I knew it would be mad and bad under these radicals.
I just didn’t think it would get this bad, this fast.
Ironically, three short weeks after the First Lady sang the praises of the Lunchroom Battalion, a band of retired military officers took aim at the nation’s school lunch program, calling it a “national security threat.” What’s their beef? They cited a new study, which found “more than 9 million young adults, or 27% of all Americans ages 17 to 24, are too overweight to join the military.”46 Speaking on behalf of the officers’ group, Mission: Readiness, retired Navy Rear Admiral James Barnett Jr. said, “When over a quarter of young adults are too fat to fight, we need to take notice.”47
This, of course, will end badly for the students.
No doubt Michelle will tell her Kitchen Brigade to declare war on dessert.
Big Brother is Not Watching—And Big Sis is Amiss
On February 15, 2010, Bob Thomas and his wife Leona were taking their four-year-old son, Ryan, to Walt Disney World to celebrate his fourth birthday. Keep in mind Bob is a police officer with Camden, New Jersey’s emergency crime suppression team. As they approached the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security checkpoint at the airport, I’m sure little Ryan had visions of Mickey Mouse dancing in his head.
Fun was in the air and this was to be his first flight.
Did I mention that Ryan cannot walk without his leg braces?
When Ryan’s leg braces triggered the metal detector alarm, the TSA screener informed his parents that the young boy had to remove the braces and try again. Ryan’s father explained the obvious: Ryan needed them to walk. That meant nothing to the stern-faced screener who repeated the demand. Ryan’s mother suggested a compromise. She offered to steady Ryan as he went through the screening machine. Nope. Not good enough, said the screener with a mental capacity of a 40-watt light bulb.
The boy would have to walk unassisted.
With the line of passengers behind them growing longer by the minute, Laura passed through the metal detector first with Ryan just steps behind her. Bob followed closely behind his son in the event Ryan were to fall. While they made it through, Bob was fuming and demanded to speak to a supervisor. “I told him, ‘This is overkill. He’s four years old. I don’t think he’s a terrorist.” 48
That’s the kind of insanity you get under Janet Napolitano’s incompetent Homeland Security regime. In her world, four-year-old crippled children must walk to prove they’re not armed and dangerous, while true threats to our national security breeze through the system. Remember the case of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the Christmas “Underwear Bomber”? The Nigerian-born twenty-three-year-old Abdulmutallab, a Muslim whose head was filled with the explosive teachings of radical Islam, attempted to ignite a makeshift bomb in his underwear aboard Northwest Flight 253 bound for Detroit. He should never have been permitted on the flight. The warning signs were all there.
Even though he purchased his tickets in cash …
Even though he had no checked luggage …
Even though a month prior to this near-fatal incident his own father warned the U.S. Embassy in Abuja, Nigeria, that his son could pose a threat to the United States …
Even though the Customs and Border Protection had documentation supplied by the Department of State indicating his possible extremist ties as Napolitano later admitted.49 Even after all those pieces of the puzzle were in place, the Christmas Crotch Bomber wasn’t put on the “no-fly list.”50 If it were not for the quick and courageous actions of the adjacent passengers and crew on that flight, hundreds of Americans could have died. Rushing to the microphones after the inexcusable security breach, Big Sis Napolitano told nervous Americans that “the system worked.” The Muslim fanatic smuggled explosives onto a U.S. airplane, didn’t he? How was he able to do that if the system worked? When a reporter asked this homeland security genius that question, Napolitano said, “We’re asking the same questions.”51
Two days later, Big Sis was backpedaling saying, “Our system did not work in this instance.”52 Which is it? How does this amateur keep her job? After what was clearly an attempted terrorist attack on Christmas Day, and with the vacationing Obama avoiding his beloved cameras, Representative Peter King said, “We’re now, what, 72 hours into this and the President’s not spoken, the Vice President’s not spoken, the Attorney General’s not spoken and Janet Napolitano has now told two different stories in two days. First, she said everything worked; now she said it didn’t.”53 And when Obama finally did address the near-fatal act of terrorism, his first reaction was to say it was the actions of “an isolated extremist.”54 Is that so?
Let’s be clear: this was an act of Islamic terrorism hatched from within the bowels and terrorist training camps in Yemen. Big Sis didn’t acknowledge that fact. Nor did the president. If anything, that intel was covered up. Instead, we had to discover it from the twisted mouth of Anwar al-Awlaqi, a top al-Qaeda leader and Imam of mosques in Virginia and San Diego. After the attack, he bragged that he personally trained the Underwear Bomber and Major Nidal Hasan—the Muslim shooter in the Fort Hood massacre. This terrorist-training Imam said, “I am proud to have been their teacher.”55
Contrary to what the president said, the Underwear Bomber wasn’t acting alone. He was an al-Qaeda operative. That’s number one. Second, when it comes to the horrible, unspeakable, traitorous actions of Major Hasan, let’s not mince words: Hasan didn’t slip though the cracks—he was pushed through the cracks. In fact the cracks were widened by the Department of Defense. How so? By cultivating a climate within the military that bends over backward to make sure Muslim seeennnsitivities are not offended.
The fact is that Major Hasan, a mental case posing as a psychiatrist, was both a screw-up and a ticking time bomb. He was a keg of dynamite with a sizzling fuse. But nobody would fire him for fear of losing their jobs. They were too busy looking over their shoulder at some demented Red Diaper Doper Baby defense lawyer from NYU if they had fired Hasan for proselytizing the patients while treating them.
A columnist for the New York Post put it this way: “Hasan’s superiors feared—correctly—that any attempt to call attention to his radicalism or to prevent his promotion would backfire on them, destroying their careers, not his.”56 What is meant by Hasan’s “radicalism”? Among other things, did you know that Hasan would write “Allah be praised” on the medical reports of his patients? Imagine if a Christian doctor wrote “Jesus Saves” on a medical report—how long do you think he would have lasted in the military?
That just shows you how far we’ve fallen.
After the shooting, while families were grieving the unnecessary loss of their loved ones, President Obama offered this feeble comment:
I want to begin by offering an update on the tragedy that took place at Fort Hood. This morning I met with FBI Director Mueller and the relevant agencies to discuss their ongoing investigation into what caused one individual to turn his gun on fellow servicemen and women. We don’t know all the answers yet and I would caution against jumping to conclusions until we have all the facts57 [emphasis added].
That’s code language designed to mask the fact Hasan was a Muslim.
That’s also his way of downplaying any connection to al-Qaeda.
Regarding the possibility that Hasan was inspired by his ideological views, television talk show host Dr. Phil said, “You don’t take the guy’s last name and impugn the Islamic nation. Are you kidding me? … That is irresponsible. It is ridiculous to say.”58 Really? How else do you explain that witnesses to the massacre heard Hasan shout “Allah Akbar” before opening fire on American soldiers?59 Why is it “ridiculous” to suggest Hasan was acting out his ideology with a gun?
Such cowardice is killing us—literally. It killed thirteen men and wounded thirty others! Which brings me to a number of difficult questions yet to be raised. Why were our men disarmed in that room? When did soldiers on military bases become disarmed? Think about it. How did Has
an get in with guns? Why was there no Sergeant at Arms at the door? Why was there a breakdown there?
A month later, a worthless hearing was held. The public wanted to know how this happened and who was behind it. One reporter timidly asked Defense Secretary Robert Gates whether this was an act of terrorism because Hasan shouted, “Allah Akbar,” as he opened fire. The reporter rightly wanted to explore whether there was a tie to militant Islam. Defense Secretary Robert Gates reportedly said, “I’m not even going there.”
I say Gates better start going there! Why?
Read on.
From the Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight to the Gang That Couldn’t Shoot At All
On May 1, 2010, New Yorkers dodged another terrorist attack—no thanks to the incompetence of Big Sis. The Pakistani-born, terrorist-trained, thirty-year-old Faisal Shahzad, who lied on his citizenship application to become one of us in order to kill us, parked a Pathfinder packed with explosive material and a timer in Times Square. If it were not for the quick action on the part of a street vendor who alerted police to the threat, more Americans would have died at the hands of a radical Muslim terrorist.
What is happening to the government of the United States? It seems they are unable to provide security from threats both foreign and domestic. A bomb almost goes off in Times Square and who finds it?
Not the military.
Not the FBI. Not the police.
A street vendor selling T-shirts.
Don’t think that the fact a street peddler spotted this bomb was unusual. Remember the passengers on United Flight 93 who took back the plane and saved the capital? Or two tourists who tackled a gunman who was shooting at the White House several years ago? Or the Flying Dutchman who stopped the Underwear Bomber? Over and over again, individual Americans using personal initiative and good judgment have been the true First Responders that saved us from these attacks. The citizens of this country are doing their job, not the inept government hacks whose job it is to keep America safe.
What was the reaction from Big Sis when the Times Square plot was first uncovered? Janet “the system worked” Napolitano said, “We’re taking this very seriously. We’re treating it as if it could be a potential terrorist attack.”60 What world is she living in? How could a car bomb deliberately planted and designed to maximize casualties on the crowded streets in the heart of Manhattan not be an act of terror? Of course it’s terrorism. The only thing scarier than her remark is that this attack SUCCEEDED in every way but one.
This radical Muslim terrorist was able to enter the U.S. on a student visa.
This radical Muslim terrorist was able to obtain a work permit.
This radical Muslim terrorist was able to romance an American woman, marry her and get a green card, then obtain American citizenship. As soon as Shahzad did, the terrorist sprang into action, returned to his native land, learned to make bombs, and then got his orders to blow up Times Square. He was able to procure all the necessary equipment, assemble it, place it in Times Square, and then escape the FBI. He was unhindered when he purchased a last-minute ticket on an airplane and then breezed through security check points while four-year-olds wearing leg braces and elderly women with walkers were scrutinized. He ultimately boarded a plane and almost got away.
This radical Muslim terrorist made one mistake.
The bomb didn’t go off because he failed to set the timer properly, not because of anything we did to prevent it. He did all this without ever coming to the notice of American intelligence. How many others are following this same plan? Maybe they won’t make the same mistakes. When a Republican charged that Shahzad was foiled only because of a lucky break, Missouri Demoncat Representative Ike Skelton said, “What’s wrong with being lucky?” 61 There you have it. Another genius in Washington crossing his fingers hoping our “luck” in the war against terrorism holds up.
An editorial in the Washington Times calls this “Obama’s Good Luck Terrorism Strategy.” In it, they ask the questions I’ve been asking, such as why was Shahzad who, in 2008, was on the Department of Homeland Security’s Traveler Enforcement Compliance System list, pulled from the list by the Obama administration? Why did the Obama administration tell the national Joint Terrorism Task Force, who had been tracking Shahzad’s moves, to back off? The Times writes:
These disturbing revelations about the case of Mr. Shahzad raise pertinent questions regarding U.S. domestic security. Who gave the order to shut down surveillance of Mr. Shahzad? Who removed him from the Traveler Enforcement Compliance System list? Who else has been removed from this and other lists and why? Were they removed simply because they were Muslims and the administration believed that ipso facto they were being persecuted unfairly? 62
For our part, I pray to God that Obama and Homeland Security stop making the willful mistake of refusing to profile those who are most likely to attack us. That goes for New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who was quick to say, “I want to make clear that we will not tolerate any bias or backlash against Pakistani or Muslim New Yorkers.”63 Does a “backlash” include profiling those who are at war with us in order to prevent another attack? Radical Muslims are waging jihad around the world.
Radical Muslims are strapping bombs to their backs in Russia.
Radical Muslims are strapping bombs to their underwear in America.
Radical Muslims are strapping bombs in their SUVs in Times Square.
Radical Muslims have killed at U.S. Army bases.
But who is the Obama administration most concerned about?
Radical Christians.
That’s right. Barack Hussein Obama is concerned about a group of nine suspects with rifles in Michigan who the FBI claims were plotting to use weapons of mass destruction against the police and the government. Of course, by weapons of mass destruction, Team Obama means improvised homemade explosives. By the way, an interesting development occurred in this case.
While the feds marched in with a heavy show of force to round up these guys with guns, the FBI wasn’t quite as prepared when it came time to present their case in court. In fact, Agent Leslie Larsen, the lead FBI agent on the case, who spent two years on the undercover probe, had difficulty recalling a number of key details when confronted by the defense attorneys. The fuzzy command of the facts baffled the judge, U.S. District Judge Victoria Roberts, who said, “I share the frustrations of the defense team … that she doesn’t know anything.”64
Usually, the stench on the bench makes me clench. Not so in this case, at least so far. Judge Victoria Roberts, who, by the way, was a Bill Clinton appointee, after listening to two days of testimony and arguments by the lawyers involved, made an observation that agrees with the position I’ve maintained on my radio show. Roberts noted, “Mere presence where a crime may be planned is not a crime … How does this add up to seditious conspiracy?”65 In other words, the Fed had nothing that would warrant the court to hold the accused without bail until the trial as the Fed had asked. All nine were permitted to return home.
The whole thing was a government red herring designed to fire a shot at anyone who owns a gun in America. The Obama administration wanted to cause law-abiding citizens to think twice about gun ownership. While I oppose violence and, in fact, I’m a pacifist, the fact of the matter is that the Second Amendment gives every citizen the right to bear arms.
“This is an example of radical and extremist fringe groups which can be found throughout our society,” said one FBI special agent whose name isn’t important.66 Attorney General Eric Holder was quick to label it an “insidious plan.”67 Question: Why didn’t the FBI or Eric Holder blast Major Hasan for his “insidious plan” that actually did claim the lives of thirteen troops? Why don’t they label the well-known Muslim radicals living among us like Hasan as “an example of radical and extremist fringe groups”?
Speaking of this obvious double standard, for years liberals have said that someone accused of a crime is innocent until proven guilty. Did they maintain this standard with reg
ard to the so-called Christian militia members? No. What’s more, helicopters were sent out with paramilitary forces to capture the Christian militia members. Why weren’t those same black helicopters sent to the homes and mosques of those plotting to blow up U.S. Military bases such as Fort Dix and Fort Hood? Why aren’t paramilitary forces being commissioned to shut down the vicious and violently dangerous MS-13 gang of criminal thugs running through the streets of our cities?
After all, their motto is “rape, kill, control.”68
The Obama administration has raided the houses of Christian militia members because they allegedly planned to use weapons against the police. And yet we have documented evidence of the MS-13 gang not threatening but actually killing people in towns from Los Angeles to Atlanta. Likewise, we hear reports of communities such as Islamberg, New York, where Muslim military-style training has been observed and, according to FOXNews, “Shoe bomber Richard Reid has been linked to the group, along with convicted D.C. sniper John Allen Muhammad.”69 Yet nothing has been done. Why not?
Unfortunately, in the modern politically correct world, certain institutions, religions, and states are more targeted for delegitimization than others. Take the Pentagon, which disinvited evangelist Reverend Franklin Graham from participating in the May 6, 2010, National Day of Prayer event. Even though the son of Billy Graham is the honorary chairman of the National Day of Prayer task force, a source at the Pentagon stated: “While we appreciate [Franklin Graham’s] worldwide outreach, and his willingness to speak at this Pentagon multi-faith event, his presence would be inappro-priate.”70 No explanation why his participation would be “inappropriate.”
As I said, certain religions have been targeted for delegitimization. For example, Jewish nationalism is targeted, Palestinian nationalism is not. Catholic sins are frequently seen to reflect mainstream Catholicism, while Islamist violence is deemed a rare deviation from Islam, “the religion of peace.” Similarly, conservative criticism of liberal critics gets labeled McCarthyism; liberal criticism of conservatives is merely free speech. The calculus of delegitimization reflects a moral hierarchy rooted in New Left sensibilities, refined in universities, spread by much of the media and now by the military.
Trickle Up Poverty: Stopping Obama’s Attack on Our Borders, Economy, and Security Page 35