"We're FLYING Jack!
Try it?
Yeah...I don't think so....okay.
The kids had a wonderful 2nd Anniversary Getaway!
When I watched the videos of them both crossing that ravine and lake through the treetops I found myself holding onto my chair.
Seriously!
They are both fearless.
Tonight I find myself torn between doing/knowing what is the right thing to do for the over 9 million refugees fleeing from Syria...and knowing that during the chaos at the borders and the wanting to help from all over the globe it sets up a very real threat that ISIS operatives could slip amongst their numbers (and already have in France, it appears) because they see the (horrific) opportunity it provides.
I watched this play out in the 1980's with Castro. Opening his prisons and psychiatric hospitals and deliberately sending these people on the Mariel Boatlift...so while we were taking in Cuban Refugees...we were also taking in sociopaths, murders and schizophrenics. Some we managed to screen out effectively. Others are still living in Miami and beyond...or re-incarcerated after committing heinous crimes here. So yes.
It is a very real scenario.
On the far left there is a scathing outcry of "how inhumane are we" to question or stop people who are just seeking refugee. Fleeing for their lives.
On the far right it is another chance to take a swipe at President Obama and not only should we refuse all refugees...but we should be suspect (ala post 9/11) of any Muslim...including those who are natural born Americans...or anyone who even remotely resembles Middle Eastern Decent.
Quite a few Republican Governors including Mike Pence (My State's Governor) has already issued a statement suspending Refugees from staying here.
And, of course that is not within his power.
Federal Law supercedes State Law, and has since the final volley of the Civil War. Congress...The President and probably the Supreme Court will doubtless end up attempting to sort this tangled can of worms...but Governors don't/can't decide. It is Unconstitutional.
They will learn that soon enough. You would have thought they would have already learned it from the SSM fiasco.
Sadly, no.
And so, here we are, back to the very real threat of ISIS Infiltration. And the Logistics. And if 200 refugees are in any neighboring state...even if your state doesn't allow them...what is keeping them from just travelling over the state line into your state, anyway? And what about all the others...the children, old people, women and mothers, young men, husbands and sons caught up in a mass exodus for their very lives from these same butchers.
A destabilization of an area in which we played an integral part in...set in motion- by the way, with the invasion of Iraq and removal of the dictator that kept Shiite,Sunni and Kurdish factions in check.
It is much more complicated than the far left or the far right could ever distill into a bunch of sound bytes.
What keeps some of our home-grown radicals, who may look as 'Murican as you or I, from working with ISIS/forming their own cell. They say most of the French Terrorist behind Friday's attack were French and Belgium Nationalists.
What if some of our soldiers who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan angry, maimed, disillusioned decide to "Show America" (...think Timothy McVeigh...people)
And some of the same people who said horrible things about the French and coined the ignorant terms "Freedom Toast" and "Freedom Fries" when France refused to engage in Iraq during the Bush Jr. Years are the people who are NOW bashing this President and saying
"Look how great France is and how they responded with bombings"
Never mind that we have been bombing ISIS for quite some time now.
There are no easy answers. Maybe the recent attacks in France will galvanize the Coalition. Maybe all the Nations including America and Russia will crush this resistance once and for all, and all the Syrians can return to their homeland. Maybe the sleeper cells and coordinated attacks in Paris were only the tip of a very huge and very real iceberg. Maybe attacks will begin to pop up globally from ISIS now. Maybe here, too.
One thing I have noticed. Americans throughout the US have the mindset of
"...terrorism happens to OTHER people and other countries...not us."
Actually, we take this attitude about a great many things in life.
It is a mistake.
One additional thing I am sure of...we have got to stand together and stop tearing at one another. Our constant infantile bickering will be our undoing.
Stay Focused. And may saner heads prevail.
More anon...
