Editorials

Originally Published in the Las Vegas Tribune,
September 11, 2002 (c)

“9/11/01” Remembered
The Day Our Principles Were Attacked --We Won’t Tolerate Another
By D. D. Eukel
Former Senior Editor
Las Vegas Tribune

On September 11, 2001, images of horror were displayed across TV screens all over the world. Fanatics willing to kill for some cause in which they believed, and would be their ticket to ‘Nirvana,’ had directly attacked the United States of America.

A year later, the full U.S. Congress convened a ‘Ceremonial’ session in the original capitol of our country, at the Federal Courthouse in New York City, New York. The last time the Congress had convened there was in 1790, when the Declaration of Independence was ratified. They were there to pay tribute to New York and to all Americans, and to remind us, we are Americans and were still united in our belief that this country, was founded on righteous principles and righteous pursuit.

Congressman Charlie Rangel of New York gave an impassioned speech that pointed out the wound this country suffered, and the strength this country has shown to the world; a strength that manifests itself by how we have endured the horror that “9/11/01” was, and still is, would heal. He admonished 'we go forward.'

He said, (paraphrased) that the “Founding Fathers” would be proud and amazed to see what their descendents had done with the second greatest written instrument in world history – the Constitution of the United States of America. He said they’d be proud that after 212 years, men of courage and principle were still standing as representatives for a democratic and free society.

I’m not going to give into the temptation and line myself with others who spout off saying that the Congressman from New York was full of hot air, because I think he was sincere. In fact I think they (our representatives) all must have, somewhere deep down, that burning desire to continue what our “Founding Fathers” started more than two centuries ago.

When those planes hit the WTC, the Pentagon, and smashed into a field in Pennsylvania, we all watched and listened to voices weeping and saw the courage of Americans running to the rescue. And while we were shocked and inside our hearts, torn from our comfortable and private lives, we became outraged. We became angry and began to seek retribution.

It was easy for us to stand behind President G. W. Bush and go along with his outrage and flared temper. It was easy for us to support arming our troops and going to wherever the path led, which would result in “offing” the man responsible for our friend's deaths; more than 2800 of our people.

We wanted Osammy Bin-Laden’s head on a platter.

But then we had more information than we knew what to do with being thrown at us. We had the conspiracy theorists come out of the woodwork like cockroaches scurrying across the floor when the lights come on. We had “evidence” that the government knew what might happen and had done little, or nothing at all to prevent the greatest tragedy to happen to our country since Pearl Harbor. We soon learned that the reasons the President said we should go to Iraq immediately were not accurate.

We had ‘pundits’ who asked, “What did he know, and when did he know it?” And we began to doubt our own leader – the thought that the leader of the greatest country on Earth might have allowed all of this to happen appalled us. We would not believe that several industries saw the attack by fanatics as an opportunity to set up leapfrog type military bases in the Middle East. It was not the only reason to finish a pipeline that was being constructed through Afghanistan – it couldn’t be. We were after terrorists. We wanted to stick Bin-Laden’s head on a pole and spit on it for eternity. We wanted to take Saddam Hussein off his throne and hang him.

Let’s face it folks, we want to believe that our representatives still stand for the principles of America – our right to freedoms guaranteed to every man, woman and child. We want to embrace with all our hearts the words Congressman Rangle of New York spoke at the old Federal Courthouse on September 6, 2002. We want to and we must. Because if we lose that core belief, we have lost our country.

I for one am an American, and I have heard about all I can stand from the ‘conspiracy theorists,’ who show “evidence” that is circumstantial at best. I’ve had it up to my eyeballs with the speculations, peppered with propaganda -- and I wonder just what country, or what principles these theorists really stand for.

I know for a fact that what is the core of this fantastic country is the people that believe in what our ‘Founding Fathers’ wrote, what they fought for and what they died for. And I stand with them.

I couldn’t care less about the petty politics played by the self-centered, and the self-serving. I’m not part of a movement, which seeks to destroy rather than rebuild. I will not stand with anyone whose integrity is more than questionable. I am no saint, but I am no liar.

I know, as do many Americans, that our government, locally, and nationally have overstepped boundaries in many ways, and I am one of the many who stand up and vehemently yell, 'knock it off, or we’ll knock you off your pedestals.' For I know, as do many Americans that it was a small core of individuals who started the spark, which started the fire - that still burns in our hearts.

Our Rights and Freedoms have been eroded by self-serving individuals, industries and pompous fools, and they do not have the integrity with which this country stands for. They will not stand. We will not tolerate their selfishness long, nor will we tolerate the attack on our sense of liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We will not tolerate anymore attacks, such as the attack that overtook more than 2800 unsuspecting and innocent citizens a year ago today. We will rise up, we will fight back, and we will conquer the evil.

See ya on the flip side........
_________________________


Abusive Authority Results in the Fall of an Empire!
By D. "Deuke" Eukel

Originally published in the Las Vegas Tribune - in Oct. 2003

We are witnessing the fall of the American “Roman Empire,” specifically since September 11th, 2001.

I've been engaged in conversations with various persons concerning the perceived loss of constitutional rights from all over the country, and the majority of opinions have concluded that our rights as Americans have been stolen.

More than eighteen years ago, I asked in an editorial, in the Reflector, “Is there a Watergate around every corner?” Today, I think there’s much worse going on than Watergate.

It has dawned on our thick brains that our alleged representatives, care for us about as much as a cockroach cares if we think they are pretty. Everywhere I look, I see civil rights being violated on a scale that makes the cover-up of the Watergate break-in look like a crime as minor as the swiping of a piece of candy.

Police enter vehicles and homes without cause and without warrant. Supervising bureaucrats order the removal of property, and ignore the principles of our democracy, because they seem to believe they are above the law and the constitution.

Violators may tell you that they are only following their leaders; or that they didn’t know the practice was going on. However, the truth is, these do not seem to know what the law is and only the rule of force prevails. Consistently, “due process” has failed the Constitutional clause.

It seems this thinking is the prevailing practice all over the country. Judges make rulings on non-existent laws, and obviously ignore Constitutional issues. Law enforcement agencies have added “new rules” to the game in their quest to both make up for their incompetence and their lack of leadership.

The search for “terrorists who threaten to destroy us all,” continue to evade justice. And should you be added to the list, as a “suspicious character,” consider that you will be under the most unimaginable scrutiny.


The Constitution of the United States of America is being usurped. Many are downright angry and want the violations to cease immediately! There are those who find every reason in the book to blame President George W. Bush and his cabinet. Are they right Mr. President? Have you gone along with the idea that a ‘global economy’ is the only way to flourish – or that a military presence in the Middle East is the only way to control a restless and bloody society?

Well, Mr. President, I may be a bit naïve, I believed in your leadership once. I thought I was right to say that GOD meant what HE said when HE declared that it was HE who put kings on the throne, and it is HE who would remove them. You are there for a reason Mr. President, just as I and my friends are here for a reason, and we will continue to support those that do not abuse their authority.

But for you that do abuse, such as Vice President Dick Cheney, who probably divulged the name of a CIA operative, (because her husband objected to the reasons for going to Iraq) through Karl Rove, which is a traitorous act; some day you will have to face your judge. You that enslave people through tyranny; that enforce unheard of and illegal laws; that abuse people, and step heavily on their rights as free Americans, in whatever form, you shall not last, and you shall not retain your leadership – for GOD Himself shall remove you.



The MEEK SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH!

See ya on the flip side………