by Cory Brickner
cory@brickners.com

The following is a guest opinion I submitted to the Arizona Republic for publishing:

I ask you all to ponder about what a defeat September 11, 2001 is to the United States Government. Congress has passed anti-terrorist laws, the FAA has X-Ray machines and anti-weapon policies at Airports, our Armed Forces have been on the highest state of alert in various parts of the world, and the FBI and the CIA could not gather enough “intelligence” to warn the people or prevent this act from happening.

There is this false notion the people have that if they give up some liberty to our government in the name of safety, we would be better able to prevent these and other hideous acts of the inhumanly sick. Washington has sold us this notion especially over the past 30-odd years, and we now expect the government to protect us because we have given up the ability to do it ourselves. Yet the opposite has happened. The media is already reporting that people are "feeling betrayed", and "how can something like this happen"?

Governments across the globe are powerless to protect the masses in these circumstances. A perfect example is what Israel does for security measures. There are private security guards, army, and police at almost every common public gathering point, mall, bus stop, and government building. Even small restaurants and shops are hiring protection and adding a “tax” to the meal or goods. These guards are armed with automatic weapons, and have metal detectors. Everyone “suspicious” or carrying any kind of purse or pack is stopped and searched. Everyday. Everyone. Every time. There are separate license plates to identify Arabs vs. Israelis. There are roadblocks and checkpoints on all major roads leading out of and to major parts of that country.

Those are much more painful measures in a "democratic" country than what we have now, and it has not stopped terrorist acts like car-bombs from happening. This should serve as a dire warning to those under the delusion that giving up more in our country will help protect us.

One thing that Israel does is allow its citizens to carry weapons. Once you own a weapon, you may carry it as you wish, with very little restrictions. This has virtually stopped “Texas Luby’s or Columbine-like” terrorism against Israelis. One attempted terrorist rampage within Jerusalem a few years back was thwarted by multiple citizens carrying various weapons. Terrorist organizations woefully stated that they did not realize Israeli citizens could carry weapons. The only school-related shooting that has happened in many years occurred on a field trip to Jordan, where the armed Israeli parents escorting the trip were forced to leave their firearms at the border and a deranged Jordanian soldier opened fire on the group.

Our government has lulled the people into a false sense of security by attempting to take the responsibility of the well being for me, my family, and my property into "trained professional" hands. It sickens my stomach by thinking about this, but try to imagine the disarmed and helpless people aboard those planes when terrorists seized control of them and crashed into the WTC and Pentagon. I can only imagine what happened, but I know I would have fought for my life if I would have known that was going to be the outcome. Whatever security precautions our Government has taken to protect mass transportation, government buildings, and etc., has only prevented U.S. Citizens from defending their lives.

With thousands injured and dead, this is a chilling, first-hand example of what happens when I am forced to abdicate my right to protect myself, and when you expect your government to protect you.

It can't. It is impossible. You do a disservice to freedom, this country, and its people by telling it any other way. Period.