The Terror Lies Not Outside, But From Within

Not long ago, several mainstream news sources reported a story of considerable interest. Homeland Security (or was it the CIA , FBI, or one of the other 'May-I-see-your-papers-please' organizations?) issued a statement that they arrested several terrorists who planned on bombing the Miami FBI building, and the Sears Tower in Chicago (or was it the Chicago FBI building and a skyscraper somewhere in . . . never mind. My apologies for the confusion, but these frequent 'wolf-crying' reports have become too repetitive.)

Regardless of the intended targets' whereabouts, the most important note was that the 'terrorists' originated from a surprising location: here in our own U.S. of A. Authorities mentioned that they were Islamic extremists, but not of Middle Eastern origin. Okay, no big deal. We've had culprits like the Unabomber and Timothy McVeigh, right? Sure, but in the typical American pawn's mind, they didn't equal the psychological impact of foreign religious extremists flying commercial airliners into high occupancy skyscrapers.

So, here's the question. How long will it be before our own thugs and undesirables of non-religious/political backing pick up the same tools and techniques as foreign extremists? Or, has it already happened?

While King George the Lacklusterous and his welfare nation-state worker bees busy themselves issuing propaganda regarding 'terrorists,' our state-numbed minds fail to piece together facts that many independent free thinkers took notice of long ago: The 20th/21st century terrorist tendency is not an isolated trend per geographic/religious/national origin. It is but one of the many examples where the improved technologies of the information age have made violence as a tool of coercion, much cheaper to smaller and less centralized groups per historical standards'a trend which no government or political institution can stop.

If you haven't read The Sovereign Individual by James Dale Davidson and William Rees-Mogg, I implore you to make it first priority on your reading list. In it, the authors analyze this trend of better and cheaper technologies which aid violent coercion, and forecast its implications based on historical parallels. When criminal subcultures from our own country begin mimicking the foreign terrorist experts, (and though I hope I'm wrong, I believe they will) readers familiar with this book will find it as no surprise.

Our national borders and delusional mass-think ideologies will not magically block this trend and its effects. Its benefits lie openly available to all those who desire power by malicious means. Governments will try to prevent it, but they will only delay the inevitable.

As these technologies become cheaper (and get outlawed), they are easily afforded via the black market and illegal money. The drug trade provides overwhelming evidence of how criminal groups and subcultures can achieve economic power through the sale of outlawed items. It's ludicrous to think that government decree can prevent the natural economic forces of supply and demand. Only na've governments and their subjects believe it possible. Criminals who can subvert enforcement of regulations and meet the demand for illegal items achieve monopolies and economic advantage. Prohibition should have taught us this long ago.

Once organized criminals acquire enough wealth through the sale of illicit items, they achieve the ability to pay any opposing regulating forces more than the welfare state can'especially during economic crises. Everything's for sale at the right price, including loyalties. The resultant corruption spreads like cancer throughout the system.

Many criminal gangs and thuglies here at home currently lack the knowledge and sophistication to utilize the same tools and tactics that foreign terrorist groups already have for quite some time, but the internet and improving communication technologies will only speed their evolution. Government can do nothing to stop it, and wise individuals should exercise prudence by planning for it accordingly.

0
Your rating: None
John Dubois's picture
Columns on STR: 2