"How Not to Win the War on Terror

Ya know guys, I'm tired tonight, but there is something I have to say. It's late and I just finished posting a letter on the News and Views page of my site: http://www.obfthepeople.org/news.htm. This letter is very disturbing. You should go read it. I titled it "How to Win Friends and Influence People - ICE Style." I've seen worse incidents since I started looking into ICE and their abuses - a young man thrown to the ground while handcuffed, his jaw broken under a guard's boot - not repaired for over three years now; men with cancer denied medicine, a minister who was the victim of identity theft still in prison 5 months after he was ordered released by a judge . . . the list just goes on and on, but what this young man speaks of disturbs me on a whole different level. Aside from the human rights issue there is something else to consider.

Terrorists are a problem for us these days. There are the home-grown ones as well as the radical Islamist ones. I like to think that we are all well enough informed to know this. I'm going to even make an assumption that we know that it is foolish to alienate those Muslims who feel kindly toward us. Which brings me to my question, and please, do remember that Deb is tired, she's been sick and is just getting better and she's cranky right now - so - what I want to know is, "What . . . are we freakin' stupid?!"

There, now that I have that out of my system let's get back to a rational discussion. I know this young man's family. They are wonderful people who love the United States. They are everything we say we would like the immigrants that come to this country to be. Amine, the young man in question is too. He is decent and hard-working. He came here as a refugee when he was a toddler and is here legally. He has committed no crime. He is not suspected of having any intentions of committing a crime. So how is it that he has sat in prison for 14 months? Good question - if you find out, would you please let me know?

Okay, so when someone deliberately provokes a confrontation with friendly Muslims in this country - now remember - we are not talking about Gitmo or anyone suspected of thinking of doing anything against the United States - what exactly is that person's intention in doing that? Are they secretly a terrorist trying to get more recruits for the "cause"? I mean - to deliberately and purposely turn our friends into our enemies - that sounds like the actions of an enemy to me. Fortunately, these yahoos Amine mentions in his letter have not managed to turn any of the people in their care against the United States. Every one of the immigranst I've been in touch with knows that this is not what we are about as a people. Now isn't it too bad that the guard and others that Amine dealt with don't know that. Would it be possible to send their sorry asses (hey, I told you I get cranky when tired) back to elementary school so they can learn how to be good citizens again - because, to employ a well worn cliche - with friends like these, we don't need enemies. These men's actions and subsequent lack of action are a total embarrassment to our country. I'm could go on about this for a lot longer, but I'll spare you. You get the general idea. Deb's going to go get some sleep.