My jury’s in.  Holding civilian court trials in New York City for terrorists (save the “alleged” for someone who just crawled out of a cave, or out from under a rock) is both mind-bogglingly  naive and dangerous.

We’ve heard from the pundits with Ph.D’s and we’ve heard from the politicos with ADD.  We’ve heard from the talking heads on both sides of the radio aisle, the extremists on the radio dial.  Some of them are right for the wrong reasons; some of them of just plain wrong.  None of them are exhibiting an ounce of common sense, or any empathy for New York metropolitan area citizens who went through a massive collective trauma once, and are about to find bits and pieces of their nightmare reawakened.

Let’s deal with the naivete first.  The only possible motive the administration and its Justice Department could have would be to show the world, and particularly the Muslim world, that we make available to even the lowest of the low a forum for justice, for due process, for self defense.  No kangaroo courts here, no hanging ‘em high before a hearing.

Well, guess what?  They don’t give a damn.  We are putting on a display that fits our concepts and notions, concepts and notions that, in the minds of  fundamentalist Muslims, doesn’t matter a whit.  This is nothing but bad theatre that’s impervious to the sensibilities of the audience it’s trying to appeal to.  A narcissistic show of high minded nonsense, in the face of cultural differences that scream out that what matters to us, doesn’t have a corresponding iota of import in the mindset of the terrorists and their supporters.

Now let’s deal with the danger.  As was pointed out to me yesterday by a former US Attorney from NYC, New York and the surrounding area is always going to have a target on its back for obvious reasons.  Population density, cultural and symbolic import, financial center, and on and on.  What’s best about democracy and capitalism is exemplified by NYC (and yes, I’m aware that what’s worst about capitalism lives in the neighborhood as well).

Now that target has gotten bigger and brighter.

And for a culture that believes that a hedonistic afterlife awaits following a righteous fireball of death and destruction, having their own leaders be victims of a new attack would just be another badge of honor for their despicable heroes.

Yes, I’ve seen and heard the media trot out a few family members of 9/11 victims,  saying they want to be here to see justice done.  My heart goes out to them, and that’s not lip service, but this is one time when closure  and sympathy take a back seat to current conditions.

Here’s what everyone I’ve read, watched, or listened to has missed.  Every New Yorker has a personal recollection of 9/11 and the days, weeks, and months, that followed.  Time and resiliency have allowed us, with some exceptions, to go back to our daily lives and obligations.  But yesterday I was reminded of the Thursday night following the downing of the Towers, when I went to the all night drugstore at midnight, when it wasn’t clear which direction the toxic debris cloud was going to be moving, because the manager said he’d be getting in a new delivery of surgical masks.   And I wasn’t a lone nut case, I was one of around 50 people at that store alone, as others were gathered at other stores around town, waiting patiently and civilly, for a little extra protection for ourselves and our families, whether that protection was real or imagined.  It was hard to tell at the time, but when your world’s been turned upside down, only a fool doesn’t err on the side of caution.

Our liberals have their heads soooo high up in the clouds that they have no idea what’s going on down here at ground level, either in terms of physical danger or a reopening of psychological wounds .  And the right wingers have conveniently and opportunistically latched on to the correct conclusion because it gives more fuel to their Obama bashing engine.

Is some of the above an emotional reaction?  Damn straight it is.  When you and your  loved ones are attacked, do you want to be put in harm’s way again, and have fears and phobias that have eased with the passing of time be brought back to the forefront of your consciousness?  Didn’t think so.

And everyone, everyone we look to for direction misses the point.  So we, as Americans, have nothing but our inner compasses to guide us, because our authority figures are clueless.