This is True: Terrorism http://www.thisistrue.com/terrorism.html en-us 2005-09-11T15:15:55-07:00 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 Still Fundamentally Wrong http://www.thisistrue.com/taliban2.html After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, I dubbed Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson "The American Taliban". In the four years since, not much has changed. In 2005's 9/11 issue of True came this story:

]]> 1199@http://www.thisistrue.com/ Terrorism 2005-09-11T15:15:55-07:00 Our Kind of Hostage Problem http://www.thisistrue.com/hostage.html Sometimes a photo is just the thing to finish off a good story. From True's 27 February 2005 issue:

We Recognized His Plastic Smile

"Our mujahideen ... have managed to capture the American soldier John Adam after killing a number of his colleagues," an Al Qaeda web site said in Arabic, claiming it had captured a soldier in Iraq. It even posted a photo of the soldier, bound and at gunpoint. But "no units have reported anyone missing," said a Pentagon spokesman. A spokesman for Dragon Models USA has cleared up the mystery: the photo shows an action figure, "Special Ops Cody", which the company sold in stores in Kuwait. Even the rifle shown is a toy, and included in the package. "Everything the guy is wearing is exactly what comes with our figure," says the spokesman. (Reuters, AP) ...The Pentagon spokesman said they plan to pay a ransom, "as soon as we can find a few Monopoly games."

]]> 1179@http://www.thisistrue.com/ Terrorism 2005-02-27T14:24:25-07:00 <![CDATA[Who “Deserves” Freedom?]]> http://www.thisistrue.com/freedom.html We're often told not to discuss politics or religion in polite company. But sometimes your hand is forced. It all started with two stories that appeared in subsequent weeks -- in the 9 May and 16 May 2004 issues:

Proof The Terrorists Have Won

Girl Scout troops in Martin County, Fla., decided to have a Mother’s Day “scavenger hunt” at the Treasure Coast Square Mall. Fathers would accompany their daughters and go “window shopping” for items on the hunt list, marking them off as they spotted them, and then shop for a nice present for Mom when they were done. At least 150 father/daughter pairs signed up, but mall management wouldn’t allow the hunt, citing “security” concerns in the post-9/11 world. “Since Sept. 11, we have looked at our security procedures very closely,” said mall spokeswoman Rachelle Crain. First, “How do we know they’re Girl Scouts?” she said of the uniformed 5- to 18-year-old girls. But, more importantly, “Our enhanced security prohibits us from hosting events that allow participants to wander freely around the mall area.” (Stuart News) ...Right. Their dads could whip out a concealed credit card or something.

]]> 1164@http://www.thisistrue.com/ Terrorism 2004-05-22T14:54:29-07:00 Terrorism Continues at Home http://www.thisistrue.com/ztwtc.html I've been saying -- for a couple of years now -- that "Zero Tolerance" policies and laws "terrorize" school children. It's hard enough for adults in America to understand the new way of life as we face true terrorism; imagine how hard it is for kids. Here's how one child tried to cope -- and how the "adults" around him reacted. From the 7 October 2001 issue:

Zero Tolerance Gets Back to Normal

Fifth-grader Paul Volz, 11, dealt with his fear of terrorism through art, drawing the burning World Trade Center towers. He was proud of his work: he taped the picture up near his study cubicle at school in High Ridge, Mo. "When I asked him why he did this, he just looked at me and smiled," said North Jefferson Intermediate School principal Jeff Boyer. "This is totally inappropriate and Paul's behavior has to change," he told the boy's parents. Boyer suspended the boy for three days for smiling at the drawing on grounds it was "disruptive physical conduct or speech" and "communication of a threatening nature." The school district supports the principal, noting "Some drawings can be therapeutic and others can be offensive." (St Louis Post-Dispatch) ..."We have met the enemy and he is us." --Walt Kelly (1913-1973), American cartoonist and social commentator.

]]> 1134@http://www.thisistrue.com/ Zero Tolerance 2001-10-08T06:54:47-07:00 Fundamentally Wrong http://www.thisistrue.com/taliban.html Written 21 September 2001 And see the 2005 Update

It was rather difficult to sit down and write an issue of what's generally supposed to be a funny column after the events of 11 September, even though I didn't have to write another column until Sunday, 16 September. But that date rushed right up and the work was slow going, keeping me up until about 1:30 a.m. Monday so I could meet my 8:00 a.m. deadline.

]]> 1132@http://www.thisistrue.com/ Terrorism 2001-09-21T14:56:58-07:00 Jerry Falwell Transcript http://www.thisistrue.com/falwell-transcript.html Partial transcript of Jerry Falwell's comments on the Thursday, 13 September 2001 edition of the "700 Club", the basis for my story about The Original American Taliban:

JERRY FALWELL: And I agree totally with you that the Lord has protected us so wonderfully these 225 years. And since 1812, this is the first time that we've been attacked on our soil and by far the worst results. And I fear, as Donald Rumsfeld, the Secretary of Defense, said yesterday, that this is only the beginning. And with biological warfare available to these monsters -- the Husseins, the Bin Ladens, the Arafats - what we saw on Tuesday, as terrible as it is, could be miniscule if, in fact -- if, in fact -- God continues to lift the curtain and allow the enemies of America to give us probably what we deserve.

]]> 1131@http://www.thisistrue.com/ Religion 2001-09-13T11:14:40-07:00