God Help Us: Tweeting Against Terrorism
[guest post by Dana]
Faced with the continuing advancement of ISIS in the ME as well as an increasing number of people throughout Europe and elsewhere being brutally cut down by radical Islamic terrorists violent extremists, the White House took the bull by the horns this week in an effort to combat the terrorism-that-shall-not-be-named and held a summit. BOOM!
Then, in an even more daring display of organizing against this scourge, the State Dept. took the unprecedented step of turning to Twitter to ask people to tweet their ideas on how to tackle the problem of radical Islamic terrorism violent extremism. Unprecedented!
We want your input. Share solutions you think are critical to countering violent extremism. http://t.co/lmVRNT7CAl pic.twitter.com/ivZKtwEQ8a
— Department of State (@StateDept) February 20, 2015
From the State Dept.:
This week, the White House hosted a Summit to Counter Violent Extremism to highlight domestic and international efforts to prevent violent extremists and their supporters from radicalizing, recruiting, or inspiring individuals or groups in the United States and abroad to commit acts of violence. These efforts have become even more imperative in light of recent, tragic attacks throughout the world.
What solutions do you think are most critical to countering violent extremism?
So, to the twitters, people! Our government needs you! And how sad is that.
Note: All tweets submitted will automatically be entered in the Best Helpful Hint To Combat Terrorism contest sponsored by the State Dept. All tweets containing the “I” word will automatically be excluded.
–Dana
UPDATE BY PATTERICO:
.@StateDept I have a solution. Kill more Islamic terrorists.
— Patterico (@Patterico) February 21, 2015
Hello.
Dana (86e864) — 2/21/2015 @ 12:09 pmMarie has been given a new job reading and evaluating tweets? Sounds about right for her. Or will Lurch handle this project himself with assistance from James Taylor?
elissa (1e1ffc) — 2/21/2015 @ 12:18 pm#FireeverybodyattheStateDepartment
daleyrocks (bf33e9) — 2/21/2015 @ 12:19 pmSend John Kerry to bore them to suicide with endless, vapid speeches.
daleyrocks (bf33e9) — 2/21/2015 @ 12:22 pmWe could get them jobs but I bet they prefer to go on welfare.
AZ Bob (34bb80) — 2/21/2015 @ 12:27 pmPerhaps we are unfairly rushing to judgement….
Perhaps we are cynically clinging to old ways of identifying and dealing with our nation’s enemies when there are bright new tactics now available….
Maybe we are underestimating the possible effectiveness of a twitter contest to determine U.S. foreign policy….
….
elissa (1e1ffc) — 2/21/2015 @ 12:33 pm…..
nah.
UPDATE BY PATTERICO:
Patterico (5aa578) — 2/21/2015 @ 12:36 pmi think we need more people to volunteer to mentor the terrorists
for example I could teach them how to make good choices like about seasonal vegetables and stuff for so they can spend their food stamps smart
also i’m a very good role model cause of i never do any violent extremism on nobody
also we can talk about their feelings about Netanyahu’s visit
perhaps they, like the president, despise Israeli occupying scum
you know what that’s ok you can’t help how you feel
but i can have them draw a picture about how they feel and we can hang it on the refrigerator
happyfeet (831175) — 2/21/2015 @ 12:41 pmWhat solutions do you think are most critical to countering violent extremism?
Er, uh, how about getting rid of the political correctness espoused by those who share the ideology you and the White House — among others — rally around and, for example, not allowing the lunacy of Nidal Hassan to ever crop up again in no less than the US military.
About as simple as that.
Mark (c160ec) — 2/21/2015 @ 12:53 pm#8, LOL.
What’s even more hilarious (but also pathetic) is that the brilliant minds in the administration probably will take such suggestions seriously and positively.
Mark (c160ec) — 2/21/2015 @ 12:56 pma meet n’ greet in the Rose Garden followed by a presser where Obama uses armed jihadis as the backdrop for one of his amazing lectures!
Colonel Haiku (3bf827) — 2/21/2015 @ 1:06 pmor a campout Mr. Colonel
we could get all the ingredients for a bunch of different kinds of s’mores then slowly roast them over a fire til they stopped screaming
happyfeet (831175) — 2/21/2015 @ 1:09 pmSap the morale of violent extremists by explaining that the gravest threat to the world is global warming and that next to that they have no legitimate grievances.
daleyrocks (bf33e9) — 2/21/2015 @ 1:11 pmWe could threaten to capture them and feed them Michelle’s school lunch menus if they aren’t nicer.
elissa (1e1ffc) — 2/21/2015 @ 1:14 pmOpen Planned Parenthood clinics and legalize gay marriage across North Africa and the Middle East.
daleyrocks (bf33e9) — 2/21/2015 @ 1:15 pmMy answer was simple: fire everyone at State and the White House and replace them with people with common sense.
The Dana who tweeted the truth (1b79fa) — 2/21/2015 @ 1:16 pmStart “Bring A violent Extremist To Work” day in your community!
daleyrocks (bf33e9) — 2/21/2015 @ 1:17 pmfind some abandoned mines, “infuse” them with some pigs, give these jobless jihadis work in teh mines and when we have enough of them reporting for work and down in the mineshaft, we use explosives to seal the mines off.
Colonel Haiku (3bf827) — 2/21/2015 @ 1:18 pmY’all can decide for yourselves, but I ain’t “mentoring” or “partnering” with any of them.
elissa (1e1ffc) — 2/21/2015 @ 1:21 pm16- Sending that entire conference to GITMO would be a good start.
askeptic (efcf22) — 2/21/2015 @ 1:24 pmSend Al Sharpton to talk some sense into ISIS.
daleyrocks (bf33e9) — 2/21/2015 @ 1:26 pmWal-Mart the world.
mg (31009b) — 2/21/2015 @ 1:33 pmMinimun wage and free jihadi care.
I’d like to know how much this useless staged “summit” cost taxpayers.
elissa (1e1ffc) — 2/21/2015 @ 1:36 pmPowerline has some kul SNL photoshops featuring Psaki and Harf in various famous roles. The dual frame of Harf and vintage Dana Carvey is priceless.
http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2015/02/the-week-in-pictures-harfing-biden-edition.php
elissa (1e1ffc) — 2/21/2015 @ 1:41 pmhttps://twitter.com/bradcundiff/status/568876454563467264?s=09
SPQR (4764ea) — 2/21/2015 @ 1:44 pmLove the barka guide dog.
mg (31009b) — 2/21/2015 @ 1:48 pmthanks
elissa
Thanks, mg. The one about if you divorce your wife and remarry you don’t need a new picture for your desk was pretty funny, too, I thought. And I’m sure Mark will be amused by the one featuring Major.Hassan.
elissa (1e1ffc) — 2/21/2015 @ 1:55 pmSen. Tom Cotton has a few ideas…
Dana (86e864) — 2/21/2015 @ 2:10 pmI suggest free hookers would have more of an effect than a lot of these diversion programs.
Kevin M (25bbee) — 2/21/2015 @ 2:31 pmNow you’ve done it, Patterico–prepare to be subjected to projectile Harfing in reaction to your dreadfully “unsophisticated” take.
M. Scott Eiland (725705) — 2/21/2015 @ 2:33 pmI sent something to them. I’m not sure they’ll publish it and I didn’t save it quite right. But here it is:
1. Stop sending soldiers to the Middle East. Instead, send huggers. That way, when violent extremists scream “Die in the name of lack of jobs and hugs!” they can get a hug and stop the violence.
2. Open a Burger King. Not only does this create jobs, but it stops Bacon Deficient Personality Disorder (see the DSM-V for full information.)
3. Drop glitter and copies of Shahs of Sunset on them. This way, they’ll know the goodness of America.
4. Prepare an anti-bullying curriculum so the name-calling on all sides stops. Bullying can be name calling (“Child murderers!”) or setting children on fire; both are wrong. Remember that in any fatal encounter, it takes two sides – the murderer and murderee. If we can educate people to show understanding and we stop taking sides based on nothing more than bias and hatred, we can show a greater understanding and reach a peaceful accord.
I am for the State Department’s moves here. It shows a problem-solving methodology.
JRM (cd0a37) — 2/21/2015 @ 2:38 pm#bringbackourheads.
Mike K (90dfdc) — 2/21/2015 @ 2:48 pmPatterico,
Where is the nuance in that?
Dana (86e864) — 2/21/2015 @ 3:33 pmnapalm
David Aitken (e0d788) — 2/21/2015 @ 3:33 pmInvite them all to a diplomatic dinner, drug their food, and then slit their throats.
nk (dbc370) — 2/21/2015 @ 4:12 pmI try. I try really, really hard, to ridicule this administration.
Yet no matter how hard I try, they beat me to it.
Steve57 (e16ed8) — 2/21/2015 @ 4:15 pmEverybody misses the best part. In the upper left corner is a logo for this blog
It’s called: DIPNOTE.
That’s right they looked at that and said “kewl”
It’s a Diplomat Note.
They think it’s all wonky and stuff cause they made a word out of the letters of
two other words.
And it’s perfectly apropos DIPNOTE by Dips and for Dips.
jakee308 (49ccc6) — 2/21/2015 @ 4:36 pmMidnight basketball at the oasis.
SarahW (267b14) — 2/21/2015 @ 4:40 pmSend their camels to bed.
Drone shadows painting their faces
Boom that’s right
dead
Also the 67 Ford Fairlane with the 390 is the ride of the Almighty.
Steve57 (e16ed8) — 2/21/2015 @ 4:46 pmBuild a parking lot and call it peace.
Edoc118 (8b952d) — 2/21/2015 @ 5:28 pmI am with Sarah Palin on this. Kill them all and let God sort it out.
Of course, I am an agnostic but that’s OK.
No worries.
Mike K (90dfdc) — 2/21/2015 @ 5:41 pm@34 Dave has the right idea… that being rejected, how about a two prong attack to deal with multiple national security threats?
Since global warming is the BIG ONE and CO2 is a major culprit, and people are a major source of CO2 with all their damned breathing…. maybe we should give the “kill our way out of a crisis” one more chance. It would leave us with a lot fewer CO2 producers. It worked pretty well a while back (1941-1945). We killed all the enemy combatants we could find and a good number of their behind the lines supporters, so many that they finally realized that their plan was not going to end well… For some reason we stopped using what worked, and look where it left us.
Peace through superior firepower.
Oh, well excuse me… that does sound a lot like Dave’s idea. Sorry.
Gramps, the original (9e1415) — 2/21/2015 @ 5:41 pmthe logo food stamp uses for his anti-terrorism campaign is literally a group hug
#notmypresident
happyfeet (831175) — 2/21/2015 @ 5:54 pmNon-Alcoholic beer summit.
Zoltan (19574a) — 2/21/2015 @ 6:27 pmActually, I think mandatory birth control for Jihadis would be a great idea!
Patricia (5fc097) — 2/21/2015 @ 6:44 pmRetroactive too, Patricia.
nk (dbc370) — 2/21/2015 @ 6:49 pmI try. I try really, really hard, to ridicule this administration.
The problem is, they view it as praise.
Kevin M (25bbee) — 2/21/2015 @ 6:50 pmWe shall tweet on the beaches, we shall tweet on the landing grounds, we shall tweet in the fields and in the streets, we shall tweet in the hills; we shall never surrender, maybe.
Dave (in MA) (db43c0) — 2/21/2015 @ 7:34 pmCuriously, a guy named Adolf Hitler imposed a program that looks identical to Obola’s plan. Times were bad in Germany, and jobs were needed. So with the help of a number of gay men wearing flattering brown shirts, communities were organized, the kids were enrolled in clubs that gave them a sense of belonging, and dissent was discouraged. Only happy thoughts were allowed to be expressed by the citizenry. And Hitler turned out to be a rousing speaker, even without teleprompters, quite a bit better than Obola. And the consensus amongst the world’s elite was that the country was on the road to recovery. So presumably this turned out well?
Alas, these aspects of materialism and political correctness weren’t enough. And worse yet, these remedies didn’t produce a world of peace and kindness.
It wouldn’t be so bad if we were in the 17th Century. It took months for news to cross the Atlantic, and weeks to cross the English Channel. The ravings of a mad king could go largely unnoticed for years at a time. But Putin only needs to logon to the internet on the otherside of the Russian firewall to get this insanity nearly first hand and in real time. His problem will be restraining his enthusiasm. A few modest conquests, Latvia, Finland, Sweden for example, every year will probably fall under Obola’s radar. But an armored thrust through Poland onto Germany might be counterproductive. Or it might bring offers of grants for daycare and anger management training.
bobathome (f50725) — 2/21/2015 @ 8:48 pmI remember the good old days under Bush when beating the crap of of extremists was supposed to be a recruiting tool for jihadis.
Now it seems that when it comes to recruiting, even wannabe jihadis prefer a winner… who knew?
But then again now our country is run by fools who think that the greatest threat to Americans is the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, and maybe if we just were to let all the extremists out, ISIS would lose the moral high ground.
steveg (794291) — 2/21/2015 @ 9:00 pmMan, what the Peshmerga couldn’t do with a few of these.
http://wildfiretoday.com/2009/06/18/air-tractor-converts-air-tankercrop-duster-into-armed-tactical-attack-plane/
Steve57 (e16ed8) — 2/21/2015 @ 11:22 pmI was shopping for a new Pulaski.
Steve57 (e16ed8) — 2/21/2015 @ 11:29 pmmy suggestion to the idiots…
redc1c4 (269d8e) — 2/21/2015 @ 11:55 pmThat is a really good tip particularly to those fresh
ask (9f1543) — 2/22/2015 @ 12:04 amto the blogosphere. Brief but very precise information… Many thanks for sharing this one.
A must read article!
Indiana University is honoring the State Department’s Marie Harf with their Outstanding Young Alumni Award. The school featured her in their winter magazine and talked with her about “life in the fast lane.” There are some fascinating excerpts from their interview with her at the link below. I wonder if anyone at Indiana is reconsidering after the embarrassing horrible no good week Marie just had.
http://dailycaller.com/2015/02/20/meet-the-only-people-who-are-proud-of-marie-harf/
elissa (c74c78) — 2/22/2015 @ 12:28 amhttp://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2015/02/officer_krupke_and_the_obama_foreign_policy.html
narciso (ee1f88) — 2/22/2015 @ 6:07 am“Nuance” is prog-speak for “I am incredibly vapid and clueless, but even I realize what I just said doesn’t make any sense at all so I won’t bother to pretend to try and explain it to you but will still insult you by insinuating that I am morally and intellectually superior to you.”
WarEagle82 (b18ccf) — 2/22/2015 @ 6:16 amIf the State Department had any inclination to counter violent extremism they’d stop encouraging it, protecting it, funding it, denying it, and covering it up. They even refuse to identify the jihad that dares not speak its name.
ropelight (5fda24) — 2/22/2015 @ 6:55 amand they’d slap them some perverted Saudi royal trash upside their pervert lil heads
happyfeet (831175) — 2/22/2015 @ 7:06 amThe firsdt thing, of course, os very careful vetting of Moslem imams who visit prison.
A prison is acontrolled evnvioronment and, theoretucally, it should be harder to get radicalized theer. But the opposite id the truth.
How to vet? Well, there is asimple test you could use.
Ask them to both sign astatement and vvideoitape remarks asserting that Israel is not trying to rebuild the Jewish Temple.
Sammy Finkelman (e806a6) — 2/22/2015 @ 7:07 amhttp://pjmedia.com/instapundit/202640/
narciso (ee1f88) — 2/22/2015 @ 7:24 amTaggart: We could kill every first-born male child!
Hedley Lamar: Hmmm. Too Jewish.
RNB (45deeb) — 2/22/2015 @ 7:24 amGreetings:
Free Bridgette Bardot.
11B40 (844d04) — 2/22/2015 @ 8:34 amI remember wanting to set both of them free
steveg (794291) — 2/22/2015 @ 9:23 amBridgette is very sassy she speaks her mind and the fascist french government loses theirs
#jesuisbridgette!
happyfeet (831175) — 2/22/2015 @ 10:23 amHere are my solutions to countering violent extremism. They’re short and sweet.
1) Read the Quran, make the link
2) Send troops to crush it
Think they’ll take them?
Steve57 (e16ed8) — 2/22/2015 @ 10:55 amlast fellow to do that was Mohammed Ali, the founder of the Egyptian dynasty that ended with Farouk
narciso (ee1f88) — 2/22/2015 @ 11:24 amSteve 57, a 427 surely?
Gazzer (db2fec) — 2/22/2015 @ 11:49 amThe first message I got from that tweet was:
You, America are the Problem. Look into Your Dark Soul and Confess.
I’m figuring that all the Baptist churches in flyover country are going to be watched by the NSA, while the borders and mosques will be studiously avoided.
steveg (794291) — 2/22/2015 @ 12:02 pmHere is Rudy Giuliani explaining what is wrong (Feb 13th, speaking on Obama, terrorism, and Iran):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0hUtumtQpA
Kevin M (25bbee) — 2/22/2015 @ 12:48 pmbobathome:
A minor quibble. I doubt it has ever taken “weeks” to cross the English Channel. People can swim it in less than a day…
Kevin M (25bbee) — 2/22/2015 @ 12:51 pmWATCH: Giuliani Destroys Obama in Epic Speech: Netanyahu Is ‘A Man Who Fights for His People, Unlike Our President’
http://commoncts.blogspot.com/2015/02/watch-giuliani-destroys-obama-in-epic.html
Steve (80dc64) — 2/22/2015 @ 12:52 pmif everybody is named steve nobody is named steve
happyfeet (831175) — 2/22/2015 @ 1:02 pmThen who among us can attain heaven, my friend?
Steve57 (e16ed8) — 2/22/2015 @ 1:03 pmThe 390 Fairlane is at least possible to posses.
“Though shalt not see the kingdom of god unless though possess and perfectly preserve the High Performance 289.”
Now, what sense does this make?
You could be a believer, in possession of a 1965 ‘Stang with a factory original 289.
Yet your Holley four barrel and your aftermarket cam and headers and all the porting and polishing you did to the heads mean nothing to Allah! You can show him the time slips, your Mustang made it into the 13s, 12s even.
This, I think, sums up the theological differences.
Steve57 (e16ed8) — 2/22/2015 @ 1:27 pmI had a Ford Cortina with a 302 that made it into the 12’s. Informally that is, I never ran it on a track.
Gazzer (db2fec) — 2/22/2015 @ 1:34 pmI had friends back in the 70s who had Plymouth Volares what made it into the 11s. Engine/body combinations you could never sell. Illegal.
Steve57 (e16ed8) — 2/22/2015 @ 1:38 pmthe larger problem:
http://dailycaller.com/2015/02/22/national-security-expert-u-s-foreign-policy-leaders-have-lost-the-ability-to-think/?advD=1248%2C356419
narciso (ee1f88) — 2/22/2015 @ 1:49 pmKudos, though, for owning a European Ford.
I owned a Nissan Bluebird with the 1.8L Turbo and the five speed.
Something you couldn’t get in the states.
Steve57 (e16ed8) — 2/22/2015 @ 1:50 pmI am, sdmittedly, just some guy on the internet. Yet this guy, Coughlin, is more believable because he can string a number of degrees after his name?
Muslin front groups have been lying to you for years about Islam. I guess because I didn’t have “JD” after my name I should be ignored?
Steve57 (e16ed8) — 2/22/2015 @ 2:02 pmMuslin = Muslim
Steve57 (e16ed8) — 2/22/2015 @ 2:04 pmsomething like that, of course they are cashiering him, because crimethink?
narciso (ee1f88) — 2/22/2015 @ 2:06 pmthey aren’t the only ones:
http://hotair.com/headlines/archives/2015/02/22/after-attacks-denmark-hesitates-to-blame-islam/
narciso (ee1f88) — 2/22/2015 @ 2:10 pmSteve57, I’m British by birth, Now American by choice. Been here 33 years. I tell people I’m from where England used to be.
Gazzer (db2fec) — 2/22/2015 @ 2:16 pmCrimethink. It’s a good word. How can you arrive at a conclusion that’s not allowed to be thought of?
If you want to start figuring out how we got her, start with how we were forbidden to think.
Steve57 (e16ed8) — 2/22/2015 @ 2:16 pmGazzer, I was just playing with you about the 427 Fairlane.
Steve57 (e16ed8) — 2/22/2015 @ 2:20 pmActually, Muslin front groups would make more sense than our foreign policy.
Kevin M (25bbee) — 2/22/2015 @ 2:20 pmI know.
Gazzer (db2fec) — 2/22/2015 @ 2:22 pmI am not a nice man, Gazzer. I’m working on it. I fall short.
Steve57 (e16ed8) — 2/22/2015 @ 2:30 pmDave (in MA) (db43c0) — 2/21/2015 @ 7:34 pm
That was good.
Ford Custom 500 with a 390,
MD in Philly (f9371b) — 2/22/2015 @ 4:34 pmpaired in the garage with a Pinto with chipmunks.
No offense, Doc.
But that Ford Custom is hauling around a lot of weight,
Whereas my Galaxy would be stripped down to fighting trim.
Steve57 (e16ed8) — 2/22/2015 @ 5:14 pmExcuse me.
Fairlane.
It would work if it were a Galaxy, but still…
Steve57 (e16ed8) — 2/22/2015 @ 5:18 pm“The solution to violent extremism begins in YOUR community”.
Yes, it does. Mainly, beginning with the election of 2016.
It COULD have begun with the election of 2008, or with 2012.
But somehow, communities chose to punt the ball to the kids… Let’s hope it’s not getting punted to the grandkids….
IGotBupkis, "Si tacuisses, philosophus mansisses." (225d0d) — 2/22/2015 @ 6:48 pmword.
http://maydayflyin.com/
Steve57 (e16ed8) — 2/22/2015 @ 11:13 pm“I tell people I’m from where England used to be.” Gazzer, that’s positively brilliant.
Beldar (fa637a) — 2/22/2015 @ 11:46 pmEngland, for all I love and respect her, is likely soon to have a King who insists he be called “Defender of Faith” instead of “Defender of the Faith.”
A gigantic plurality, but not yet majority, of Scotland wants shed of it all, after these centuries. They want their half the flag back, just for the Scots.
I shan’t give up on England, nor Scotland, nor the UK, because they’ve been around longer than us, through harder frankly, and they’ve always struggle on, and come back more than once from appalling odds and despite all prior indications.
But I take your point, Gazzer.
Beldar (fa637a) — 2/22/2015 @ 11:50 pmThank you Beldar. I shall not return. Too sad. The house in which I was born is now in one of those “mythical” no-go areas.
Gazzer (db2fec) — 2/23/2015 @ 8:35 am