In the aftermath of “9/11”, the universal fear was that the terrorism would threaten our way of life regardless of the number of people who were innocently killed or crippled by the planes crashing into the Twin Towers. We were told the terrorists “won” if we feared for our lives, stayed away from each other, grew anxious and hesitant to resume our daily lives. We were told by the authorities and media to go about our daily lives, to go about our daily business. I think that many of us have generally been able to do so; we know terrorism exists and violence too can come at any time or place, but generally we have been able to adjust and law enforcement has risen to the occasion.
The goal of terrorism is to disrupt and/or destroy the public’s sense of security and safety in the places and activities most familiar to them. The US State Department defined terrorism in 2003 as “premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against non-combatant targets“ . Domestic or home-grown terrorism involves acts which influence the policy of government by intimidation or coercion of a civilian population.
As a citizen and witness to the unnecessary cruelty of our current president, by his inability and unwillingness to seriously confront the coronavirus, and to communicate about it and draw up plans to safeguard the 330 million men, women and children he promised to protect under the oath of office undertaken, it has become more apparent to me that he is a domestic terrorist.
I feel he is a domestic terrorist, a clear and present danger to us all. He is unAmerican in spirit and action, aims to destabilize our institutions, our norms and our society. He creates chaos, sows confusion and puts us all on edge every day. He and his mob threaten to use violence and seek to create fear amongst us all. I believe his term has been one characterized by psychological warfare against fundamental American rights to assembly, free speech, free press and the right to vote. True, unlike the terrorists ISIS there have been no beheadings, nor have I read of any hijackings, car bombings or suicide bombings perpetrated by him as other terrorists employ, but almost as cruel are his policies: children, even infants separated from their parents at the border and held in cages without food and water and parental supervision. Immigrants subjected to unnecessary hysterectomies. Like the dictators he admires, there have been kidnappings by heavily armed federal law enforcement personnel apprehending protestors and throwing them into unmarked vans in Portland. There’s been tear gassing of peaceful American protestors in Washington, DC. And most recently at the televised first presidential debate against Joe Biden, Trump provided tacit support for the Proud Boys, a violent white supremacist group to “stand by” if the election doesn’t go his way. Trump has gone out of his way to put us all on edge as he spews hatred and terror into American society on a daily basis. He seems to get a thrill out of injecting terror into our lives.
In 2019 FBI and Homeland Security consider white supremacy an “abhorrent affront to the nation, the struggle and unity of its diverse populations”. It’s abhorrent to me that it’s the President of the United States who is leading the charge, that he’s standing up for white supremacy even in the face of the Black Lives Matter movement. Donald Trump, a domestic terrorist, has caused more harm than 9/11 or even Covid-19. He’s given license for white supremacists and other hate groups to be visible, out of the shadows, like Hitler. Is there any wonder scores of former military leaders and national intelligence specialists of both parties have come out in favor of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris?
I can’t escape Donald Trump. While cycling the other day, trying to relax in nature, away from DT, it got me thinking of Will Shotz, puzzle creator and crossword puzzle editor of the New York Times. I can imagine him saying to a contestant:
Think of two politicians running for office in the national election November 3: Donald Trump and Joe Biden. Think of the first letter of Donald Trump’s name, a “D” and the first letter of his last name:”T”. Now think of two word phrases with the first word that starts with a “D” and the second word starts with a “T”. You have 60 seconds. How many two word phrases can you say rapid fire that have first word starting with a “D” and the second with a “T”:
I tried and came up with:
Domestic Terrorist, Delay Time, Drug Therapy, Delerium Tremens, Death Trap, Dark Throne, Don’t Tread (on me), De Tox, Destructive Testing, Double Talk, Double Take, Drive Through, Dead Time, Doing Time, Death Touch, Dangerous Truths, Daytime Television.
Now for two word phrases with Joe Biden’s first letter “J” and “B”:
Just Because, Joyful Being, Jelly Belly, Jingle Bells, Jail Bait, Joe Boxer, Just Buy, Jaw Breaker, Jumping Bean, Jitter Bug, Jazzy Blues, J&B (the scotch)
DT or JB. JB is much more enjoyable than DT.
off the hook 