By Mitchel Olszak
Score another victory for the terrorists.
It appears that suspects accused in the Sept. 11 attacks won’t be tried in New York City after all. While New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg originally embraced this idea of fitting justice, he and other officials have now pressured the Obama administration to seek another venue for the trials.
Supposedly, the reason for the about-face on Bloomberg’s part dealt with the economy. New York businesses worried that a long, security-obsessed trial would hamper normal comings and goings in the Big Apple and cost them money.
Cash trumps one’s desire for justice, you know.
Of course, no matter the rationale, you can be sure how this move will be interpreted overseas — especially in those countries that tend to promote Islamic extremism. It will be seen as further proof that terrorism works, that America is afraid of those behind Sept. 11.
It will provide fodder for future acts of terror.
The Justice Department is now trying to decide where to hold these trials. Naturally, this means Congress must get into the act. Thus our lawmakers continue to attempt to corner the market on gutlessness.
This crowd can’t deal with health care reform. It can’t fight for a balanced budget. It can’t push for a badly needed restructuring of the financial system. But it will weigh in on trials for accused terrorists.
And it seems that lots of congressmen prefer to deal with terrorism in the same way they handle so many other issues — by heading for the high grass.
Among them is our own congressman, Jason Altmire, who last week issued multiple press releases expounding on his opposition to holding trials for accused terrorists anywhere on American soil.
Maybe the French Riviera is available this time of year.
And this cowering before terrorism doesn’t end with Congress. Here at the New Castle News, we also received a press release from state Rep. Michele Brooks, announcing her opposition to holding terrorism trials in western Pennsylvania.
In Brooks’ view, conducting the trials here would be “dishonorable” to the people who died aboard United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed in Somerset County during the Sept. 11 attacks.
Dishonorable? I would call it appropriate.
In fact, I think that any true-blue, courageous and confident American would relish the idea of his or her community hosting a trial for those accused of the mass murders of Sept. 11.
But let’s be honest: More than a few of our citizens are like their representatives in Washington and Harrisburg, a bit weak in the knees where terrorism is concerned. They worry. They fret. They rationalize.
They give aid and comfort to the enemy by providing what the extremists want most: Fear.
I refuse to quiver before the terrorists. I refuse to hand them any more ammunition.
Instead, I propose that we hold these trials in Lawrence County. There’s no federal courthouse here, but we can designate a temporary site in order to conduct the proceedings.
Will there be security? Will there be congestion? Will there be lots of law enforcement, media and hangers on?
You bet. And every motel and restaurant in a 50-mile radius will reap the benefits.
