THE WAY TO FIGHT BACK

THE COUNTER PUNCH

     Bostonians, as New Yorkers before them, will no doubt evince the right American response to the cowardly act of terror, denying victory to those who would seek gain.

     As the courageous Brits demonstrated during the blitz of World War II when nightly bombs killed thousands, life must go on as normal. Refusing to cede liberty or freedom is the democratic response of defiance.

      A premeditated violence against civilians by clandestine means is the tool of those we loosely call terrorists, either foreign or domestic.  I have written and argued these acts are a continuum of guerrilla warfare.  Though Mao and Che are the best known practitioners of our age, guerrilla warfare's great proponent was Sun Tzu, in the Art of War.

     An objective of the tactics of guerrilla war, and I include terrorist bombing, is to create a crisis in the population. What the warrior or terrorist hopes for is a forced over- reaction, a compromising of the feeling of security, a lack of trust in the capability of the government. In short a paranoia and fear.

     As nightly bombs fell on London, the English went on with their lives, even conducting theatre, dinners and social life, albeit with blackouts and air raid shelters.  New Yorkers responded to both World Trade Center bombings with getting on with life, even while mourning.  The Bostonians I know are tough and I trust their getting even includes not budging an inch on life as normal.

     There will be a natural call by some to fight back with measures that further erode individual liberties by surveillance, control, intrusion and other "security measures."  We need to be extraordinarily careful to examine any such idea with a cool eye and diligent scrutiny.    I am one who believes the Patriot Act response to 9/11 went too far.  I understand that it has given intelligence, security and law enforcement a greater tool set.  I have friends and contacts in that community and I know the challenge of the work they face and their need to gather and analyze, but it is still a delicate balance.  Each time we cede a bit of freedom, as an aftermath to an attack, we give ground, a small victory, to those who attacked us.

      I trust that Boston's famed "in your face and up yours" toughness will lead and guide how we counter punch.

      By the way, I have given away many copies of the Art of War. I always had a copy on my desk. It was surprising and even amusing the conversations that would ensue.

      Link here for an interactive map of the London Blitz

THE PRIZE AND THE PURSUIT

    Our raised bed lettuce crop has been especially bountiful this spring.

    So, naturally, the ridge line marauders have been lustful.

   The fence has kept them out and assigned to working the 

  ample  open acreage.  Still they edge near the tomato 

  shelter and a lower raised bed out side the defended perimeter.

   Despite the rain deficit, the slopes remain green with plenty of "deer food."  On the higher slopes directly opposite, cattle are being well grazed.

   See you down the trail. 

THE WEEKENDER-Zero Dark Thirty & 180

SEEING

ZERO DARK THIRTY

     This is an important film to see, not only because it is superbly directed-(Kathryn Bigelow should have been nomimated for an Oscar) nor because Jessica Chastain turns in a stunning and riveting performance as the CIA tracker Maya, but also because it is important history.

     It provokes, in fact it confronts you, in your face, on a couple of aspects of real life that are too easy for too many  to put out of mind.

     The war against terror requires warriors. We ask countrymen and women to step into the breech and do the awful work to keep us safe and then hamstring them with policy, bureaucracy, politics and the intrusion of career minded weasels. This film tells that story. It also tells in vivid detail the horrible and dangerous work that we ask our public employees to do. And the toll it can extract. 

      It captures, for public history, the search for Osama Bin Laden and the resolution of that quest.

      Some have knocked the film, accusing Bigelow and writer Mark Boal of being apologists for torture.  That is simply not true.  This is a fictionalized account but it tells with, in my opinion, an honest appraisal of the human toll that is taken and the demands that are made on those in our employ. 

      I remember sitting in a secure room in the dome of the US Capitol as the ranking member of the House Intelligence Oversight Committee said that some of the things we must do to protect our liberties don't always look so good in the light of day, but they are necessary to give the President and our security apparatus, options.  

      Zero Dark Thirty is a film that provides an opportunity to remember a real search and to ponder that dilemma. I think it is important to see this masterful, though gritty and at times heartbreaking and painful work. It is also a tribute to those Americans who do the hard work of intelligence, counter terrorism and security.

MASTERFUL ADVENTURE 

OF ANOTHER SORT

       Some of you may feel a tinge of envy in viewing this 

trailer.  Talk about a great adventure.

A GREAT BLUE HERON GOES TO SCHOOL

Have a great weekend.  

See you down the trail.