Posted on 10/21/2001 10:47:13 AM PDT by MHGinTN
Okay, it's time to get active, Freepers! As Lazamataz has said, 'We are 50,000 strong and a force to be reckoned with.'
He's right, ya know. We are a well connected army of eyes and ears. Here's a few things we can do in this war against terrorists in our country.
First, always take a camera with you when you leave the house to go shopping, take the kids to functions, go to work, in short, whenever you're going to be in the public sector. Why? Because a call to the FBI is one thing, but a call with photographs to document your story is far more with which the FBI or local law enforcement can work.
'Well,' you might say, 'Someone else is doing this, so I don't need to.' No, you and I are the someone else! This is our country. The FBI is under staffed, and I would prefer it stay that way. That means they can use some help in information gathering ... let them do the contact work, while we gather the data, and the better the data the better the contact potentials.
'Okay,' you might say, 'I'll take pictures if I see something my antenna says is suspicious, but what the heck do I do with that?' Well, don't just take pix, make a diary-type reference to your reason for taking the pix. Also, be mindful of things like tag numbers and any identifying characteristics you might see and/or record with the camera. It is a well know fact that witnesses don't remember as well as a 'frozen segment of time', a photograph.
You might wonder which citizens are the most likely to see suspicious things that a camera would help to nail, and I would answer everyone who goes into the public sector has the potential to see something suspicious. We Freepers could be more observant and more conscientious in our alert, and thus it might just be that we Freepers would have the camera and the foresight to record in pix and word what we and others see that is suspicious. Let's not leave it to someone else; let's take the initiative to be the ones doing the data collecting; I keep the FBI hotline number hanging from my puter desk, and I've used it once already.
Lastly, I say also go armed; if your state has a concealed carry permit, get one and learn to handle a personal defense weapon ... with the emphasis on personal defense, not law enforcement; the professionals are still our best resource when time permits; we're talking about collecting data, not killing suspects. The major emphasis ought be to collect data for the professionals who are over-worked and under-staffed for this crisis. It is our country, and we ought think enough of it to at least upgrade our alert status ... we are the eyes and ears of this nation's security on the domestic front.
If we expect our law enforcement people to be proactive instead of merely reactive, we have to give them the data to work with! Terrorist plan their strikes, sometimes for months or years. Until our national policy is wholesale deportation, we must be more alert to the planners and plotters, and we can do that without violating civil rights while asserting our responsibilities as citizens. Besides, if we expect people to be deported, it doesn't hurt to have pictures and descriptions of suspicious activity when the authorities get around to picking the deportees ... if loose lips sink ships, sharp eyes save lives.
I keep reading about how the Islamic community isn't supporting the terrorists, but until the Muslims of America begin to turn in the radicals, siditious, miscreants and criminals amongst them, we the people must get active in our own defense ... cameras with explanation of pictures is a great way to do it. I'm certain the Freeper family will now post FBI, CIA, and NSA phone numbers that can be used for contact when suspicious activity is seen and recorded. I would rather be mistaken 100 times and right one vital time than uninvolved and totally vulnerable. How about you, fellow Freeper?
I know a guy who kept a camera in his car at all times specifically in the hope that he'd pass by an accident scene. He always stopped and took pictures which he later sold copies of to the insurance companies for a nice fee. These pictures were also purchased by the attorneys representing their particular clients in court cases. Needless to say, he turned a smart idea into a hefty profit.
(1) SPECIFIC STATUTORY AUTHORIZATION- Consistent with section 8(a)(1) of the War Powers Resolution, the Congress declares that this section is intended to constitute specific statutory authorization within the meaning of section 5(b) of the War Powers Resolution.
(2) APPLICABILITY OF OTHER REQUIREMENTS- Nothing in this resolution supercedes any requirement of the War Powers Resolution.
SEC. 8. (a) Authority to introduce United States Armed Forces into hostilities or into situations wherein involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances shall not be inferred--
(1) from any provision of law (whether or not in effect before the date of the enactment of this joint resolution), including any provision contained in any appropriation Act, unless such provision specifically authorizes the introduction of United States Armed Forces into hostilities or into such situations and stating that it is intended to constitute specific statutory authorization within the meaning of this joint resolution; or
SEC. 5. (b) Within sixty calendar days after a report is submitted or is required to be submitted pursuant to section 4(a)(1), whichever is earlier, the President shall terminate any use of United States Armed Forces with respect to which such report was submitted (or required to be submitted), unless the Congress (1) has declared war or has enacted a specific authorization for such use of United States Armed Forces, (2) has extended by law such sixty-day period, or (3) is physically unable to meet as a result of an armed attack upon the United States. Such sixty-day period shall be extended for not more than an additional thirty days if the President determines and certifies to the Congress in writing that unavoidable military necessity respecting the safety of United States Armed Forces requires the continued use of such armed forces in the course of bringing about a prompt removal of such forces.
It is not the same thing, no matter how it might be twisted to be construed as such.
Their response was "you should see our country! There's nothing there! We have got to go home and build it!"
No tear-jerking intended, mind you, just a simpler explanation of why the study what they study.
FWIW, I think it is not the STUDENTS who come here to study, it is the TERRORIST who come conveniently POSING as students. The trick is to find out what the real mix actually is.
THANK YOU for your wisdom! You are correct after all; the president is acting under the war powers act. (Klinton loved this tool and exceeded the 60-day period, as reported by Human Events, but nobody seemed to care then) My statement was incorrect and we did not declare war- gee I guess after the president called it war so many times I got caught up in the moment. My mistake - happy? By golly, you showed me.
That the President is authorized to use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons, in order to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the United States by such nations, organizations or persons.
Is the president authorized to take action domestically if we are harboring terrorists? So why shouldnt we kick out foreigners in from countries supporting terrorists? I know this isnt a war! Right.
Do you need help in understanding?
Of course, perhaps the Feds think that it's better if they're HERE where we can keep an eye on 'em. I'll bow to their superior understanding of what constitutes the best strategy for security.
THANK YOU for your wisdom!
Thank you for your sarcasm. Did you ever stop to think that others might not know what you know and the post was intended to inform them too? Probably not. You just took it as a personal slight and replied. Don't feel bad, I've responded just like that before too.
I probably should have apologized, but hey...barroom brawls and all, being what they usually are...
I was just responding in kind to the condescension in your unsolicited remarks to me. Does the fact that we are not at technically at war change the premise of my earlier post? Thats a rhetorical question no need to reply. Thanks for stopping by. </sarcasm>
No hard feelings here by the way. Had this been a real bar, wed be having a brewski by now.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.