May 20, 2003
The Islamic Threat In America
Cal Thomas has a pretty good commentary in the Jewish World Review in which he discusses what he sees as the coming Islamic threat to America. The threat that he foresees is real and the first step towards its implementation of being worked on right now. But I don't agree with the basic premise that it is necessarily a bad thing.
Thomas sees the Islamists invading America through immigration and naturalization in order to take over our political system and to eventually turn the US into an Islamic theocracy. And there is a movement afoot to accomplish just that goal.
But, so what?
The Islamists have figured out how the US political system works. They intend to try to use it to their advantage to change how the United States operates and lives.
That's what the US political system is for. It gives a voice to those who care enough to exercise it. The majority of Americans like to complain about the political system, but they aren't willing to go out there and vote. During the election of 2000, one in which the potential importance of every single vote was reinforced, there was a huge number of registered voters who chose not to vote.
It really makes you question whether or not we deserve the system we have been bequeathed. The liberty that was given to us by the Founding Fathers requires a certain amount of responsibility on our part.
It is our responsibility to be informed. It is our responsibility to participate. It is our responsibility to care enough to defend the liberty we enjoy.
If we don't care, we leave open an opportunity for someone who does to come in. We allow someone who cares to modify our government. If we don't care about our liberty, we will willingly allow someone to take it from us.
Right now, many Americans don't care. Many Americans don't know enough to want to participate. We are willingly giving up our rights.
Perhaps the Islamic invasion is exactly what we need to get more Americans to care. Perhaps defending our liberty and ideals will be the impetuous that will get more Americans to participate in their own government.
If not, we deserve to lose our nation to someone who does care.
Mr. Thomas' warning is well intended. His desire is to try to mobilize the American people to take action, to learn more and to participate in the system. Cal Thomas cares.
Does anyone else?
Every day that goes by I become more convinced that it is going to take some kind of horrible event, or series of events, to make people in this country to wake up. You're right Kathy, there aren't enough of us, but I fear what it will take for us to get to the "Yet" part...
Posted by: John Belcher at May 20, 2003 09:09 PMI think that one of the reasons for low voter turnouts generally is that most of us don't have a stake in most elections. If we don't have a stake in the outcome, we shouldn't vote. Otherwise, we're just being random, and distorting the votes of those who do have a stake.
The original system for determining who could vote was to allow property holders to vote for Federal offices, as well as people qualified to vote for the most numerous house of their State's legislature. This was done because a holder of significant property has to care about Federal elections. The outcome could seriously effect his wealth and ability to make a living. Since he holds significant property, he could not easily or cheaply flee to another country if the results of his votes turned out to be disastrous. As a result, he had a great incentive to be informed, and to vote carefully and thoughtfully.
Since those restrictions have been lifted, almost anyone can vote. This means that people who's votes turn out badly can just move; it's not that hard to move to another country if you don't have any real property to sell first or lose.
Regarding Mr. Medcalf's post (immediately above), I think the flaw in this argument is that a great many voters do not have the wherewithal to move to another country -- if nothing else, that takes CASH, a VISA and UPROOTING. I don't think many voters move to another country if things don't turn out their way, Alec Baldwin threats notwithstanding. And I certainly don't think that is a motivation (if subconsciously) of votes cast.
Regarding the original post, it is easy to say that is what we deserve, but unfortunately, it does not take into account our current culture (which seems to foster apathy), nor our current educational system (which seems to foster the inability of critical analysis), nor our current political process (which seems to minimize the effect of grass-roots opinion at the expense of well-organized, moneyed special interests).
Perhaps the above is an over simplification, but as a Kanas voter, I recall being told (no doubt truthfully) that Kansas was a republican state, and any vote to the contrary in the last presidential election was...meaningless. Yes, I did cast my meaningless vote, but I imagine a great many persons decided not to bother to go to the voting booth. I guess that speaks to the current media culture, and the I-never-read-Horton-Hears-A-Who mindset.
In summary, I guess I am saying that America should not be damned to being overtaken by a different culture, because, God damnit! I care!! I just can't seem to be heard! And by the time "everyone else" wakes up, it may be too late.
Posted by: cj at May 21, 2003 11:16 PMComments have been closed on this entry in an effort to conserve disk space. If you have feedback on this entry, please email me at blog - at - cbnoble.com.
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