We don’t yet know why this individual did what he did. And it’s fair to say that anybody who does this has a sickness in their minds, regardless of what they think their motivations may be.

Earlier this year, I answered a question in an interview by saying, “The world is and advanced place but we do not have sufficient common-sense anti terrorism measures — even in the face of repeated mass killings.” And later that day, there was a terrorist attack somewhere in the world. That day! Somehow this has become routine. The reporting is routine. My response here at this podium ends up being routine. The conversation in the aftermath of it. We’ve become numb to this.”

Oh, no wait, sorry.

I took a speech he gave about the supposed epidemic of mass shootings back on Oct 1, 2015 and replaced ‘mass shooting’ with ‘terrorist attack’.

Seriously though, this sucks. But Obama was right about shootings and our apathy, and it is true for these attacks today. I’m praying, but prayers are not enough. I’m saddened, but sorrow is not enough. I am angry, but anger is not enough.

Action is required. Not half measures. Let’s not ‘bring anyone to justice’. Let’s find and kill some mother fuckers.

Let’s not bring anyone to justice. Let’s find and kill some mother fuckers.

This is not a war that will be won by keeping our hands clean. These are not people who respond to diplomacy, or reason. You cannot, should not, negotiation with them. If you give them an inch, they will take a mile. Look what happened with Iran regarding the sanctions, the ICBMs, and their recent tests in violations of those sanctions and agreements.

These people only know and understand fear, and today we must bring fear. We must teach these aggressors that if they kill one of ours, we will kill 100 of theirs. I honestly mean that. This isn’t me using rhetoric, or standing on ceremony. And it also isn’t war mongering. Americans have no more stomach for war.  As quickly as we called for heads on stakes after 9/11, we grew weary of our engagements in the Middle East. Most Americans do not want to risk another war. It’s too expensive they say. It’ll create enemies they say. It is not worth the risk… they say. However, to quote Aragorn from Lord of the Rings, “war is upon you whether you would risk it or not”.

War is upon you whether you would risk it or not

The West has a problem with gradations and scales… we either don’t believe in them or we think they are linear. Black or White. Right or Wrong. Good or Bad. Heaven and Hell. Democrat or Republican. The belief in mutually exclusive polar opposites. The belief that you cannot do something bad for the sake of good. And this leads to the misconception that war is the opposite of peace. Peace can only exist if it is mutually agreed upon. War on the other hand can be thrust upon the peaceful. The difference between war and slaughter, is whether both sides are fighting.

We will not stop Islamic terrorism by being peaceful. We will not stop these attacks by caving to their every demand. The West’s involvement in the Middle East is not to blame for these attacks. Cartoonist’s drawings are not to blame for these attacks. Movies depicting Mohammad are not to blame for these attacks.

Across the globe we don’t just see Americans being attacked. We don’t just see Westerners or Europeans being attacked. We see Islamic terrorism in Europe yes, but also in the Middle East, in Asian, in Oceania, in Africa. We see Muslims attacking Christians. Muslims attacking Jews in Israel.  We see Muslims attacking Hindus in India and Pakistan. We see Muslims attacking Muslims damn near everywhere. And did all these groups, all these nations invade the Middle East? The the Philippines invade Iraq? Did Malaysia invade Afghanistan? Are Atheists being accused of creating an ‘apartheid’ state?

We need to stop asking “why did the attackers do this?”

We are no more to blame for being attacked, than rape victims are to be blamed for being raped. This is not something we did to ourselves. This is something being forced upon us.  We need to stop asking “why did the attackers do this?” It is counterproductive and insulting to ask why something happened, when the answer makes no difference, when there is no justification. Would you care to ask “Well why did this guy molest this child?” ? Would it matter? Would ANY answer to that question make you go “Ohhhhhh, well in that case.”  Of course not. It matters not why lunatics and sickos do what they do. It matters not why people attack us. It matters not what drives people to commit terrorist attacks.

Peace has failed.

Diplomacy has failed. Negotiations have failed. Sanctions have failed. Training and arming militias have failed (and backfired). Empathy has failed. Concessions have failed. Peace has failed.  We must bring the fight to the enemy. We must label the enemy. We must put the fear of God into the enemy. This is strategy. This is winning. This is about keeping your boot on the back of the neck of the person trying to kill you. If you ease up even a little, if you back off for even a second, they will get up and resume trying to kill you.

We must do everything we can to demoralize them, to scare them shitless. We must use their fears and religion and superstitions against them. We must make it known that an attack against us has a cost far greater than they are willing to pay.