I was wondering when CAIR was going to jump in the fray and declare itself relieved that Osama is dead--what a lot of flatus from CAIR to the rest of us. Just about everyone except al Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, al Shaabab, Hezbollah, Hamas, Lashkar e Taiba, Jaish e Mohammed, al Qaida in Iraq and the Chechen rebels is probably happy that Osama is gone.

But the man was already decapitated. He was living in a gilded cage. He had no connection to the outside world except through his courier. He must have had some visitors from Pakistan's military and its ISI on and off. Other than those intermissions of social contact he was probably bored to death and wished that the Americans would come get him so he can go out in a blaze--that compound was the man's OK Corral waiting to happen.

We are stupid to fall for the US govt.'s assertions that this event proves American exceptionalism and at last justice has been meted out. Billions of dollars wasted hunting down the very monsters we created--until today al Qaeda uses Western illegal arms and arms acquired during the cold war. We made these folks, we created their myth and their magic--we destroy our own handiwork and then we crow about it even though our economy languishes--our environment burns--our medical care, our schools, our safety nets, our unions--are all on the brink of collapse-- not because bin Laden caused our debacles but because of our own ineffable greed and materialism--the chicanery of the politicians and the corporations that continues unabated.

We are given the line that bin Laden's death should fill us with pride and elation. Why? This was less justice, more self serving melodrama-- pronounced on a defanged and toothless monster--the kind of elixir or pick me up for a war weary depleted people--concocted by those in charge and presented for intoxication.

What changes now? Will the Syrian government stop firing on its own people? Will Ghaddafi give up his scepter? Will the Sunnis and Shiites live peacefully in Bahrain? Will oil flow? Will the price of oil fall? Will there be more jobs in America? Will Obama stop the insanity of the two wars? Will Pakistan turn into a mild lamb and stop bothering India in Kashmir? Will the nuclear weapons of Pakistan disappear? Will the Iranian mullahs give up their demagoguery and come live in peace with the rest of us? Will there be no more Islamic militants?

Bin Laden represented his own brand of Islam. Perhaps he did not represent CAIR's brand but we have been fighting Islamic militancy across the world. The fact that this man killed a lot of Muslims in the bargain does not change the fact that ordinary Muslims across the world rejoiced that 9/11 happened.

It does not change the fact that even now, in Egypt, women have been excluded from conversations about the changes being wrought in government. It does not change the fact that even now, in Saudi Arabia, women cannot register to vote in the municipal elections. It does not change the fact that Karzai has been robbing his people hollow in Afghanistan. It does not change the fact that Saleh remains in power in Yemen, Bashar Assad fires on his own people and Ben Ali lives in clover in Saudi Arabia, while his people languish.

Sharia law remains intact in many parts of the Islamic world and the Muslims are unable to change this kind of "eye for eye, tooth for tooth" justice. Government and religion are in an unholy alliance across the world. This is at the root of a lot of international evil. Govts. see in religion, the perfect way to control the masses.

Islam, Christianity, Hinduism all the same--tools in the hands of the powerful to subjugate the masses. Mere inventions of men these religions, should all go the way of telephone booths--be obliterated. And we the people should do the obliteration--instead we bow and pray every time some mindless mind controller from some mindless religion says, "Let us pray!"

That is the problem--that is why Osama, that is why the Wahabis, that is why the wars, that is why the mullahs of Iran and now the Muslim Brotherhood, poised for power in Egypt. Hold your breath before declaring that America is not at war with Islam. Wait for the takeover by the Brotherhood-- Arab Spring could turn to Arab Winter--a deep freeze with Allah written all over it and the Prophet declaring that women should be women and men, men--what else is new--and CAIR will still say Islam in its purest form is free of all violence.

Remove Islam from the equation--the Arab Spring will turn to summer and flower. Keep Islam there is no hope CAIR.
R ANON

Great speech. I'll bet it was a big hit at the left wing social functions. I liked how you mix in some basic truths with your own warped view of the world.

Unions a safety net? Maybe a long time ago they were. Anyone buying that now needs to stop drinking the cool-aid and open their eyes.

The unfortunate reality is nowhere in that speech did any postive suggestions for change get mentioned. Just a bunch of lamentations to support a ludicrous notion of whose to balme.

Rino--I didn't say our unions are safety nets--I wrote "our safety nets" comma followed by "our unions". I am waiting for the positive suggestions from a person of great stature such as you--I lament and you give the answers. And by the way, dare I tell a lofty person such as you that it should not be "whose to blame" but rather "who's to blame". They say the "illegals" have to learn the language even as the "legals" kill the language. What is my own warped view of the world? What is happening in Syria--not true? Libya--not true? Egypt--not true? There is no warped view dear rino except your own view that yours is a measured perspective and mine not.
R Anon

Thank you for correcting some spelling and grammar mistakes of mine. Maybe you could proof read for me in the future to prevent me from making similar mistakes. Like you I don't have the answers I just don’t see the point in writing a lot of lamentations about what is wrong without some idea what could be done to change things. The warped view R Anon is your using unrest and problems in the world to try and sell your own narrow view that religion is to blame for all the problems of the world. That they are as you put it " tools in the hands of the powerful to subjugate the masses". The masses have been subjugated without it just as well. The communists did a great job of it and in some areas still are. What is happening in Libya, Egypt and Syria are being driven by many factors religion being only a part of it. More often than not religion is used to justify actions who’s real motives bear little resemblance to the principles of the particular religion in question. The crusaders used Christianity to rationalize the commission of many un-Christian acts. So did the inquisitors to persecute Jews and others. I’m sure a careful study of most of the larger religions of today could uncover similar events. Now we find radicals using Islam to try and justify actions which in all likelihood fall outside of it’s teachings. The problem my friend is and has always been our own greed, selfishness and intolerance for ideas or people different from us and what we believe. I never claimed mine was the measured response of anything. I simply pointed out the lack of it in yours. Apparently that eluded you. Or maybe it didn’t and that’s why you chose to respond by pointing out my spelling and grammar mistakes in an attempt to demonstrate your own intellectual superiority. No doubt you are quite intelligent, but as with most not as much as you think.it. Pity because if you could get past your just using events to sell your view of the world you might be able to do more to actually change the world.

Rino,
Religion is man made and it was made to control the masses--it is a problem but not the only problem. There is no misuse here when it comes to religion--it is simply religion's intended use. I didn't point out your mistakes to deflect your criticisms. I slaughter the English language myself. It needs some defenders. Even when one is not a purist one's heart does ache for the condition of this beautiful universal tongue. It is being shredded to pieces by all of us--but I suppose the language can take it. Who knows, in twenty years, whose could become a substitute for who's. That is the way of English. It is so malleable that it is often recast in the mold of the mistake makers. Mangle it all you want--I actually think you are ahead of me in reinventing this resilient language. That said, man's greed is at the root of all our problems thou sayest-if man invented religion then greed invented religion and hence we are in the mess we are in--you talk about religion like it is a divine intervention or innovation--I think of religion as inseparable from the greedy selfish men you speak of. You talk of religion like religion is incorruptible, the gift of our better angels to us. I think of religion as a concoction of fairy tales. Never the twain shall meet, Rino. Lamentations are good--they are cathartic--they prevent us from going ballistic, they soothe our spirits and occasionally reveal possible solutions to us. We live in a world of the powerful versus the powerless. We can make a difference--as I am sure you do-- as I know I do-in our own spheres of influence but bigger challenges require bolder measures and our global leaders don't seem up to it. Manipulation of the masses is a habitual game of the plutocrats. It is something to weep about.
R Anon

I don't agree with your views on religion. To be sure there is some truth to it. However, your view as is mine is likely influenced by our belief in the existence of God. I apologize if I misread your intent. I'm as guilty as the next person in damaging the English language. In my case it's usually a question of laziness in rereading and proofing what I write. I really could use that proof reader. I don't see religion as incorruptible. I see God and his true message that way. The greedy selfish men we are discussing are the source of the corruption. At times I wonder if the worst thing that happened to Christianity is organized religion. I view the selfish greedy men more like weeds that choke a flower. Realizing and respecting your view on God I'll stop there as opposed to going into what would likely come off sounding like a lengthy sermon. I don’t prefer to get into such debates anyway as they usually end up seeing who can out shout who. You make a valid point about lamentations being cathartic. For some it is a good release and probably can reveal solutions or new ideas to us.

The manipulation you speak of occurs because we allow the plutocrats as you call them to play the differences of the masses against one another. That’s a strategy employed by a minority to keep the majority in check throughout history. Keep dissatisfaction focused towards something other than the source. It works because most of us aren't willing to budge from our own views to consider differing ones. In that I'm likely as guilty as anyone.