"Homegrown Terrorism," the War in Iraq, and National Security

Last evening while briefly flipping through the channels I caught a brief segment on FOX News which was on the threat since 9/11 of "homegrown" terrorists and radical Islam and the arrests of numerous individuals for plotting to destroy public or military targets in the name of jihad. As someone who has been greatly concerned with national security issues after discovering that two of the pilots from 9/11 trained at a local airpark less than 10 miles from my former home and long term resident of a border state, this news segment was more than confusing to say the least. First of all, with the exception of a few, most of these "homegrown" suspects were not native born American citizens at all, so could hardly be called "homegrown." Secondly, Congress has been deliberating, from last accounts, another "Patriot Act II" further stripping American citizens of their Bill of Rights protections with what appears FOX's real intent clearly was, a push for public support for the Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorist Act, which was quietly passed overwhelmingly by the House of Representatives last year and is moving on to the Senate. This loosely worded Patriot II potentially could brand any American citizen disagreeing with current governmental policies a "homegrown" terrorist.

I found this segment especially disconcerting and "terrorizing" in and of itself, and also very odd in light of last week's Presidential Forum on National Security. It appeared on that segment that Senator McCain was again covertly pushing for his illegal immigrant amnesty package, by mentioning again how many "green card" holders had fought for this country as a "condition" of their "pathway" to citizenship, and having personally attended a battalion of these "probationary" green card immigrant enlistees on one of his sojourns, it would appear, to Iraq. Senator McCain has made no secret that immigration reform and legalizing the over 12 million illegal immigrants in this country is high on his agenda, and lest we forget prior to this run for the White House was a sponsor of the last attempt, the Kennedy/McCain amnesty bill. It appeared to me with his comments that he is of the same opinion, that these individuals are deserving of citizenship simply because they are here, while still hedging on putting his full commitment and support for border security fencing in order to at least begin to stop the flow and those border hoppers using this country for the purposes of commerce alone, especially drug trafficking and property theft. I also was not aware that such a proviso was currently in effect, that the pathway for green card holders now included military service in Iraq. Since now even Obama has hedged on his strategy for ending this ever expanding "War on Terror," and since so many Americans now are opposed to the direction this war has taken from the original intent and many of our troops now on their 3rd of 4th tour of duty, there may be another agenda involved in the "comprehensive immigration reform" as potential new recruits for Big Oil's now war.

I have never quite understood Senator McCain's seemingly contrary positions on national security and yet overwhelming support for granting U.S. citizenship for undocumented illegal immigrants currently in this country, and especially when Congress is in the midst of now even contemplating passing this Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorist Act against natural born American citizens. Although the shoe bomber was from Great Britain, at the present time from what I understand from other immigration sources, there is also plans to enter into agreements with several nations, including Great Britain, so that even the rudimentary visa requirements are waived. Is it me, or are these contrary positions on both the part of the two Presidential candidates as "welcoming" with open arms post 9/11 foreigners into this country with little or no provisos for either citizenship, or visitation while conducting now a foreign war not now even directed toward responsible for 9/11, and statistical data proving without a shadow of a doubt the negative aspects of our open borders policies and crime rates in personal and property crimes against literally thousands upon thousands of civilians in this country in addition to those lives which were lost in 9/11 the very definition of insanity?

And aren't both candidates positions now on record as continuing this war until it can be ended either "responsibly" or "honorably", and if necessary even increasing the number of theaters involved against the desires of the American people who are paying for it in both their lives and property? While our own country is promoting open borders and mass immigration and compromising our national security, is this just why the American people have so little confidence in Washington or those who claim to represent them? It does appear at some of these apparently scripted appearances recently, both candidates will say or do anything at this point so as not to alienate any segment of the electorate, even those non-US citizens in this country whether lawfully or unlawfully. At this point, can any of us really know anything at all absent the candidates past voting records where they really stand on the issues which seem to be important to most Americans - the economic and energy crisis and national security concerns which Washington has created by their errant promotion of foreign, multi-national and national corporate interests in this country and their profit margins at the cost of the economic and personal welfare of the private citizens and American people.

It appears starting with even so basic an issue as the slogans appearing above both candidates might need clarification, the definitions of "Country First," and "Change." In this two year run now for the Presidency, the electorate is still in the dark as to just what actual "change" Mr. Obama promotes, and just what Senator McCain's definition of "Country First" is - whether it refers to the "greater good" socialist U.S.A. Inc. concept, or personal definition as another "maverick" ala President Bush and many, many former recent presidents? Or that this country is nothing less than it's citizens, and respecting that our government exists at the consent of the governed and it is there to serve them and limited by the provisions of Constitutional authority in it's functions and powers in order to guarantee those freedoms and liberties those first soldiers fought and died for.

Corporations and foreigners have no "rights," nor should they have any protections or immunities for any civil or criminal act committed against America or the American people, collectively or individually, which is why the Bill of Rights and Preamble state the "intent" of the Constitution itself as clearly "for us and our posterity."

The "global" or foreign interests and economy or "multi-national corporate personhood" should have no place of influence in a government created "of the people, by the people, for the people," of THIS nation, but vigorous regulation and oversight. At every level and in every branch it now appears that "Multi-nationalism" has superseded "Americans First," even now with our own U.S. Supreme Court becoming more and more political, and using more and more international law, rather than our Constitution, in reaching a great many of their 21st Century decisions, although they are there to interpret and have no place in the amendment process. Contrary to a great many of the "progressives" and "socialists" in this country, it appears, at the present time the Constitution is NOT a living document open to modern interpretation in even going so far as inserting or redefining the language in it. There is included an amendment process, and it was never to be strictly the Supreme Court who was confined to the "common usage" language of the Constitution in their interpretations - but all federal and state officials are charged with faithfully executing their duties according to it.

Those original freedom fighters would be appalled at this point in history with the state of our nation and just how their ideal has been turned so upside down.