Blame the victim

The anger and sadness of last week are slowly being replaced by questioning: Why did this happen? Is U.S. foreign policy to blame? And for people who are able to see both sides, no right way exists, no simple solution is laid bare. There's no easy way out of this.

You see, I'm bound by the three traits that characterize most programmers: laziness, impatience, and hubris. I wanted, early on, a plan of action. One that required the least amount work and the shortest duration of time to implement. Plus, I believed such a plan existed and that moral territory could be claimed.

Of course, I was wrong.

Now, the current state of re-examination that's occuring doesn't feel quite right to me in the context of this crisis, at this point in time. I couldn't explain it though.

Then along comes this article by William Saletan that argues against the consequentialists, the ones who believe "the attacks were a consequence of American behavior." Saletan acknowledges that perhaps re-examination should occur, but "if we do these things to avoid further attacks on our cities, we're granting the terrorists the power to dictate out acts by dictating the consequences." Instead, he calls to turn "consequentialism on its head. We can dictate what happens to people who attack us."

AHA! That's it.

Given this perspective, there are more tools to work with, but things still haven't gotten any clearer.

BTW, I think President Bush has done an excellent job so far. He's really improved, even just in the last week. He's poised and confident and in the midst of being a leader, he's still human. The fact that we didn't bomb someone back to the stone ages as retaliation immediately following September 11 gives me hope that the ones in charge are going to do the right thing, whatever that may be.

Other comments

From this page

Orson Scott Card

Author, Greensboro, N.C.

"What effect will this have on the American psyche? The same effect such things always have. Temporary unity, followed by temporary exploitation of the crisis to try to advance pre-existing agendas, and finally settling down to find our part in whatever national endeavor our leaders embark on in response to the attack. I only hope that our leaders will actually attempt to lead us toward solving the terrorism problem thoroughly and completely, instead of the kind of measured law-enforcement responses that only make martyrs when they succeed and, when they fail, encourage further attacks.

"I dread the general hatred toward those of Middle Eastern origin that is likely to come now. I hope people remember that Arabs and Muslims from other Middle Eastern countries have already voted with their feet, choosing American freedom over solidarity with their home country. I hope people remember that prior to 11 September, the worst act of terrorism in American history was done to us by a native-born American. To condemn all Middle Eastern immigrants would make as much sense as condemning all native-born Americans because of Timothy McVeigh.

"And I'm already weary of hearing the attack called `cowardly' and `terrorism.' It was a well-planned military strike, and it was carried out with courage and boldness. We face a brave and determined and clever enemy, and we are at war. `Cowardly terrorism' is dealt with by law enforcement agencies and the courts. Acts of war are dealt with by military force directed against our enemies and all who shelter them. And our enemies are not just the specific terrorists that carried out this attack, but all the terrorist groups that would have done it if they had had either the wit or the resources to do it. "We must wage concerted and relentless war against all the terrorists who have struck at America and its allies, and against all the nations that fund and harbor them, until there is no nation that dares to support terrorists. Anything less than such a war is a recipe for further attacks down the road. And if we do not plunge whole-heartedly into such a sustained and thorough war all at once, but instead escalate gradually, the war will take far longer and cost us far more in lives and other sacrifices.

"And before we label our enemies as monsters, let's remember that we, too, have bombed people who were innocently going about their business, without a declaration of war and with no meaningful military objective. We won't be making war against our enemies because they are evil and we are good. We will be making war against these people because they are killing Americans and our allies, and we have to make them stop. I would be very happy if, along with taking the appropriate military actions, we remembered how it felt to have explosions take American lives, and forswear forever the use of military force as a political instrument of terror. When our hands are clean then maybe we have a right to label our enemies as evil."

Another interesting article

Here, about America needed to stop feeling guilty for being successful.

And one more

Although I generally don't agree with Roger Moore's ideas in the least I did find his comments an interesting read.