hurt. I can’t comprehend the doing of that….. I appreciate your message and even as I typed this I wondered if I did ever “plan” or willfully hurt others. I don’t know. I will think on this.
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And blessings are appreciated! Thank you.
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Well said.
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Thank youl
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Thank you everyone for your very personal points on this. I appreciate everyone’s opinion, and everyone’s civility in agreement or disagreement. I appreciate you all. I am angry, frustrated, scared, sad – so very sad, confused. I don’t want to remember these men. But I don’t want to forget the victims and how I have felt this week. I want to come out of this a stronger and wiser American. A better human being.
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Me, too.
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Even though it hurts and seems a little wrong at times like this, our system of justice is part of the structure that allows us to live freely. Without this application of rights to all, deserving or not, we wouldn’t be able to feel secure in our daily lives. Besides, any grand plans of revenge or comeuppance could never, ever come anywhere close comforting all those who are grieving, and to think that retribution could possibly be made seems disrespectful to them somehow.
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Well said Katie. I believe we must do what is ‘right’. I recognize that in doing what is right may be difficult to process, emotionally, for many. Hopefully we can focus on helping the victims, and one another, through this.
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I don’t hate him. I don’t know what his life was like or what influences he faced. I will not judge him or wish him suffering. I can only wonder what happened to him.
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Thank you for reading and commenting Susan B Raven. I prefer to not use the word ‘hate’. But I can’t deny feeling hatred about the acts inflicted on those in Boston, or any heinous act knowingly and willingly inflicted on others. I don’t ‘want’ to hate, but I can’t deny the feelings rear up. Which is one of the difficult emotional aspects of this. I don’t ‘want’ to hate but would be lying if I denied I felt it (towards the acts? the humans who could inflict this?) then I am angry? frustrated? disappointed? with myself for allowing someone else to have that kind of control over me. It’s a lot to process. I truly appreciate your comment. I admire you for your honesty and altruism.
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Re your post-script – I felt the same way on 9/11/01. It was a beautiful fall day in upstate New York – balmy temperatures, gentle breeze. And yet the other side of the state had horror after horror going on. I couldn’t process it then and I still can’t. Everything was so normal where I was at, but that wasn’t how it was in the world on that day.
My husband and I were not from upstate, but over the next few weeks, nearly every person we met knew someone who died that day. It was hard listening to the stories after a while.
So, no, I have no words of wisdom for it. It’s a contradiction without resolution.
Nancy
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Oh Nancy, you very clearly expressed how I felt. Thank you, for reading and sharing this. It’s almost a week since the bombing. I’m sitting in my house, relaxing with the sun shining in before a busy Sunday starts. And I know there are hundreds who’s lives have been altered, and there is no resting or relaxing for them today. Your words of understanding were my post script were appreciated.
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Wow, what a post and what great comments. I read Koji’s comments (hi Koji) and asked my husband about military law vs. regular. He said (his favorite response) “it’s complex” to fall under military law the suspect needs to be labeled an enemy combatant vs. a U.S. citizen (psychotic, evil, or whatever we label him by his acts, aside) and if deemed an enemy combatant then who is the enemy?
For me, the higher purpose is the utilitarian concept that our great country and laws operate off of, even while protecting the rights of the criminally guilty, deserving of retribution-including being put to death (not going to get into whether I am for or against the death penalty). You addressed this principle brilliantly in your post.
The hard part is the emotional response to the atrocities this lunatic generated and to that I’m every bit what others have commented on.
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Thank you Paulette. I am glad that Koji brought up the military law aspect. I had not known to consider it before he did. Whether he falls under civil law or military law, I agree it must be followed. And yes, the emotional response is the heavy weight of the hard part of being American. But it is a weight I am glad to bear.
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I may be speaking out of turn. I am not a US Citizen. But I reside here now. And no one sympathizes with the bombers. Certainly not me. I come from a country that was rife with this kind of horror. That it comes to this incredible place saddens me.
Saying that….
This is America. EVERYTHING I have EVER learnt about it is true. The freedoms and rights and the way things work here are truely incredible. Yes things could be done better. Yes there are times when the system of justice that has been set-up seems frustrating.
But your system of checks and balances are there for a reason. People in other countrys DO look up to this system and style of government and its justice system. People here look up to, honor…and TRUST their police.
You do have exceptions to your justice system that will allow a little leeway with regards to this particular event. And tis still within the confines of your legal system.
It is my opinion, as an ‘outsider’ to the system … that to circumvent, or ‘make’ new circumstances because it is ‘easier’ … would undermine all that your great country stands for.
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I would like to emphaszie….the people who did this…the person in custody, I am not arguing in his favor. Rather, I am arguing for what America stands for in my eyes.
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I agree with you Irish Katie. I worried my post may imply I wanted a rushed judgement and decree. When what I truly wanted to share was my thought that this will be an emotional burden for the country to watch him “get” all of these rights after his callous stripping of rights and attacks on innocent people. It must be done, the right way, because as you say “what America stands for”. Thank you for your feedback . I am so impressed with everyone’s opinions and thoughtful comments.
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Great discussion – gave me plenty food for thought. My first thoughts were not very Christian but then as calm took over the emotional – no matter what they decided someone is not going to like it, I still believe that he should be tried as a terrorist, enemy of the state. My fear is that this will turn into a media circus and the thought that these terrorists know how to play our game. We have to learn to “play” back and beat them at their own game.
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I don’t know enough to say this with anything other than my gut feeling and my uneducated knowledge….but enemy of the state seems the right thing. Terrorist, seems the right thing. He/they committed an act of war.
The media circus…is more of a nightmare. I admit I keep going back to read the news. But the minute I read something that is based on assumptions or guesses I leave it. I truly want the facts. I want information, not imaginations. If there is no “news” than don’t report it.
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True, and we are never really going to get the facts. Since the government won’t listen to lil ole’ me I guess whatever happens happens, or as my daughter says, it is what it is!
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I agree. We won’t know the full truth. My thoughts and prayers are for the healing and the well being now of so many people hurt by this cruelty.
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mine too –
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Incredible discussion, and in its way, what democracy is all about. There are many countries around the world where this discussion would not be taking place. I have two thoughts: one, first we have to determine if there is any other danger. Are there any more bombs? Were any other people involved? Will we wake up tomorrow with another Boston Marathon? The AGs office is now pursuing this outside of Miranda and normal legal procedures under the assumption there may be further terrorist acts. Anything this side of torture, seems fair. Once this issue is resolved, I believe that normal legal procedures need to occur. I have very strong feelings against terrorists, or anyone who feels the taking of innocent life is justified… but we are a nation of laws. And those laws protect all of us.
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Yes, yes, yes,yes! We must never, ever, by-pass the due process of rationality and civil law, for if we do, we are no better than the infamous and evil in this world.
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Amen No Ulterior Motive. As painful as it may be sometimes, we must do just that.
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Thank you for joining the discussion Curt Mekemsom, I am so appreciative of everyone who has commented and done so with such aplomb.
“We are a nation of laws” pretty much seems to be everyone’s agreement. I agree there needs more information before we actually know what will be played out in which court of law.
I am grateful for these laws and living in a country where we can freely discuss this. I wouldn’t want it any other way.
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I would also like to than you for your thoughtful blog on the issue. I really had no idea what to expect when I started blogging three years ago. What I discovered was a whole universe of bright, thoughtful people such as you and Koji… each of you working to make the world a better place.
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Thank you for such kind comments Curt. Like you I didn’t know what to expect and my experience has been extremely positive. I normally write about regular happenings and thoughts. On the occasions I have written about something serious or potentially argumentative I have been very humbled and pleased with the decorum that people have used. It gives me hope.
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Great post Colleen! I can’t stop thinking about what it must be like to be the doctors and nurses that are working on him. I am sure they are doing their very best as they would with any patient but it must feel so differently for them. I guess they have to keep in mind they are working on his body and not his soul.
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Well said Melissa! I admire those who do the right thing. I read on someone’s comment on Facebook about how the staff at that hospital responded and they should be commended. They are currently caring for the victims and perpetrator. How emotionally difficult does that have to potentially be????
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“…working on his body and not his soul” is perfect. I am studying to be a nurse, and have been thinking quite a lot about what I will do if ever, God forbid, I am in a similar situation. I hope I never have to, but I will remember those words if such a time comes. As my sister said initially, this is the hardest part of being American. Always being the better person takes so much strength.
With that said, however, when someone CHOOSES to disregard the laws of this land to the heinous degree that we are discussing here-with such blatant intent to kill and maim as many as possible-is he not CHOOSING through his actions to be exempt from those laws? AND would America be reduced to the current state of fear if monsters such as these perpetrators were handled differently?
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This is such a great reflective, Colleen, & judging by all the comments, you’re not alone. You’re the new American – you’re leading a better way.
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Thanks for that Noeleen. But I have to admit I have a long way before I come close to the wonderfulness of the best of America. I am amazed every day by the charity of others, the generosity. The work ethics. The …oh geez, just so much!! But thank YOU for thinking so well of me. 🙂
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Chatter, Thanks for stopping by my blog again, I appreciate Paulette introducing your work to me. This is an amazingly wonderful piece of work. Your words describe in such a wonderful fashion exactly why 80 pct of the world wants to come and live here. It is those exact same reasons the other 20 pct are always trying to kill us. Our way of life, is so alien to them, it makes them fear the potential. Please take care, Bill
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Thank you Bill. Paulette is good at getting us connected. She’s my “unofficial” manager. 😉 And I think you are right about America. Thank YOU for reading and sharing your thoughts. colleen
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