Novak's "100%" memo expert called peace protesters terrorists in letter

[Proud2BAmurkin]

Joseph M Newcomer is the guy who Novak kept quoting on Crossfire today. Someone posted this letter on DU earlier (sorry can't remember poster's name).

He compares terrorist murder with disrupting traffic in the letter to Pittsburgh Post Gazette:

Terrorists, too

The First Amendment: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.."

My dictionary's definition of terrorism: "The systematic use of terror, esp. as a means of coercion."

I watched the peace march in Pittsburgh on Thursday. I had an unusual thought as I watched the proceedings. It was: "These people, too, are terrorists." That is, by the act of disrupting traffic, and, as I understand from the news reports, vandalizing automobiles, the act of assembly moved out of the domain of "peaceable" assembly and moved into the same world of motives that suicide bombers and other terrorists use.

This bothers me a lot. I am not in favor of the war, and furthermore I believe that opposition to the war is not at all inconsistent with patriotism. But I am distinctly opposed to people who have an important message to get across resorting to the same philosophical tactics that the followers of Osama bin Laden use. Certainly with less violence, and no loss of life. But, as George Bernard Shaw said in another context: "We've already established what you are. Now we're only haggling over the price."

If they believe these means are legitimate, where do we draw the line between what they did and what happened on 9/11? We should be opposed to the use of terrorism. To employ it demeans the democratic principles this country stands for.

I believe the First Amendment is plain: it says "peaceably assemble." It does not grant the right to disrupt the society in what are certainly non-peaceful ways, and I think such terrorist techniques only obscure and detract from the message they are trying to send.


JOSEPH M. NEWCOMER
Point Breeze

http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:AeUhi2fk_44J:www.post-gazette.com/forum/letters/20030324edlets0324p1.asp+%22Joseph+M.+Newcomer%22+bush&hl=en

[mom cat]

1. And does John Newcomer fiercely defend the "Well Regulated"

militia part of the right to bear arms? :grr: