1 Boring Old Man

9/11 Trials – Fear of justice or fear of truth?
at-Largely
by Larisa Alexandrova
11/14/2009

A group of men commit a horrible mass murder. Still others helped in the planning of the murder. Law enforcement apprehends the surviving individuals allegedly involved in this horrible crime. A trial is to take place in the city where this mass murder occurred, which gives the surviving victims and the families of those killed a chance to witness justice for their loved ones.

Unless of course you live in nowhere-near-the-scene-of-the-crime, US; read the Wall Street Journal editorial pages, and watch Fox News. Then bringing the alleged plotters to justice is far too scary. Such is the reaction of the far right to the news that the alleged plotters involved in the 9/11 attacks will be tried in a court of law and in NYC – the city in which this mass murder took place.

Front and center in the ridiculous outrage is Rep John Boehner (R-OH):

"House Republican Leader John Boehner [Ohio] says the Obama administration is putting "liberal special interests before the safety and security of the American people" in deciding to bring the 9/11 mastermind to the United States for trial in federal civilian court."

Boehner lived in Ohio during the attacks and still lives in Ohio. Unless geography has drastically changed and I missed an important event in which Ohio somehow merged with New York, then Boehner’s reaction is entirely unwelcome…

It has come down to pan-criticism. I wonder what the point of that is. My wife always says that this is the throw stuff at the wall and see what sticks approach. I guess that’s right, but it all seems so childish. It reminds me of the kid in grammar school who always said, "Well, you have cooties!" Always.

The Right’s textbook "surrender to terrorists"
^{"We’re too scared to have real trials in our country" is a level of cowardice unmatched in the world.}
Salon
By Glenn Greenwald
Nov 14, 2009

Understanding and Combatting Terrorism, USMC Major S.M. Grass, 1989:

Terrorism is a psychological weapon and is directed to create a general climate of fear. As one definition cogently notes, "terror is a natural phenomenon, terrorism is the conscious exploitation of it."  Terrorism utilizes violence to coerce governments and their people by inducing fear.

William Josiger, Fear Factor: The Impact of Terrorism on Public Opinion in the United States and Great Britain, 2006:

At its heart terrorism is about fear. While terrorist attacks destroy, maim and kill, the intended audience for these attacks is almost always the whole body politic and the terrorist’s goal is to strike fear into their hearts.

GOP House Leader John Boehner, condemning Obama’s decision to bring Khalid Sheikh Mohammed to New York for trial, yesterday:

The Obama Administration’s irresponsible decision to prosecute the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks in New York City puts the interests of liberal special interest groups before the safety and security of the American people.

This is literally true:  the Right’s reaction to yesterday’s announcement – we’re too afraid to allow trials and due process in our country – is the textbook definition of "surrendering to terrorists."  It’s the same fear they’ve been spewing for years.  As always, the Right’s tough-guy leaders wallow in a combination of pitiful fear and cynical manipulation of the fear of their followers.  Indeed, it’s hard to find any group of people on the globe who exude this sort of weakness and fear more than the American Right…