The return of terrorism.

Some asshole terrorists blew up the Army recruiting station in Times Square.

I had a conversation about it with a woman at my local coffee shop, she didn't  think they were actually terrorists. IF not, then what were they?

In parts of Europe, people are blazé about terrorists. For decades people have been blowing stuff up in major cities. Usually communists in order to ferment revolution and take over the state. Sometimes to protest an injustice or something they just don't like.

For instance, those assholes at the so-called "Earth Liberation Front" burned down some "McMansions" in Washington State in order to protest the fact that the builders were trying to be ecologically responsable last week and just this morning other shitheads blew up the Times Square recruiting office.

I"m sure that 89% of the people who hang out here don't approve of this sort of thing, and there's probably little, if no connection between the two, but the question is why do these people think that this kind of behavior will bring them support?

As I said in the header, I had a conversation about this in my favorite coffee shop, and she didn't think that the people who did this were terrorists. "Their heart was in the right place," she said, no it isn't.

The fact that the bomb blew up at three in the morning doesn't mitigate anything. Destroying property is as violent as destroying life.

It just helps the Republicans.

•  89% ?

  by Great Uncle Bulgaria on Thu Mar 06, 2008 at 05:58:57 AM PDT

  •  You make up your statistics and I'll make up mine

    ;)

    by PatsBard on Thu Mar 06, 2008 at 06:07:31 AM PDT

    •  Accusing 10%+ of the people here

      of being terrorists or terrorist sympathizers isn't exactly a Democrat posting.  It's a Republican trying to stir up shit.  

      by Great Uncle Bulgaria on Thu Mar 06, 2008 at 06:16:52 AM PDT

      •  I agree with you

        That's why I said the stats were made up.

        by PatsBard on Thu Mar 06, 2008 at 06:30:51 AM PDT

      •  DemocratIC

        get the suffix right, please.

        by YoursTruly on Thu Mar 06, 2008 at 07:36:37 AM PDT

•  Oh Gawd !

  You know they are gonna blame us Anti-War "Progressives" for this.

  by WeBetterWinThisTime on Thu Mar 06, 2008 at 06:02:33 AM PDT

  •  Or at least 11% of us.... n/t

    I"m sure that 89% of the people who hang out here don't approve of this sort of thing...

    by PatsBard on Thu Mar 06, 2008 at 06:06:37 AM PDT

•  Why did you feel the need to insult members of

  this community instead of simply expressing your outrage at the people who are blowing things up?

  by PatsBard on Thu Mar 06, 2008 at 06:05:03 AM PDT

  •  Well, if you look at the people who support the

    Hamas and the FARC in posts around here, then it's about a tenth of the people who usually post here.

    If it's okay for Hamas to target Israeli civilians and fine for the FARC to plant mines and kidnap tourists, then it's just peachy to blow up an army recruiting station when they knew that few, if any would get hurt.

    by YoursTruly on Thu Mar 06, 2008 at 07:30:48 AM PDT

•  "It just helps the Republicans."

  Please elaborate on the reasoning process that led to this conclusion. References would also be helpful.

  by Kairos on Thu Mar 06, 2008 at 06:09:55 AM PDT

  •  FEAR.

    ...and it's not al-Qaeda who's burning down those houses near Seattle, right? It's "LIBERALS!"

    Republcians can campaign against that sort of thing.

    by YoursTruly on Thu Mar 06, 2008 at 07:33:00 AM PDT

  •  It's clear to me

    The Republicans have been running a trillion-dollar protection racket. Does it cost that much to take care of a few thugs hiding out in caves and their wealthy benefactors? Does it really? I think not.

    But, at every opportunity, the Republicans are stoking up the fear-mongering flames and shaking us down for more cash. Or rather, shaking down future generations for more cash. History won't be kind to the gangsters who are in charge right now.

    So, any explosions, and particularly, explosions with a military target, are just more grist for the propaganda mill.

    Maybe "Republicans" did it. There seems to be a dearth of actual terrorist activities when the FBI isn't trying to invent them.

    by taraka das on Thu Mar 06, 2008 at 07:35:55 AM PDT

•  Army Recruitment is quite...agressive.

  Recruiters are extremely agreessive, they out and out lie in order to get signups.  They promise young 18-20 year-olds the moon: self-fulfillment/growth, low/zero risk "you'll be stationed at xxx", specific job details/training, lots of veteran's benefits (that are curtailed), and other promises that are never kept.  

  This puts parents and loved ones in a pickle.  These kids are so sure that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence that they don't question the empty promises made by recruiters. Half of the people signing-up can't even read the contract, which says, basically: "we own your ass".  So, when parents/loved ones get back damaged/disabled/dead son/daughter/spouse, their anger is focused on those who lied.  Those who lied are at the army recruitment station.  

  I think it is very wrong what happened here.  I don't think their "heart is in the right place".  I think that an attack on the recuritment station reflects people who feel powerless to stop needlesss killing and who have had loved ones stripped from them with lies.  These people should be focusing their energies on helping to elect responsible political leadership.  They should be picketing the recruitment center if they feel so inclined.

  by Great Uncle Bulgaria on Thu Mar 06, 2008 at 06:12:55 AM PDT

  •  Ditto with the McMansions

    It takes more than solar panels and recycled materials to make "green" housing. I am NOT supporting the terrorists (yes, that's what I see them as) who blew up the 4, 4,000+ sq ft  RCD's (Rural Clustered Development) homes - but the developers who claimed they were 'green' were lying through their teeth.

    by grndrush on Thu Mar 06, 2008 at 06:25:16 AM PDT

    •  "It's very wrong, BUT....."

      welcome to the 11%.

      by YoursTruly on Thu Mar 06, 2008 at 07:35:10 AM PDT

      •  That's an insanely broad brush you have there...

        So the poster points out that the developers were lying... therefore the poster supports terrorism? Along with 11 percent of the people here?

        That's utter bullshit.

        by Olds88 on Thu Mar 06, 2008 at 09:24:09 AM PDT

        •  By implying the houses

          DESERVE to be burnt down, yup.

          by YoursTruly on Thu Mar 06, 2008 at 09:32:03 AM PDT

          •  Except they did no such thing

            I am NOT supporting the terrorists (yes, that's what I see them as)

            by Olds88 on Thu Mar 06, 2008 at 09:38:00 AM PDT

          •  Your Truly my ass

            I am NOT supporting the terrorists (yes, that's what I see them as)

            You obviously have a reading comprehension problem.

            by grndrush on Thu Mar 06, 2008 at 12:31:05 PM PDT

•  This is a very frightening development.

  Looking at some of McCain's supporters, lots of right wing wackos, and now that the country is full of regrets about the current republican administration, the only way McCain is going to get elected is by these wackos doing terrorist activity. I can just see them skeeming lots of these things up.  
  They do it because it's a way to get the main stream media, which is conservative, to run lots of scare mongering pieces and pointing out how weak the Democrats are.  This will split the Democratic leadership into Republicans-in-Democrat-clothing and real Democrats who will mostly be co opted.  We are currently living a similar scenario.
  Remember the anthrax scare, that was just a back up to 9/11.  The country was petrified.  It worked right into their hands. Expect more of this crap, it coming.

  by weltshmertz on Thu Mar 06, 2008 at 07:12:23 AM PDT

  •  "Republicans did it"

    Interesting idea. In politics, the question to ask is always "Who benefits?"

    We haven't had a left-wing bombing campaign since the Weather Underground gave themselves up. But, this is the MO of the Weather Underground: bombing empty buildings, bombing buildings to make a political message. If it is a left-wing group, they were probably inspired by the WU.

    But, really, who will benefit, politically? Not the left. The far-right is a more likely culprit. And I would guess it's being directed by someone who has a severe distaste for 1970s leftist radicals. Like Dick Cheney.

    Remember that Bush and Cheney could face prosecution STILL, and they'll do anything to stay off death row or out of prison. They NEED McCain to win. Losing isn't an option. So, if Americans need a reminder that the war on terror is still happening, Bushco is likely to give it to them, so that McCain can give his tough talk a nice workout.

    Be afraid kiddies! Democrats will leave your children at the mercy of crazed terrorists! Bush tried this line in 2006, and it didn't work. Maybe they are trying to reinforce it with some victimless destruction this time.

    by taraka das on Thu Mar 06, 2008 at 07:49:55 AM PDT

•  What?

  Destroying property is as violent as destroying life.

  No, it's not.

  by Olds88 on Thu Mar 06, 2008 at 09:17:55 AM PDT