Choosing to send this digest on Wednesdays was not totally arbitrary. I thought it would be a nice mid-week exercise for me to write them, and I hoped it would be a nice mid-week break for readers. But by picking a specific day I obviously lose the flexibility to talk about specific events in a timely manner.
Generally I write these digests on Tuesday nights, and this week's is no different, except for this portion. I am writing this on Friday, September 11, 2015.
Those who know me well know that I am verbose and talkative. I don't normally struggle with or for words, and I feel as though I could go on a stream of consciousness here, but I won't. Instead, I ask that you remember 9/11 -- not just on 9/11, but constantly. Don't dwell on it, don't let it overwhelm you, just remember it. Remember how horrible the world can be, and remember that 9/11 is a stark example, but that people suffer every day. Only that way will we fix things. Only that way will we make it better.
Too bad Gandhi lived only long enough to influence MLK and not our current political leaders, very few of whom even attempt to speak for all Americans, especially those whose voices are least often heard.
Running From the World, And to It
The world has been watching a bloody civil war in Syria for the better part of five years now, with no action on the part of other nations to stop the slaughter. This initial moral failure has birthed another; the short-term consequences of our inaction have been unleashed, and now it remains to be seen if we will address them before the long-term consequences bite us.
I'm talking, of course, about the refugee crisis that years of warfare inevitably creates. So far, we've treated this issue like we've treated the war itself; we have ignored it. Two readers: Evan in NYC, and Chris in New Jersey, sent articles this week, and perhaps there is some hope the US will finally display leadership on the issue (from the Hill). And there is reason to believe that immigration could be a boon for us as well (from the NYTimes).
Failing to address the refugee crisis now will only let the problem fester. It will get worse. Refugee camps are not bastions of freedom and liberty. They breed resentment and ideas that manifest as violence. As Syrian refugees run from their world to ours, we must find a way to help improve their situations and livelihoods, or we will likely face a future in which ours are also in danger.
Unity, Division, and the Line Between Them
I have written before about how the Confederate flag is a symbol of racism and division and the power - positive and negative - of symbols. But I've also written about how we have a tendency to self-censor due to political correctness or other factors, and there are examples of us taking this behavior too far.
The author makes a number of valid points about American actions and moral failings in Vietnam (in an author's note published after the article he also apologizes for explicitly calling the flag racist), but he then goes on to delegitimize the flag as a misrepresentation of history, pointing out that it tries to paint America as the victim in the Vietnam War.
Perhaps he is correct about both the propaganda and the history, but unlike the Confederate flag, I don't see this is a divisive and offensive symbol. This flag is not driving a wedge between Vietnam and America. As far as I know there are no Vietnamese Americans clamoring for its removal or subjected to violence under its false narrative. If anything, American dollars are flowing into Vietnam via both manufacturing and tourism.
Furthermore, and perhaps most importantly, why must remembering veterans and POWs be mutually exclusive with acknowledging American sins in Vietnam? The pilots shot down over North Vietnam may have dropped the Napalm, but personnel carry out orders, not issue them. I'll have a slice of "blame LBJ for this one" pie. America should be accountable for our actions in war, and men and women who commit atrocities should be punished, and this should include their commanders. But the men who killed at My Lai and the guards at Abu Ghraib are different than the men and women who carry out orders. I think it is okay to remember those who served and were captured while still acknowledging our mistakes and holding ourselves accountable.
Who's Watching at Home?
Meanwhile, an article from Laura in MS shows us how the same machines we use to deliver missiles and Amazon Prime packages are being repurposed by law enforcement. Big Brother can now hover overhead, and in some places, be armed with non-lethal weapons (from the Daily Beast).
Is this really keeping us safer? I try to see nuance when it comes to freedom and privacy vs public safety. As much as I hate the airline industry, I'm okay with TSA asking me to put my arms above my head and stand in their plastic tube for three seconds. I'm even okay with the NSA collecting phone data in bulk. What do I care if some computer algorithm is sifting through my emails looking for buzzwords?
But there are lines. Drones, especially those with "non-lethal" weapons floating around? No thanks. That's not a good look. Could drone surveillance prevent a tragedy? Sure, I could see that happening. Could it also infringe upon our privacy, and perhaps even violate our right to unlawful search (and maybe seizure). Yes, very easily it could. How we perform our due diligence to protect ourselves while also recognizing that not every "threat" is actually such is not an easy balance to strike.
I want to know why any branch of government feels the need to float robots over my head to ensure my safety. I'm just not seeing the logic there, especially when these robots may be armed. There are already far too many people with weapons walking around, I'm fine without armed, levitating robots.
When Fear Meets Freedom
Since 9/11 we have become more accustomed to things like airport security and other precautions that are attempts to keep us safe, but at times infringe upon our rights and privacy. In the age of digital espionage, this is even more true. Xi Xiaoxing knows very well what happens when the government is snooping around in our inboxes (from the NYTimes).
Here's the thing, as I said above, I'm not totally against an algorithm rummaging my emails for buzzwords, but if the government is going to take action based on this type of evidence they better be damned sure they get it right. My issue here isn't the email reading, it's not doing your research on the problem you're attacking. This is government incompetence at it's best. Federal agents busted this guy for espionage and hadn't even bothered to ask scientific experts if they were arresting the guy for what they thought they were arresting him for!
This is what happens when fear, or rather paranoia, meets freedom. Freedom loses. There is a reason for us to be vigilant in a dangerous world in which our enemies are harder to detect and monitor. But that vigilance shouldn't manifest as blatant and unjust violations of our liberties, and the more we find it acceptable, the more it becomes so. When that happens, the whole experiment will crumble. Actions like these are the first step in what turns into putting all Japanese Americans in internment camps because they may be spying for Tokyo. NO!! Not okay! That stereotyping, paranoia, and fierce desire to see a bad guy even if there isn't a bad guy will ultimately erode our freedom much more quickly than willfully acquiescing to smart limits on our privacy in exchange for safety. There is a social contract, and I am happy to acknowledge that in certain instances, what I perceive to be my rights can be compromised in exchange for my safety. But this is easily taken too far, and the wrongful arrest of Xi Xiaoxing and the "need" for drones overhead are overreach. That's not making us safer, that's presenting us with a domestic, elected nemesis instead of a foreign one.
A Real 9/11 Hero
This week's pup is the first in a while who doesn't belong to one of the humans receiving this email, but Bretagne is undoubtedly worth sharing.
As the last known living rescue dog from 9/11, Bretagne is definitely a hero, and should be a celebrity. She recently turned 16, and was treated to an extravagant birthday bash in NYC as a reward for heroism (from Reshareworthy.com).
Hailing from Texas, Bretagne and her handler/human Denise were among the ruins and rubble of the World Trade Center, searching first for survivors and then for victims. Their story is at once both empowering and heart wrenching, but there is no doubt in my mind that in the days and the years that followed 9/11 Bretagne served heroically as a rescue and a therapy animal. Just one more reason why these animals really are our best friends.
A big thank you to Brenda in Mississippi for sharing Bretagne's story with me.
Suggestions, Comments, Dogs?
Every week I ask you to share the opt-in form with friends, but this week I'm introducing a new feedback form where you can let me know your thoughts, ask questions, and share articles or dogs. Please check it out, and let me know what you think!
