<font color=plum>Eric Robert Rudolph - accused bomber of the 1996 Olympics and an abortion clinic in Alabama (among others) - has confessed to the bombings in order to avoid the death penalty.

As many of you know, Rudolph lived Western NC when the FBI began searching for him in relation to the Alabama bombing. He managed to elude capture for 5 years, before finally being caught by one of our own local police officers.

Here is the full story of his confession from my hometown paper - Rudolph Gives Up Fight</font>

Aww...thought this was about the rednosed raindeer. Sorry...carry on.

<font color = lightgreen>This would be a good time for the government and the media to take a second look at domestic terrorism. However, I know they won't, despite the fact that we currently face a greater danger from them than from so-called "Islamic" terrorists.</font>

Please expound on this Azred.

<font color = lightgreen>A domestic terrorist doesn't have to worry about how to sneak into the country or how to blend in--they are already here and are already blending in. True, most people from such groups talk rather than act, but given half a chance they would strike at viable targets.
Besides, someone turning against their own country and/or people is, in its own way, worse than a non-native wreaking havoc. This is why treason (which is what you could classify domestic terrorism) is one of only two crimes mentioned in the Constitution.

This topic begins to show just how unsecure this nation is--like many nations are--despite the best attempts of the government and its Dept. of Homeland Security. Even if they were given 10 times their current resources they could cover only many things before stretching themsleves thin. Look at the current border problem with Mexico--the Minutemen have made a difference, but even with their help the Border Patrol cannot stem the tide of people crossing the border.
Honestly, I don't think the government can make even one city totally secure, much less the entire nation. I also think they know this, but refuse to say so because many people would subsequently panic. Simply collecting everyone's lighters before boarding a plane will make no difference.</font>

there are plenty of examples of domestic terrorism, everything from abortion clinic bombings to PETA and other fanatical "animal rights" groups attacking farms, slaughterhouses and delivery trucks to Greenpeace and their associates nailing spikes into trees to seriously injure lumberjacks. There's a whole slew of crimes that get brushed under the carpet, not just foreign terrorism (that just happens to be where the focus has been for the last few years).

Speaking of the minutemen, they're actually making the border situation worse apparently. I was watching an interview with a member of the official border patrol and he was saying that they keep setting off all these hidden alarms and sensors. Because the Patrol has to respond to every one its taking up loads of their time.

<font color = lightgreen>Would these be the hidden alarms that the illegal crossers have been avoiding all this time? [img]tongue.gif[/img]

The Border Patrol is just upset that the Minutemen are making them look bad. Had the Border Patrol been doing a good job I could understand them being upset; however, they have not. Naturally, they would probably be able to do their job correctly were they to have proper support from Washington, which they don't. :rolleyes: </font>

What?!! And deny the business sector a source of very cheap labour that work hard stay low profile and mouth shut? Sssuuuuurrrreee Washington is going to spend money stoping that [img]tongue.gif[/img]

<font color = lightgreen>That might almost be cynical, Wellard. [img]graemlins/beigesmilewinkgrin.gif[/img]

I like cynical. [img]graemlins/petard.gif[/img] </font>