« Shorter John Podhoretz | Main | Shorter David Brooks »
August 10, 2006
Letting The Terrorists Win
So, I'm going off to merry ol' England in a week and a half for some business. Given today's events, it looks like I'm no going to be unable to carry my massive shampoo, conditioner and leave in conditioner that my luxurious hair requires for its daily maintenance regime. Oh well. I certainly hate - hate, mind you - buying the stuff over there. God knows I don't understand the currency. And they have brands that I've never heard of. Toothpaste is serious stuff, you know.
But in any event, it's likely that I won't be able to take carry on luggage on the flight back from the old country. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with my computer, as - well - the last thing on earth I want to do is put that in my carry on luggage so that the baggage claim monkeys can toss that around with the traditional loving care and respect that they show each and every piece of checked luggage.
It also means that I'm going to be subjected to even more inane security checks. I guess, since they are forbidding us to carry any liquids on board that I'll have to make double sure that I've emptied my bladder before getting on the plane. Man, that would be incredibly embarrassing to have to remove its contents before I could get through the security barrier. And what about blood? It's a liquid, ain't it? And what if I had a bad burrito before arriving and I have the runs?
Think about it. Binary explosives hidden in explosive diarrhea.
Still, you have to admire the stiff upper lip of the entire right wing today. Rather than refusing to let the terrorists - you know - terrorize them, they are right with the program, running around like a chicken with their head cut off, or darkly mumbling numerological repetitions, peering inside their copy of Nostradamus' greatest hits, desperate for a sign that says "kill all the liberals". Some have opted out of the traditional dark arts and have skipped right into science fiction, elevating Al Qaeda to the level of "Terminator", granting the terrorists the meme of "unstoppable machines who will kill you". The latter, of course, throws in a gratuitous swipe at Ned Lamont because - you know - he's the reason why we're all going to die. After all, he killed Lieberman's chances, didn't he?
I'll just leave you with the wonderful JPEG that pretty much sums up the whole "Letting the Terrorists Win" theme that seems to be the song of choice on the right. It's currently the banner image at that bastion of fear clutched closely to the chest, Red State.
Yep, that's the image that the baby Jesus would be proud of.
Ossama, too.
Posted by Azael at August 10, 2006 9:27 AM
Trackback Pings
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.hellblazer.com/mt/mt-tb.cgi/2880
Comments
I'm certain this is an insidious plot by the airlines to make more money on in-flight drinks. $6 for a 12oz water? "And indeed - why not."
Bet they'll be adjusting the airco to lower the humidity, too.
Posted by: V at August 10, 2006 2:55 PM
Somehow I don't think the blow they're suffering from yet another bomb plot isn't going to be offset by their liquid beverage windfall.
Posted by: Azael at August 10, 2006 10:25 PM
Shouldn't've forgotten the ;)
Have a good trip.
Posted by: V at August 11, 2006 9:40 AM
Hey I don't think you're being very fair. The terrorists are unstoppable killing machines. Or at least they're unstoppable terrorizing machines. Or at least they're masters of the highest martial art of all -- the art of scaring your enemies into submission without lifting a finger.
Let's take stock here and you'll see just how incredibly badass these terrorists really are. A couple of dozen subjects of Her Majesty just scared the bejesus out of millions of white people, temporarily shut down Heathrow airport, gave the US and British economies a gentle (but likely to get infected) kick in the nuts by reducing the number of people willing to travel by air while simultaneously increasing the expense associated with the fewer travelers, totally dominated the news cycle, and got a far left fringe candidate on the Dem Senate ticket in CT (okay, okay I made that last part up) all without even having to blow themselves up! Which, I will point out, at least some of them seem to have been willing to do.
Their investment in this project was stuff like airline tickets, sports drinks and high school chem supplies. And unlike the US, where they would be packed off to gitmo, they're in the UK, where they're even liable to get something resembling a fair trial.
If that doesn't prove the amazing invincibility of terrorists I don't know what would.
Posted by: radish at August 11, 2006 12:53 PM
I think you're not being kind enough to all the hard work that the right wing does. If it weren't for them, we really wouldn't have nearly the magnification of terror we see today. I mean, just Michelle Malkin alone has to be responsible for at least an order of magnitude.
Posted by: Azael at August 11, 2006 7:13 PM
Magnification, and in fact creation ab nihilo. There was never any threat from liquid explosives, just like there was no ricin threat, or red mercury threat, or Iraqi nuclear weapon threat, or... why do I even bother. All, bar none, of the terror trials have collapsed for lack of evidence (having served their publicity purpose for Bush/Blair/Howard, though - and the collapses having received zero publicity from Faux News & their ilk).
Why do I even bother typing this. May as well bring up the "WTC-7" topic, or mention the Reichstag arson concept. Once the discourse has been framed, only what's inside the frame may be discussed anyway. The frame is "terrorists threaten to destroy us all, what's the best way to find && kill them first".
Posted by: V at August 11, 2006 11:33 PM
Hmm. Good point. The terrorists would be pretty ineffective without the right wing propping them up behind the scenes. And it's right wing power that's enhanced, without them having to take responsibility for the tactics used. I apologize for not giving credit where due...
Posted by: radish at August 12, 2006 11:17 AM
When my brother was slinging baggage at Stapleton he called himself a ramp rat, not a monkey. But that was two decades back, so maybe the lingo has changed.
Posted by: Doctor G at August 14, 2006 1:42 AM
Well, rats don't seem to be careless creatures. Yes, they're wiggling down the tunnels, sniffing around. But I haven't seen a rat pummel anything, banging it against a wall for not reason. Chewing through it to investigate - sure. But not just mindless pummeling...
Posted by: Azael at August 14, 2006 9:06 AM
