I paraphrase Pogo: We have met the enemy and they are us.
The Oklahoma City bombing took place 25 years ago. I remember sitting on the edge of a chair, watching in horror and disbelief as the news covered the tragedy. I was born in OK and I think that this was the first time that I realized that we are not safe ANYWHERE.
In 2001, I sat before a computer screen,horrified and in disbelief, watching videos in of a plane slamming into the World Trade Center.
I also remember how the country pulled together in these times of tragedy. The present pandemic is not the same type of tragedy, and though many people are pulling together, we were/are a nation divided on how this tragedy should have been and how it should still be handled.
And I ask myself, what is the difference? My answer is the curse of Donald Trump and his minions. I was not a fan of Bush Jr. and as a president, he lacked competence; however, he did not impede the actions of competent people. Yes, the situation is quite different, but "leadership" is incompetent, has consistently ignored the advice of experts, and Trump continues to gleefully and willfully divide the country into "them" and "us."
I watch this unfold in horror, but my disbelief has long been suspended.
And some of us have learned nothing from history. McVeigh was a homegrown terrorist, but many still point the finger at the "Other" to explain the state of violence in the USA today.
Sadly, the "Other" IS other Americans.
We have met the enemy, and they are us.
10
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Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.McVeigh his buddy and Raoul of the Iraqi USA military scams are the 7th day Adventist mass murderers @ Murrah FedOffBldg ....the enemy is anyone who will kill for money/IN gawd WE TRUST religions any day of the week ....NOT ME NOT YOU not Atheists
Larry68Feminist
Level 7
Apr 20, 2020
0
This Oklahoman is still quite angry that the white right wing terrorist aspect of the Murrah building bombing was not publicized and damned by every elected public official. Instead they almost all including Clinton did a let's pull together let's get over this act.
I think if that had been done then, The ability for the right wingers to recruit might have been severely curtailed by public opinion.
Lorajay
Level 9
Apr 19, 2020
3
Local tv proved the Iraqi Army Officer was Raoul was at the Post Office with McVeigh buying phone cards to use at pay phones all paid for by taxpayers and the murderer filed a libel suit AND LOST fake news USA does not rebroadcast real news just like fake news covered up rapist priests jailed all over USA....fake news censored American Atheists press releases about rapist priests 20 years until dying Peter Jennings was heralded for courageous reporting and American Atheists to this day have not been given apologies
@Gwendolyn2018 provoked by Janet Reno and entrapped by Raoul ... McVeigh begged to be injected rather than admit he was played
@Gwendolyn2018 I oppose the death penalty killing Witnesses including Epstein
@Gwendolyn2018 I am trained in killing wolves amidst sheep I would medically Experiment upon 100% guilty perps and organ harvesting but killing a witness to a major crime is stupid and death penalties kill far too many innocents
@Gwendolyn2018 only Bundy was injected Dahmer was killed by another prisoner Manson of old age with loyal female co-murderers still roaming free....Epstein was murdered by an invader to a NYC federal jail with guards ALLEGEDLY sleeping
@Gwendolyn2018 I capture bugs some I flush might swim to zafety others I take out for the robins to eat
@Gwendolyn2018 did spelchek change their to THERE TERRITORY ? I HATE FUCKING SPELCHEK
@Gwendolyn2018 (sic)
@Gwendolyn2018 slink is the sexiest word you ever gave me and fun too....remember Ghostbusters scene where the late EGON talked about his only toy in child hood ????????? " A SLINKy but I straightened it "
@Gwendolyn2018 I have an umbilicus fetish I learned in utero.....whenever I have the opportunity to RE-CURL uncurled twisted land line hand set phone cords I DO RE-curl the line like new from the phone company PACKAGE....why hair twirlers or nervous phone jabberers screw up a nice cord designed to stretch and retract after use is sad....I am their nemesis
@Gwendolyn2018 I remember breastfeeding after mom gave me a bath in our old big sink next to the well pump crank handle smooth & green 3 fingers fit in the I beam sides ...baby fingers .... I do not think it was a play penis time in utero nor do I get excited reCURLING kinked phone cords but I am determined to do it anywhere I won't get arrested for trespassing altering private property.....most people are grateful if they leave me alone with a phone for a few minutes or consent when I ask permission.....as a politician I have worked in many dozens of phone banks and I want to strangle the hair twirler girls who undid my fine work that very campaign event.....coils good nervous acting out bad
@Gwendolyn2018 Everyone knows it's Sling......ky song my 1st sister in law made me an uncle age 5 I was .... u bet when Gwen birthed Loretta 63 years ago
@Gwendolyn2018 religion is full of alleged information
Sadly, you are right and it has always been that way. The most truly devastating war this country has had was not the Mexica/American war or the war of 1812. It was the Civil War. And the country is quickly working its way to another and far worse one if we are not very careful. We are our own worse enemy, not good at compromise, hateful of “others” and like humans everywhere, tribal and easily led to violence. Our Constitutional Democracy has survived fairly well since the Civil War by participating in smaller wars, giving people the us against them sense of unity (WW I, WW II, Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq). But the last two were smaller, the military volunteer rather than drafted and the people less involved. This gave more time for internal conflicts to arise, militaristic leaders to come forth and create internal enemies. We are in deep trouble, being led by a man of no regard for anyone but himself and those who follow him. I think this virus will at some point be more destructive to what little civility the factions of Right have shown. When they take great pleasure in parading their weapons down the streets of state capitals, waving the Confederate and Nazi flags (the two greatest losers of wars in the past two centuries), it is only a matter of time before someone decides to open fire on some pretext and then we will see how our lack of leadership plays out. We could make South American revolution look like child’s play.
Barnie2years
Level 8
Apr 19, 2020
1
I have a personal connection with the Murrah Building. I in-processed both times I went on active duty in the Navy through the Recruiting Command Office on the third floor. When I enlisted in January 1978 and especially when I accepted a direct commission in the Nurse Corps in June 1987 I was in the place multiple times. Having worked all over the state as I have, I have rubbed elbows so-to-speak with people who lost family members in the bombing. A nursing school classmate lost both parents in the Social Security office. A former coworker lost her dad who was volunteering in the same office. A former neighbor of my brother died in the HUD office. I know a few people who were injured in the blast.
Some time ago one of my fellow former crew of a ship we both served aboard took a turn for the rightwing. He posted some garbage about the Islamic threat and how immigration from Muslim-majority nations to the U.S. should be banned and posted pics of the Twin Towers and the Pentagon on 9/11. I called him out and posted a pic of the attacked Murrah Building and told him, "Thanks, Alt-Right!" I followed up with, "Why do so many who squawk so loud about the attack on the Twin Towers are people who are seemingly the least affected by it? I In-Processed through the CRUCOMM Office in that place TWICE!" That shut him up. The guy did the 100 meter backpeddle in 4.2 seconds, insisted McVeigh was not associated with any organized conservative movement and I haven't heard from the guy since.
Route66Kid
Level 5
Apr 19, 2020
3
@Gwendolyn2018 for a period of time, the Right Wing militias were under a lot of pressure from the government and went underground to a great degree. They still existed, but like the Klan, became somewhat secretive and hidden. With the rise of The Republican Far Right, and the Internet, they have become much more open, able to recruit and get their message into the mainstream. With the election of Trump and the Republican led Senate, they have become fearless. They know the Justice system is now on their side, courts will rule in their favor and their president thinks they are “good people.” This is incendiary like spraying gasoline on burning coal. Only a matter of time before it explodes.
@Gwendolyn2018 McVeigh 7th Day Adventist seeking revenge against Janet Reno & BATF who fire bombed WACO 7th Day Adventists
Muslims are 20-to 40% sympathizers polled globally against USA which is surprisingly low reacting to the USA conquest of Palestine....TrumpOLINI speaketh with forked tongue blaming Muslims and illegally annexing East Jerusalem
@Gwendolyn2018 nobody talks about Mandalay Bay SHOOTERS murdering and maiming 100+ country western concert goers across the street in Las Vegas covered up almost as fast as JFK
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