Put Up and/or Shut Up
As we all know, terrorists in Nigeria have kidnapped nearly 300 school girls. Predictably, every bleeding heart liberal in the country, including most of Hollywood, are crying crocodile tears and waving signs advertizing a “hash tagâ€.
Now there is no doubt that this kidnapping was and still is a terrible thing. The perpetrators are of the worst sort of terrorists (despite what Hillary said and did not do) and I support any REAL effort to:
1. Rescue/recover the victims, and,
2. Kill as many of the terrorists as possible, preferably all of them (along with most of their friends and supporters as well).
Having said that, I fail to see or understand how responding to a “hash tag†can have any real effect. Are we to presume that the terrorists are monitoring social media and that their intent will be changed if only the right personalities make a convincing statement thereon? We all know better!
But, think of other possibilities… Most of the luminaries I have seen on news reports, with their anguished looks and their “hash tag†signs are among the wealthiest/highest paid people in the country. If memory serves, when the bad guys first pulled off this cowardly stunt, they proclaimed their intent to SELL the kidnapped girls. As I understand it, they proposed selling them into sexual slavery but I doubt they really care what happens to the girls if the selling price is right.
Therefore, the obvious answer… Let all these overpaid bleeding hearts offer some small portion of their personal wealth to buy as many of the girls as possible. After they have bought them, it should be a simple matter to return them to their rightful homes. Imagine, “stars†(both entertainment and political types, assuming there is really a difference) actually doing something positive rather than publicly bemoaning problems that they fully expect others to fix.
So, I hereby challenge every “star†who has publicly shown anguish and/or “hash tag†sign to put up (the money to buy the girl’s freedom) or shut up their phoney mouths!
Troy L Robinson
Troy I have to disagree with a portion of this one. Should the girls be saved? Absolutely. Should it be at the greatest expense to the terrorists as possible? You bet. Past this point I have to disagree. “Purchasing” the freedom of these girls is one of two things. If you “purchase” them you are either participating and legitimizing slavery or you are paying ransom to terrorists for their captives. Either way these terrorists are rewarded for heinous deeds.
I’m having a hard time with people who are calling for the US to do something. What is there for us to do and where or how is it we should? Granted we could do better with rightful moral outrage than a #hashtag. Some very strong language from world leaders are most assuredly in order, but past there it’s not a world incident. It is an incident that needs to be handled by the government of that country. I have heard people say we should send in a seal team “or something”. If it had happened here would those same people be saying “I wish Russia would send in the KGB”?
Emotions have smothered common sense and perspective. I wish there was an easy answer but maybe there’s at least a lesson. Bad people do bad things and sometimes there’s just nothing that can be done about it by those on the outside. Plus maybe it will put things into perspective for those who decry past history of slavery gone for over a century as opposed to those who practice it to this day.
Chris,
Too bad you could not see that my tongue was in my cheek. My point was totally concerning the “stars” of movies and politics who, seemingly, could actually do more than posture for once — and attempting to highlight the fact that none of them have any idea to do so.
I do not believe that there is a United States responsibility here. Having said that, I would not be sorry to see a flurry of drone activity after the girls have been either released (I hope) or killed (I fear).
As for “ransoming” the girls and “rewarding” their captors, my plan would not allow the terrorists to live long enough to enjoy the profits!
Troy
My apologies for missing the point. I guess this situation has me a bit disturbed. As I described earlier, to me it’s a very frustrating situation. I’m outraged by it yet there really is nothing to be done.
I have always interpreted the hashtag thing to be a larger call to American society to “Wake up,” especially in the case of politicians. Yes, WE are safer from terrorism than we ever have been. But the WORLD is actually not safer in the long run. Yes, the Hashtag thing is petty. But if it sparks a long-term, sustained movement towards protection of all living human beings not just by us, but by the rest of the world, I think it will serve a purpose.
Then again, I am just a hopeful optimist 😉