Yesterday was the first anniversary of the horrific Madrid train bombings. 3/11, as it is known, as been called "Europe's 9/11." I find the comparison apt. After 9/11, America struck back. After 3/11, Spain stepped back. America embarked upon a global War on Terror, toppling despotic regimes in Afgahnistan and Iraq. Spain capitulated to terror, withdrawing it's support for the transition to democracy in Iraq. By our very nature, the American attitude has always been fundamentally different than the European. We suffer from the ancient Chinese curse of living in interesting times; interesting times have few virtues, but amng them is the revelation of true character. When push comes to shove, America stands up to bullies; in the same circumstances, Europe gives the bully its lunch money.
There is never an excuse for terrorism, but I feel that you should try to be good at whatever field of endeavor you choose. Some Basques have chosen terrorism as the means to further their nationalist ambitions; however, ETA is an inept terrorist group. ETA phones in threats before it's bombs detonate, allowing plenty of time for evacuation and thus minimizing casualties. The result? There is no independent Basque homeland. Al Qaeda is an effective terrorist. Al Qaeda wanted Spanish troops out of Iraq; so, they didn't give any warning before their bombs detonated on the Madrid commuter trains. Two hundred people died. The result? Spanish troops were withdrawn from Iraq. If I were in ETA, I would learn the lesson of this: kill enough Spaniards and the survivors will give you whatever you want. The Spanish people are contemptable cowards, but that does not mean I want more of them to die. I'm just pointing out that if ETA starts killing more people, it will make great progress toward creating an independent Basque homeland.
The Misogynist
Also yesterday, a man on trial for rape and several other charges escaped from a Fulton County, Georgia courthouse. In the course of his escape, he killed three people (and a fourth while on the lam). He has since been recaptured and, since he will now be facing murder charges, is now worse off than he was yesterday morning. Idiot.
Anywho, while watching the news last night, it was mentioned that the suspect had escaped by overpowering a female bailiff and taking her gun. Dad scoffed. I rolled my eyes and told him I was sure than in all of human history no male police officer had ever had his gun taken away from him. He turned to me and angrily said he resented what I was implying. I looked him in the eye and I said I was absolutely implying what he thought I was. I mean, dear Bog, what else could he have possibly meant? He scoffed when it was mentioned that the officer from whom the gun had been taken had been female. That scoff signalled his comtempt, and his surity that the now-recaptured suspect never could have taken a gun away from a male officer. Was he always been this horrible a misogynist and I never noticed, or is it another symptom of the madness that has been consuming him for the last several years?
Grandpa Wilson, may he rest in peace, died in December 1999. That's when Meine Vater started going crazy. 9/11 accelerated his transformation from regular asshole to full-on archconservative, gay-bashing, Muslim-hating, misogynistic, xenophobic fascist. The one thing that makes me feel better is the knowledge that he hasn't been to church since he was a kid and, for all his modern chauvenism about Christendom, he isn't really a Christian; so, at least when he dies he's going to Hell. That makes me feel much better, though I do wish he'd hurry up and get it over with.
The Queue
Based on a several year-old recommendation from The Professor, I am going to read Ayn Rand. I've heard from at least two separate sources that anyone who reads Ayn Rand is an asshole for at least a month afterward; so, I want to see (a) what that's like and (b) if it's any different from the asshole I normally am. Thus, the queue:
Robert Louis Stevenson, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (and other stories) ***in progress***
Bram Stoker, Dracula
Leslie Charteris, at least two books of The Saint's adventures
Thomas Harris, Black Sunday
Thomas Harris, Hannibal
Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged
I'll only read The Fountainhead if I enjoy Atlas Shrugged. Who is John Galt?
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