Stop Playing The Terrorist Fear Card
Environmental Community The Latest Group To Manipulate Fear
President Bush lied about Iraq’s link to 9/11 to justify an illegal and immoral war of aggression that killed millions of people and will cost $4 trillion.
The National Security state has lied and exaggerated terrorist threats to illegally spy, vastly expand domestic surveillance, violate laws and eliminate Constitutional rights and privacy protections.
Bush shamefully used that same fear for partisan political purposes, see: Tom Ridge: I Was Pressured To Raise Terror Alert To Help Bush Win
Local police have used the terrorism threat to militarize police forces and expand military tactics in local policing.
Schools, libraries and virtually all public institutions have incorporated expensive and invasive monitoring and security systems, wasting vast amounts of money that should be put to better uses.
President Obama has expanded illegal wars, adopted a kill list, and launched drone assassinations across the world.
Politicians, racist, anti-Muslim nativists, gun nuts, and every kind of right wing paranoid faction have used terror as an excuse to wage a war of hatred and ignorance.
The FBI has classified animal rights and environmental activism as domestic terrorism.
The press has exploited terrorism for profit, to keep the Amercan public afraid and docile, and as an excuse to avoid real investigative reporting.
I can’t think of anything more ugly and that has done more harm than the way the concept of “terror” has been abused.
So, my head exploded twice today, when I noticed the terror card being played in additional arena’s.
Here is the spokesman for the North Dakota oil industry using terror to criticize Obama’s decision to kill the Keystone XL pipeline: (Bergen Record AP story)
“The most baffling part of this decision is that this administration would rather continue importing oil from countries that fund terrorism than from our very own resources and our Canadian allies,” Cutting said.
That is a disgraceful lie.
But the oilmen are not alone – unfortunately I have to call bullshit on NJ environmentalists for the same abuses to scare people about off shore LNG risks: (Bergen Record AP story)
“This is terribly dangerous,” said Jessica Roff, who traveled from Brooklyn to attend the hearing “It’s volatile, it’s dangerous, it’s a terrorist threat.”
The same sentiment was echoed by those who attended the public hearings in New Jersey…
“They call it Liberty Natural Gas, but with this project, it’s the opposite,” said Jeff Tittel, director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “Patrick Henry famously said, ‘Give me liberty or give me death.’ With this proposal, we may get both. If there is a storm or accident, this is a giant bomb off our coast.”
It’s not just a press soundbite – but part of an organized campaign –
LNG tankers and facilities pose serious security risks, as they are vulnerable to terrorism and hijacking in the busiest port on the east coast and near JFK airport.
Just stop the terror fear mongering.
What is truly frightening and scientifically justified are fears of climate chaos.
If you want to really scare people, start educating the public about that.