It was another quiet, sunny day in beautiful Chattanooga, affectionately known as “Scenic City” Tennessee. Just a few weeks earlier our city with such charm and character was voted “Best Town Ever” by hundreds of thousands of Americans. And yet, on the morning of July 16 at 10:45 the peace in our city was tragically shattered in a sudden and violent manner.
In the moments that followed, our city was drawn into a worldwide battle between good and evil. Previous to July 16, our sleepy neighborhoods, bustling shops, busy ball fields and overflowing restaurants seemed to insulate us from this enemy, which to date had been advancing in their one sided war, with very little opposition.
Our leaders, entrusted with the security of the world’s sole superpower, like too many Americans, have wished this evil away. Many of our leaders at all levels, both federal and state, have refused to acknowledge the truth of the ideology known as “radical Islam” or “Islamic terrorism.”
Ignoring a deadly virus in one’s body does not eliminate the certain death that virus will cause. Likewise, refusing to mouth the words “Islamic terrorist” does not insulate innocent citizens from the death that most certainly awaits them.
Unfortunately my fellow Chattanoogans and I know the truth of this evil ideology. We have seen it first hand. We have witnessed the physical affects. And tragically, there are four families whose lives have been forever changed with the reality that their beloved Marine will never return home.
But, did this have to happen? Could this virus of evil have been stopped? As importantly, will our state and national leaders once and for all place the lives of their citizens above their stubbornness and political correctness?
We all know the story of the boy who cried wolf for some time to a point that folks around him stopped listening to him so that when the wolf finally showed up, there was no one to kill the wolf and save the boy.
For many years now there have been many in our nation crying wolf. The wolf is radical Islam. Here in Chattanooga our organization has been warning our community of this evil for years. And our movement across Tennessee has been expressing a dire warning to our political leaders, both in Nashville as well as Washington.
In 2013 a group of over 500 concerned Tennesseans met U.S. Attorney Bill Killian in Manchester, Tn. to express our opposition to his veiled threat that if citizens expressed an “inappropriate" negative sentiment towards Islam that they could be charged and prosecuted. For many of us, the extent of our comments was to assert that Islam is not a religion of peace, in opposition to what we’ve heard regurgitated since a few days after 9/11. Truthfully, our assertion is backed up with irrefutable evidence ad infinitum. The meeting with Killian was a volatile gathering because of Killian’s antagonistic attitude towards citizens who, while perhaps unruly at times, believed that their cry of “wolf” was unquestionably justified.
Fast forward to yesterday and we heard from the same U.S. Attorney Bill Killian at a news conference in Chattanooga just a few hours after four Marines were killed. Ironically, or perhaps sadly, the warning by hundreds of citizens who cried “wolf” about the threat of radical Islam was tragically validated when Killian admitted that Chattanooga was struck by domestic terrorism.
There’s no jubilation in being right about a tragedy. In fact, there is sadness, frustration and anger. Too many of us are experiencing these emotions because once again the policies of our nation, guided by men like Killian, governors, Congress and the Commander in Chief continue to result in dead Americans.
Whether it’s the 14 murdered and 29 wounded by Nidal Hasan (which was falsely documented as "workplace violence") or now our own four tragic deaths and several wounded in Chattanooga, these senseless deaths might have been prevented if we merely had a Commander in Chief and many other elected officials who would speak truth.
Wishing a war or an enemy away will not cause them to dissipate. Rather, such behavior only emboldens and enables terrorists like Abdulazeez. Only an aggressive pursuit of our enemy with the intent of total victory will insure their destruction and secure the lives of our citizens.
So, will this happen? I can see only one way this will occur. You and I must recommit ourselves to never, ever allow this to occur again. We must remember the ache within our soul on July 16 at 10:45 a.m. We must never allow that pain to diminish or depart. And with that understanding that this threat continues, we must step up today, tomorrow and the next day to demand truthfulness by our leaders in identifying our enemy and action by the same in pursuing those enemies to the gates of hell to defeat them... or else, evil will once again visit our community, our state, our nation.
But then, it will be too late.
Mark D. West
Chattanooga Tea Party
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My wife called me and told me about the shooting on Amnicola and further if I was headed that way, don't go.
Heading out the door for my bike ride and needed exercise I headed towards the levee via Lee Highway. A person, outside, flagged me down and asked which direction I was heading. I told him towards the levee and he said there was a shooter just up the road on Lee Highway. I assured him I would be out of harm's way and proceeded to the levee.
Why this preamble? When I got back home I began to feel a sense of "this is happening again" and I am getting used to hearing of guns and people killed; of AR-15's, Glocks and semi-automatic weapons, none of which are useful for shooting four-legged varmints, deer or the poor rabbit hit with a semi-automatic.
Then to read that Mark West blaming the president.. Let me share just a bit of wisdom from this old guy.... Guns are the supply of life the Republican Party holds onto - the hunters and others. The NRA feeds into this conspiracy of guns to solve all of social ills. Arm everyone we hear and condemn those that say, "wait a minute..." Where is this country going with the insanity that has become guns, guns and more guns?
Mark West is so wrong. The Republican Party is beholden to the NRA and needs the fear mongering the organization conducts for the unsuspecting public. We do not need a gun in every drawer or pocket, Mr. West, and further look inward and hold onto some of the blame that you are responsible for the rhetoric of blaming someone else.
Robert Brooks
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Mr. Brooks,
Mr. West’s opinion article was clear. We as a nation must stand up together as one united people against this growing threat, “Islamic Terrorism”.
I believe that most people would agree that President Obama and other leaders around our great country (past and present) do share some responsibility for these terrorist actions because of their weak policy decisions. I’m sure everyone is familiar with the phrase popularized by President Truman, “The buck stops here”. Our top leaders should be held responsible when they fail to protect “we the people” because that should be their main goal.
Mr. West shared some of his thoughts and solutions to this ever-growing problem that has now sadly rocked our community in Chattanooga. Mr. Brooks, your opinion shared no solutions other than advocate for more gun control that is failing in cities like Chicago. This problem far exceeds the scope of gun control.
Mark West is a concerned citizen that wants our city and nation safe and I have a tremendous amount of respect for him. He didn’t even mention the NRA or specific political parties.
We as a people must stop allowing ourselves to be constantly divided and work together now. We must work with our current leaders on this issue and fire those that lack the will to take the action needed to win. Now is the time for political correctness to be buried and common sense to reign. This is a time to unite together by finding real solutions and not be afraid to speak the truth that the threat is real, growing and will attack us again if we allow it. This is the time to support the members of our community that lost those they love. This is the time to pray.
II am proud of how CPD and the Sheriff’s Office responded. I am thankful and proud of the citizens in this community who personally gave their time and resources to assist the first responders. We must stand united because we will fall when divided.
Montague H. Hicks III