Levi Arellano
Recent Activity
Levi Arellano commented on Re: Is the threat to Israel different today? on January 17, 2008, 9:27 PM
Ambassador Meridor echoed the same concept as Prof. Dershowitz, in that we need new tools to deal with suicide bombers. The tools proposed by both men are preemptive in nature, but I rather like Ambassador Meridor's mindset better, and perhaps America should adopt it. With enough intelligence, perhaps intercedence is not necessarily faulty. There is always the option of drawing a line of distinction between commiting a terrorist act, and conspiring to commit a terrorist act. I wonder what the difference in the punishment enforced would be....? Israel doesn't have the resources to keep an eye on all that they must, but America might. I wonder if it might even be feasible with our current defense budget. I feel it worthy of America's attention, but not at all worth the cost of even some of the civil liberties we have already sacrificed.(They're the "martyrs" and WE secrificed something!) Let us throw money away at an attempt to solve the problem BEFORE we throw away pieces of the Bill of Rights.
Levi Arellano commented on Where are we? on January 17, 2008, 6:22 AM
In response to OmarS, i went here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_program_of_Iran - and here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Enterprise_Institute - I think that Iran, while ideally opposed to the U. S., is making great efforts to show that theirs is a peaceful nuclear program.At the end, she lost me with the broad rejection of Islam, but she has dealt with it more directly. Not to mention, I am a man.Otherwise, I was very illuminated by her insights and opinions on the world of the Middle East.
Levi Arellano commented on The Preventative State on January 17, 2008, 4:49 AM
Wow! I've only watched, maybe, a dozen of these expert videos, but this was the most prevalent and lucid one yet! I think that Mr. Dershowitz hit a crucial point at the end by reminding us that happy people tend not to commit atrocious acts. It's a common mistake to confuse Muslims with terrorists, just the same as it is to confuse an ethnic group or another with criminals. It's not race, religion or creed that leads a person to commit an atrocity; it is miserable circumstances. These are NOT animals, just as Mr. Dershowitz said in his metaphor, to be disabled before they can strike. Thusly, since we are dealing with humans, preventative action is a faulty concept. We were blessed with free will, and thus could always change our mind even if planning to commit an atrocious act. The right to be safe from a governmental intercedence ought to be as inalienable to our countrymen, as to any man on Earth. I am at a loss on how to prevent a "suicide bombing" from a place bereft of hope. Except to say this: I do not think that an Iraqi will see our form of government, nor any act from our government as this "ray of hope" that they've been seeking.
Levi Arellano commented on Pessimism is better than Optimissm on January 17, 2008, 3:44 AM
It's tough to agree or disagree, as it's an incomplete thought. In order to effect a major change, or complete a goal, both pessimism and optimism are needed. An optimist might come up with the brilliant, but unlikely idea. Then the pessimist is needed to work out the application to reality. That old proverb about changing the things you can, accepting the things you can't, and knowing the difference between the two comes to mind. However, there are documented findings that say it is MUCH better to be an optimist, at least health-wise.
Levi Arellano commented on Re: Is the threat to Israel different today? on January 18, 2008, 2:27 AM
Ambassador Meridor echoed the same concept as Prof. Dershowitz, in that we need new tools to deal with suicide bombers. The tools proposed by both men are preemptive in nature, but I rather like Ambassador Meridor's mindset better, and perhaps America should adopt it.With enough intelligence, perhaps intercedence is not necessarily faulty. There is always the option of drawing a line of distinction between commiting a terrorist act, and conspiring to commit a terrorist act. I wonder what the difference in the punishment enforced would be....?Israel doesn't have the resources to keep an eye on all that they must, but America might. I wonder if it might even be feasible with our current defense budget.I feel it worthy of America's attention, but not at all worth the cost of even some of the civil liberties we have already sacrificed.(They're the "martyrs" and WE secrificed something!) Let us throw money away at an attempt to solve the problem BEFORE we throw away pieces of the Bill of Rights.