Scott Tibbs
blog post
August 29th, 2005
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Jesse Jackson is defending Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and denouncing Pat Robertson for suggesting Chavez be assassinated. Jackson called Robertson's statements "immoral" and "illegal" and called on U.S. authorities to take action.
I am not a huge fan of Pat Robertson, because I believe he is a squish. Nonetheless, I believe the hysteria over his comments on The 700 Club has gotten out of hand. Jackson, who has ran for President, should try reading the U.S. Constitution, which says:
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.
Robertson, as a private citizen, was advocating what he thought was a prudent policy for the U.S. government to take. He is fully within his Constitutional rights to do so. I am much more concerned about people like Jackson advocating someone's Constitutionally protected freedoms be infringed than with Robertson's discussion of foreign policy.
Was what Robertson said really all that bad? Robertson's argument was that Chavez is a threat to America's national security interests and will need to be dealt with at some point. Killing him would be a lot less expensive in blood and treasure than a war would be. Robertson's position was that instead of having soldiers and civilians lose their lives, cut off the problem at its' source.
Some are attacking Robertson's faith, since a preacher is advocating assassination. I would point them to Judges 3:15-23, which recounts the story of how the Israelite Ehud assassinated King Eglon of Moab. Ehud plunged a dagger into Eglon's stomach, killing him.
Should Chavez be assassinated? I am woefully uninformed on our relationship with Venezuela, so I cannot answer that question. However, in general, I do not believe that the U.S. government should completely rule out assassination as a foreign or military policy tool. Assassination is filled with potential dangers, and any decision to engage in a covert operation to end someone's life should be taken very seriously.
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Following up on yesterday's post, I have a question for all those who are advocating the government punish Pat Robertson for publicly advocating the assasination of Hugo Chavez.
Why do you hate America?
You see, the United States of America was founded on the idea of freedom. The reason the colonists seceded from England was because they believed that continued British rule (specifically as it related to taxes) was destructive to their liberty. The reason the United States exists is because a group of men pledged their lives, fortunes and sacred honor to establish a nation where individual liberty would be guranteed. The United States is as much of an idea as a nation.
Yet many Americans are attacking our liberty on a daily basis. Those enemies of freedom include Jesse Jackson and others who are calling for government to take action against Pat Robertson. By attacking freedom of speech and other fundamental individual liberties, Jesse Jackson and other enemies of freedom are attacking the very foundation that America is built upon.
So, Reverend Jackson, why do you hate America?