by John Bottoms

Seldom are we able to witness the crystallization of poetic justice that is offered up this week, as US Senators are warned that their golf games, as well as the remainder of their lives, may be interrupted by terrorist sniper attacks.   

For decades these Senators, the cream of America's pampered political aristocracy, wielding power out of palatial government offices, have been complicit in the deaths of tens of thousands of people around the world.  They’ve unconstitutionally "authorized" the president to make war on Iraq, a country which has neither attacked nor threatened us.  Their hands are awash in the blood of Vietnamese, Nicaraguans, Salvadorans, Afghans, Colombians, Cambodians, Laotians, Iranians, and others, either by direct authorization or silent acceptance of executive action.  In other cases where the White House presided over federal police atrocities, such as the Waco and Ruby Ridge incidents, the Senate has aided and abetted the crimes by participating in massive cover-ups. 

Many senators have voted for the latest gun control legislation, while government security forces guarded them against possible retribution from their legally disarmed victims.  But bodyguards can’t protect them from a skilled marksman hiding in the woods more than 300 yards from his target. 

Of course, the irony that possible sniper attacks on US senators could be blowback from decades of arrogant theft of our rights, or retribution for America’s foreign injustices, is either unimaginable to our mass media pundits, or more likely part of the vast and growing list of subjects which may not be publicly discussed, but that many Americans understand all too well.  One can’t help wondering if any senators have read, or even heard of John Ross’ aptly named novel Unintended Consequences, in which a decentralized band of home-grown gun enthusiasts proceed to take out America’s worst jack-booted thugs and police statists, including a couple of our most heinous Senators, in order to force and end to their incessant war on our rights. 

But truly, would the sniping death of one of our senators make any more real difference to the country than that of any of the other ten sniper victims over the last couple of weeks?  The late senator would just be replaced by a similarly well-dressed cowardly thug, of which there seems to be an endless supply.  It's not like such people can cure AIDS, or make solar energy cost-effective, or do anything productive. 

“We can’t have our leaders just gunned down!” might be the retort of most Americans.  But if they’re leading us into a world in which millions of people have reason to hate us and want us gone, and many are even willing to die to bring about that end, what value do they really provide society?  If they want to be called leaders, let them lead us to a future of peace, truth, and free trade among the people of the world. 

Understanding that our politicians have, by their actions, made themselves prime targets for assassination in no way condones it.  It is simply a recognition that someday they may “reap what they sow.”  That they have been warned to watch out tells us that the police understand this, too.