Today, I do not have time to grieve for the execution of 121 Pakistani school children by Taliban extremists. Nor, do I have time to empathize with the people of Sydney, Australia, who watched a Muslim fanatic terrorize his captives and cause the death of two innocent people. Unfortunately, I have had no time to reflect and pray for the Christian martyrs in Iraq who are the victims of genocide at the hands of the Islamic State of Iraq (ISIS). I certainly have not had time to ponder the beheading of four innocent children in Iraq for refusing to follow Muhammad and telling ISIS that they have always loved Jesus and will continue to love Jesus.
I have completely forgotten about the beheadings of our journalists. I am indifferent to the plight of the murder victims at Fort Hood. To me, the images of massive airplanes flying into the World Trade Centers and the Pentagon are irrelevant to the gripping issues of 2014. I have erased from my mind the images of Americans jumping to their certain death from the World Trade Centers to escape the inferno. The thought of New York’s firemen and policemen rushing in to save their fellow Americans knowing their own death was imminent no longer moves me. I cannot remember the last time that I stopped to think about the passengers of United Flight 93 who fought to their deaths to save their fellow Americans.
I have never stopped to think about members of the United States military who are stationed overseas in hostile areas or have voluntarily put themselves in harm’s way for me. I suppose if I did stop to think about the members of the military I would conclude that they signed up to risk their lives so I really would have no reason to consider their safety any longer. I have thought about CIA operatives and I have determined that they are evil and have brought the danger upon themselves.
My inability to ponder these mundane situations is because I have been so preoccupied and, frankly, consumed with guilt and rage over the fact that the United States has poured water over the face of a few freedom fighters like Khalid Sheikh Muhammad, the master planner and architect of the 911 attacks. I imagine the indignity that Mr. Muhammad must have felt when he was not treated with the respect and privileges commensurate with his esteemed status within Al Qaeda and I feel ashamed. As someone who enjoys a good nap, I have been horrified that our CIA has kept these Islamic Jihadists from getting a good night’s sleep. I cannot help thinking that if we would have given them a comfortable bed with some Ghiradelli chocolates on a properly fluffed pillow then maybe they would have been more willing to forgive the United States for our transgressions. In fact, I believe that if we would have hugged more prisoners and called them freedom fighters not terrorists then we would all be friends now. They might have even told us some of their special secrets like when they were next planning an attack on innocent people. Oh, for the lost opportunities. But, alas, finally a real hero has stepped forth from our leaders. And, no not some clichéd hero like a New York firefighter or police officer running into a collapsing building or a Navy Seal hunting down Osama Bin Laden but a real hero; a true progressive from California. In her, we have someone we can rely upon to sacrifice our national security, endanger our military members, compromise our ability to wage war against the face of evil in our time for the greater good of those Islamic freedom fighters. Alas, someone that will stand on principle and has proven herself willing to tell our sworn enemies what we will and will not do when they are captured. Alas, a true progressive willing to limit the CIA and the military’s options to protect the rest of us in order to give aid and comfort to these freedom fighters. Senator Feinstein, I salute you but my words probably do not do you justice.
But heroes such as yourself were prophesized by the great and esteemed leader of Al-Qaeda, Khalid Sheikh Muhammad. Long before you heroically took a stand, Mr. Muhammad told his evil interrogators, “Your country will turn on you. The liberal media will turn on you. The people will grow tired of this. They will turn on you, and when they do, you are going to be abandoned.” Khalid Sheikh Muhammad is a brilliant tactician but also so amazingly prescient to know that he could count on a progressive hero to provide aid and comfort even when he was at his lowest point. Then again and with all due and honorable respect to Mr. Muhammad, maybe he did not need to be all that omniscient to know that a progressive hero would arise to help him.
