- Who is ready to sign the pledge? I know I am.
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest recently announced the Obama administration will host a Summit on Countering Violent Extremism on February 18th. The summit will highlight domestic and international efforts to prevent violent extremist activities and terrorism. This will likely be used to discuss cooperation between countries regarding sharing intelligence and responsive action. However, it will probably not deal with the matter of detecting terrorist sympathies or creating a movement to quell such activity.
On January 11th, the French held their Solidarity Rally in Paris to protest the bloody attack of the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo by Islamic extremists. The rally was a symbolic gesture which highlighted the growing disgust and anger by the people of the world regarding terrorism. Smaller rallies were held elsewhere, including Germany where Muslims rallied to show solidarity with Paris. To capitalize on this sentiment, perhaps we can do more.
Up to now, the Muslim community has been reluctant to criticize Islamic terrorism, partly due to fear and partly due to sharing the sentiments of the extremists. I have always believed the Muslim problem is a Muslim problem, meaning it is ultimately up to the Islamic faithful to get their extremists under control. This can begin by publicly denouncing terrorism as in the German rally. Following Paris, Ahmed Aboutaleb, the Muslim mayor of Rotterdam, the Netherlands, recently raised eyebrows in an interview where he was quoted as saying to Dutch Muslims, "If you can't find your place in the Netherlands, in the way we want to build a society together, leave."
Actually we need more calls to refute terrorism, be it from Muslims, Christians, Jews, or whatever your faith happens to be, or even if you do not believe. As a Christian, I readily denounce any terrorist activity related to my faith, as should Muslims, Jews, etc. Frankly, I have had enough and it's time to soundly denounce such behavior. To this end, imagine if Americans were all asked to sign a pledge publicly denouncing terrorism. Such public condemnation can only have positive effects. However, if people refused to sign it, they would be admitting their sympathies to terrorists and, as the Rotterdam Mayor said, they should just "leave." Either way, this would be a powerful way to condemn terrorism and detect those with sympathies for extremists.
The pledge would be something like this:
"As a U.S. citizen or undocumented alien residing in the United States, I hereby freely and publicly denounce and condemn all violence and terrorism resulting from extremist activity, particularly from my own Religious Faith (duly noted). I further pledge to protect and defend the United States by reporting to the proper authorities, such as local law enforcement officials, or the Department of Homeland Security:
* Any suspicious behavior related to violence or terrorism.
* Any activities pertaining to recruiting, radicalizing, or inspiring others to commit acts of violence. This includes meetings, literature, broadcasting, and information on the Internet."
* Any activities pertaining to recruiting, radicalizing, or inspiring others to commit acts of violence. This includes meetings, literature, broadcasting, and information on the Internet."
I see this as something administered by the Department of Homeland Security. For those who believe the government already knows too much about us, there would essentially be nothing new here other than a new form of pledge of allegiance.
This is not so much a legal referendum, but a social movement to raise the consciousness of the public to help eradicate terrorism. Certainly some people will make this pledge under false pretenses, just as terrorist sympathizers undoubtedly marched in the Paris rally to study the feelings of the people, but we would have their name for the record.
Such a public declaration would put people on the spot and force them to chose their allegiance. A refutation of terrorism can only have beneficial effects. It shapes public opinion, improves intelligence through tips, keeps control in the hands of trained counter terrorist experts, and identifies those who do not want to properly adapt to American culture and rule of law. This all ultimately depends on the American public and if they are sincerely tired of extremist behavior.
Keep the Faith!
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Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com
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Copyright © 2015 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.
NEXT UP: BRYCETITIZED - When you want to divert from logic for some inexplicable reason.
LAST TIME: FEBRUARY: BUSY HOLIDAY MONTH
- For a short month, we stay rather busy.
Listen to Tim on WJTN-AM (News Talk 1240) "The Town Square" with host John Siggins (Mon, Wed, Fri, 12:30-3:00pm Eastern); WZIG-FM (104.1) in Palm Harbor,FL; and KIT-AM 1280 in Yakima, Washington "The Morning News" with hosts Dave Ettl & Lance Tormey (weekdays. 6:00-9:00am Pacific). Or tune-in to Tim's channel on YouTube.
Even as a child, I always had a fondness for the month of February. It always seemed like the quirkiest month of the year. Maybe it is because it is the shortest month, or perhaps the first "R" in February is commonly pronounced silently. While seven other months have an extra day (31 in total), February was somehow shortchanged by two. Then there is the matter of Leap Year, which occurs every four years, whereby February picks up a day, yet is still less than all the other months. Imagine if your birthday was on February 29th, does this mean you only celebrate it every four years? One benefit would be your age would only be a quarter of what it is now, which would make me a teenager.
I've been writing about Information Systems for over three decades, mostly to I.S. professionals, and I've spent in inordinate amount of time trying to clarify our terminology and concepts, as well as dispel basic misconceptions about systems. For example, there are those who believe an Information System is a computer. Sorry but, No, that is a piece of equipment, a tool used within a system. Then there are those who think it is a computer program or collection of programs like what you find on an iPhone. As an aside, the word "app" (for "application") is indicative of the sloppy thinking in the industry; an "application" of what? No, let's call a spade, a spade; they're not "apps," they're "programs," but I digress.
I have been a Freemason for many years and I am still surprised by those people who believe the Masons have a secret agenda in terms of manipulating the country or stockpiling incredible amounts of wealth. Heck, we have trouble organizing a picnic. However, there is reasonable evidence to show Masons were involved with the founding of the country. For example, of the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence, 9 were Masons (16%), and of the 39 men who signed the U.S. Constitution 13 were Masons (33%). Of the 44 presidents we have had, 14 were Masons (32%) with the last one being Gerald Ford. Beyond this, few people outside of the fraternity truly understand the impact of Masonry in America.
Seeking the truth can be a delicate matter fraught with pitfalls. It may interfere with another's political agenda or personal gains. Besides, people do not necessarily want to know the truth. Most are quite comfortable hiding within their shell minding their own business, and not wanting to get involved with the outside world. Today, it is more important to be politically correct than seek the truth, something which may lead to a person being ostracized for possessing an inquisitive mind. I have run afoul of this on more than one occasion, not just in my consulting practice but in nonprofits as well. When I dare ask a question or point out an indiscretion, I am often accused of being a troublemaker. Such is the price you will likely pay. The questions though must be asked, and only a handful of people are willing to risk injury to their integrity, but they are desperate for finding the answer. One such person was Abraham Lincoln who wrestled with the question of slavery.
There is only one thing worse than incompetence, and that is accepting it. I began thinking about this over the holidays when I took an ocean cruise. I have taken many such cruises over the years and have traveled on many different lines, some better than others. The line and ship I took this year was new to me. It was a large ship with about 2,200 passengers and was a part of a well known shipping line. Our destination was the Western Caribbean where I hoped to relax and catch up on my reading. I graded the food on board as "fair" at best, but I was particularly appalled by the embarking and disembarking procedures on/off the ship. Our first port of call was in the Honduras where I had scheduled a round of golf. There was only one problem, I couldn't get off the ship.
People ask me why I seem to be "black and white" on so many issues. Two reasons come to mind: first, I learned early in school that you do not get credit for making a mistake. If this has changed, please let me know. Second, the nature of my work in the information systems world has taught me there are right ways of doing things, as well as wrong ways. I am also not embarrassed to admit, "I do not know," when I am unsure of myself, and will endeavor to find the answer. Failure to admit this is a sign of weakness, as is fabricating an excuse or leading someone down the wrong path.