"Terrorist" is a hopelessly generic term, that's true. Specifics then.
The 9/11 attacks are what has completely changed how our country acts, and reacts, to perceived threats and potential threats against us. Those attacks were carried out by Islamic extremists in general and al Qaeda in particular, but al Qaeda isn't the only threat to our country nor are they even the greatest.
The greatest threat to our country lies within; in the growing lack of confidence we Americans have in our leaders and our system of government. That lack of confidence is partially due to our governments seeming inability to prevent wanton acts of violence against us, but is mostly caused by our governments willingness to sacrifice our ideals for the sake of expediency.
Instead of using unconstitutional methods of intelligence gathering, it would be more true to ourselves as a people if we simply, when faced with a threat, sought to prevent that threat using means that don't compromise our integrity as a country. Then if they fail and we are attacked we should give no quarter to our attackers, regardless of international or domestic opinion, and exact punishment tenfold. Our enemies do not fear us. They see us dithering about, uncertain of how to react to threats against us, and think us weak. They don't respect us either since we are so quick to cast aside our ideals when the going starts to get tough.
We would be much better served if we changed our entire approach to: "This is who we are, and who we will remain. You may be able to attack us if you don't like who we are, but you will regret having done so". And then back it up.
Maybe, just maybe, we'd then stand proud again as we once did, instead of apologizing to everybody all the time for being the weaklings we've become.
The 9/11 attacks are what has completely changed how our country acts, and reacts, to perceived threats and potential threats against us. Those attacks were carried out by Islamic extremists in general and al Qaeda in particular, but al Qaeda isn't the only threat to our country nor are they even the greatest.
The greatest threat to our country lies within; in the growing lack of confidence we Americans have in our leaders and our system of government. That lack of confidence is partially due to our governments seeming inability to prevent wanton acts of violence against us, but is mostly caused by our governments willingness to sacrifice our ideals for the sake of expediency.
Instead of using unconstitutional methods of intelligence gathering, it would be more true to ourselves as a people if we simply, when faced with a threat, sought to prevent that threat using means that don't compromise our integrity as a country. Then if they fail and we are attacked we should give no quarter to our attackers, regardless of international or domestic opinion, and exact punishment tenfold. Our enemies do not fear us. They see us dithering about, uncertain of how to react to threats against us, and think us weak. They don't respect us either since we are so quick to cast aside our ideals when the going starts to get tough.
We would be much better served if we changed our entire approach to: "This is who we are, and who we will remain. You may be able to attack us if you don't like who we are, but you will regret having done so". And then back it up.
Maybe, just maybe, we'd then stand proud again as we once did, instead of apologizing to everybody all the time for being the weaklings we've become.