What’s Wrong with the World

The men signed of the cross of Christ go gaily in the dark.

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What’s Wrong with the World is dedicated to the defense of what remains of Christendom, the civilization made by the men of the Cross of Christ. Athwart two hostile Powers we stand: the Jihad and Liberalism...read more

Prosecution Creep

This would seem to be a case warranting not merely the serious attentions of the authorities, but a stiff sentence upon conviction. Nevertheless, the inclusion of the charge of "attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction" is indicative of a borderline-preposterous prosecution-creep, in which terminology and statutes ostensibly enacted to provide legal instruments for the "war on terror" are applied ever further down the chain of criminal conduct. This is the inevitable consequence of the federalization of much criminal law, and law enforcement work, but also of the (criminally) imprecise statutes enacted pursuant to the necessity of fighting an ill-defined war on a military tactic, not to mention the amorphous concept of a "new normal", a euphemism for increasing deference to executive/prosecutorial authority, the boundaries of which are less and less precisely delimited.

The nihilism of much of our popular culture, in which representations of violence are celebrated all the more when they are nonteleological (as in the "just because" of extreme horror/gore films), and in which some damaged young men strive for the celebrity of infamy, in emulation of other nihilistic killers, is surely a factor. Added to this should be another aspect of our popular culture, that often-feral and vicious tribalism of youth, with its pointless totemization of meaningless differences, along with the customary indifference of authorities in the schools. It's a part of growing up, you see. Take one sensitive youth, add popular culture, stir in a ration of teenaged angst, and mix in a few cups of social ostracism, and the phenomenon, in general, has its explanation. Which is to say the specific cases may well remain mysterious. Anyone desirous of practicing distance psychoanalysis is welcome to attempt it.

Nonetheless, no one should be surprised when legal mechanisms intended for the "war on terror" migrate downward; indeed, they already have in the "war on (some) drugs", though it is not at all obvious that this is everywhere a 'terrorist' phenomenon. Considering the panoply of legal measures enacted, and powers asserted, in the course of the 'war', this is an unhappy medium-term prospect for the Republic. Troubled youths who plot attacks on schools won't be the only malefactors cudgeled with these blunt legal instruments. That's not the nature of power.

Comments (2)

"... Nevertheless, the inclusion of the charge of "attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction" is indicative of a borderline-preposterous prosecution-creep, in which terminology and statutes ostensibly enacted to provide legal instruments for the "war on terror" are applied ever further down the chain of criminal conduct. ..."

I read your op-ed and could not see 'the problem'. Your posting seemed to suggest that all WOT actions should only be reactive. Stop and think for a moment. Since the bombing of the USMC barracks in Lebanon many years ago and all the ensuing terrorism since; the environment in which our protective agencies operate has changed drastically. The Internet and the globalization of terror organization precludes maintaining status quo for all levels of law enforcement and national security. The way law enforcement worked in 'the good old days' would be fine if the world was still in 'the good old days'. But the world has changed. Threat levels and forms have changed. Is it not reasonable then that law enforcement and national security methods change?

I then read the news report using your link. After reading the story I find I was too kind it my initial evaluation of your post. So from now on you would prefer that we do nothing until after the school is blown up before we do anything? Remember Columbine? How about Virgina Tech? Does Oklahoma City ring any bells?

My point was simply that the following two things are not identical, and should not, therefore, fall under the same criminal statutes: a)a troubled teenager plotting some violent action against his school; b)jihadists plotting some terrorist action against any target of opportunity, for reasons arising from their theological commitments. The similarities are largely superficial, and unlike things ought not be treated as though they were alike.

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