The State Department yielded to pressure from a coalition of Seattle and Washington state politicians, community groups, and advocacy organizations and agreed to withdraw at least one ad in the department’s Metro bus ad campaign in Seattle promoting the “Rewards for Justice” campaign. The program pays rewards to individuals who provide leads about the location of wanted terrorists.Congressman Jim McDermott, Seattle mayor Mike McGinn, and King county councilmember Rod Dembowski joined forces with others in the community, as well as organizations like the ACLU and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), to raise concerns about the ads. Mayor McGinn reported at least some success in their efforts [emphasis added]:
[Arsalan] Bukhari [of the Council on American-Islamic Relations] worked with the ACLU of Washington State to convene a meeting that included Magdaleno Rose-Avila and Sahar Fathi of our Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs. After a productive meeting, the lead investigator for the State Department’s “Rewards for Justice” program, Tim Corso, acknowledged our concerns with the ad that featured the language “Global Faces of Terrorism” along with photos of men from the Philippines, Somalia, Russia, Sudan and Algeria. He has agreed to take down this particular ad and to work with community advocates in doing outreach in Seattle going forward.
I take Ann Coulter's position: When 100% of the perpetrators match the "profile," it's no longer a "profile" but a description of the suspect. I know of only one white American terrorist whose acts have marred these shores: Timothy McVeigh of the Murragh Building bombing. All the others have been Muslim men -- either Middle-Eastern-swarthy or black.
But then, if it were otherwise, CAIR would not be up in arms about these ads. The facts would be well known as they are now...and they would speak for themselves.
It puts me in mind of the old gag about the beat cop on the night shift who comes across a drunk under a lamppost. The drunk is running his hands through the grass as the cop approaches.
Cop: Why are you doing that, sir?
Drunk: I dropped my keys over there (points to a spot about fifty feet away) and I'm looking for them.Cop: But if you dropped them over there, why are you over here?
Drunk: The light's better over here.
We won't "find our keys" under the lamppost, and the Muslim mouthpiece groups know it.
Beware.
The problem here is the instrument of death. It's a GUN! A mystical gadget to the unknowing whose only purpose is to bring forward mayhem. Had the child been running with knife in hand and fell would we prescribe the same punishment? Again, if the instrument of death were ordinary household poisons would we try for murder? If not, are some forms of accidental death more acceptable depending on the instrument of death? Does the deciding factor to charge a crime of negligence depend on the tool used? I'm sure no agenda is at play here and that the charges would have been pursued regardless of the instrument of death. Yea, right!
ReplyDeleteOffer her a plea deal. Community service (perhaps spreading a message of gun/home safety?), relating her experience, assisting with grief counseling or something similar. And that's it.
ReplyDeleteShe is undoubtedly suffering, probably wishes she was dead herself. What is the point in crucifying her. They can do nothing to her she isn't doing to herself already.
This is a tragedy. People screw up, sometimes big time. She is not a threat to society. The punishment for her negligence is already being meted out. Unless here attitude is caviler, or she has some sort of history of irresponsibly dangerous behavior, call it a day.