Thanks, But No Thanks

Four Navy Seals are facing courts martial for assaulting a terrorist. Please re-read that first sentence again. Does anyone else find the cognitive dissonance I see? Aren't Seals supposed to assault people? Shouldn't the terrorist feel lucky he is alive instead of complaining of a cut lip? After all, he is believed to be the Al Queda mastermind of the brutal murder of four American contractors; I suspect the Seals showed great restraint by bringing him in alive.

Alongside this story is the news that the man responsible for the 911 attacks is being brought to New York for a civilian trial. This man and his colleagues already confessed guilt, and they did so proudly. The attorney for the defense of this admitted mass murderer told a reporter he wants his client to have the right to speak his views absent the "propaganda" of the American press. According to Webster propaganda is a "systematic dissemination of ideas to further one's own cause." The third entry adds, "now often used disparagingly to connote deception or distortion."

Okay, we know the terrorist's view, so the "propaganda" he would like to counter is the majority of American citizens' opinion that what happened on 911 was an unprovoked attack resulting in thousands of innocent deaths. Can the reporter possibly mean that the majority opinion in this country is intended to distort or deceive? Maybe not; maybe he just means that we are attempting to further our cause -- like the cause of freedom -- like the cause of the right to life of innocent occupants of the twin towers.

Allow me to present one more conundrum. President Obama is bent on passing a health care "reform" measure that will by all accounts increase our indebtedness by unfathomable dollars, mortgaging our children and grand children's future. At the same time, he dithers over what to do about the request for increased troops in Afghanistan, claiming to be concerned over the cost. Admittedly, our health care system could use some attention, but it will not fail tomorrow or even next month or next year if nothing is done immediately. On the other hand, brave men and women are dying in Afghanistan daily, and the Taliban grows stronger by the minute.

I could multiply examples like these ad nauseum. So to my point. The Apostle Paul admonishes us to give thanks in all things. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day. I will give thanks that we have Navy Seals (and others) who are willing to risk their lives and be long absent from their families to protect my freedom. I will give thanks that we have a free press that allows all sides of any story to be presented. I will give thanks that we have the privilege to elect a representative government. But, I'm sorry, Paul, I can not give thanks for the systematic disassembly of our constitutional forms. Then again, maybe I will be thankful if enough people recognize the rape of our Constitution and do something about it. Do you suppose Jeremiah was thankful for the Babylonian conquest?