Yesterday, I had an extensive email exchange with a guy named Rich Aucoin. He was taking me to task for my recent article “They Also Hate Us for Our Hypocrisy” along with articles I have written in the past pointing out that U.S. foreign policy is the root cause of anti-American anger, rage, and hatred among many foreigners.
After our exchange of emails, imagine my surprise to receive an email from Aucoin stating, “Pathetic, Jacob. I have won this debate. You can read about it at my blog: www.JaySeverin.org.”
Imagine my further surprise to find that Aucoin stated the following: “Future of Freedom president and 9/11 theorist Jacob Hornberger is obsessed with hatred. Muslim hatred in particular. He’s been warning Americans for nearly a decade now that we are under constant threat of grave attacks by hate-filled angry Muslims due to our evil foreign policies….”
Did Aucoin support his allegation regarding Muslim hatred for America with any excerpts from our email exchange or from any of the thousands of articles I have written over the past 21 years?
No, and the reason he didn’t is because I’ve never said what he claims I said. I have always maintained that the anger and rage arising in the Middle East against the United States is rooted in the horrific things the U.S. government has done to people in that part of the world, independent of the victims’ religious convictions.
So, why would Aucoin make an unfounded assertion against me, one that he was unable to support with substantive evidence?
I really don’t know the answer to that question. But judging from the nature of his public attack on me, I have a hunch that what he’s angry about is my contention that the 9/11 attacks were blowback from U.S. foreign policy rather than attacks orchestrated by the U.S. government. Now, that’s not to say that Aucoin openly confessed to being a “9/11 truther” in his attack on me. He didn’t do that. But he did state that my “simple 9/11 blowback theory has been debunked,” and the phrase “has been debunked” links to another article on his website which states:
No, whoever was in fact behind 9/11 apparently achieved everything they wanted from that particular event. Endless global war and a rapidly expanding domestic police state have become major cash cows for those who would profit from tax dollars. Cui bono? The perpetrators of 9/11, whoever they are, have no need for another 9/11 since they’re still cashing in so handsomely on their first one. So as we reflect on the 10th anniversary of 9/11 and hear endless scary warnings of possible future attacks, let us recall that 9/11 itself remains an unsolved crime. And let us not be fooled again? (emphasis in original.)
So, why not simply limit his attack on me to the issue of who committed the 9/11 attacks rather than concoct a false allegation of what I purportedly said about Muslims?
I don’t know. You can see that I’ve titled this article “A Strange Attack on Me.”
In any event, in case you’re interested I thought I would share with you the entire email exchange I had with Aucoin yesterday. If nothing else, I think it clarifies the false nature of his allegation about me regarding Muslims.
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From: RichAucoin@comcast.net [mailto:RichAucoin@comcast.net]
Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2011 9:44 AM
To: Jacob Hornberger
Subject: Why is Jacob Hornberger iObsessed with Hatred?
Dear Jacob,
I have noticed that your writings at LRC and AW.com often refer to hate, specifically, why “they” hate us.
Your latest article claims “they” hate us for our hypocrisy.
You seem obsessed with hate.
But I am wondering more and more, who is the “they” who supposedly hate us so much?
Are you suggesting it’s Muslims who hate us? If so, then you are parroting Dick Cheney. He also believes Muslims hate us. His explanation for all the supposed hatred is different from yours, is all.
But Dick is wrong and so are you. Muslims do not hate us. There is no evidence to back up that scurrilous claim.
If Muslims really hated Americans as much as you and Dick claim, I surely would have met at least one hateful Muslim by now, but every Muslim I have ever met has been peaceful and forgiving. If Muslims hated us as much as you and Dick claim, we would have been attacked by more than just FBI-framed patsies who always seem to get caught just before they’re about to kill us. If Muslims hated us as you and Dick claim, then we wouldn’t need to resort to oppressive gulags with no habeas protections to render “justice” for 9/11 and we would not need to so flagrantly frame our own gov’t employees for the anthrax attacks. The FBI would not be so desperately trying to sweep the anthrax under the rug.
If you and Cheney are correct about Muslims’ hatred of America, then why are they leaving us alone?
Is it because we are fighting them over there instead of over here?
Is it because the Patriot Act is working?
Is it because torture is an effective interrogation tool?
Is it because our borders are sealed?
Please explain why your alleged hordes of hateful and vengeful Muslims are displaying all their hatred of America by showering us with love and peace and foregivness. Or better yet, please stop fearmongering and bad-mouthing Muslims.
Peace,
Rich Aucoin
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From: “Jacob Hornberger”
To: RichAucoin@comcast.net
Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2011 11:18:46 AM
Subject: RE: Why is Jacob Hornberger iObsessed with Hatred?
Rich,
The people who are inspired to commit terrorist attacks hate the U.S. government for killing their children, spouses, parents, relatives, and people in the middle east, along with destroying their countries, humiliating and abusing people, along with support of brutal dictatorships, along with support of the Israeli government. There is also the possibility that the drug war in Latin America is inspiring considerable hatred that will ultimately result in terrorist strikes in U.S. cities along the border.
That’s not to say that all people in the Middle East get angry and filled with rage over such things to such an extent that they’re willing to retaliate with violence, any more than all Americans got so angry and filled with rage after 9/11 that they were willing to retaliate with violence. It’s to say that some people in the Middle East have such a reaction,just as some Americans had such a reaction after 9/11.
Or consider the federal massacre at Waco. Many, but certainly not all, Americans got angry over the massacre. But not all of the angry ones retaliated with violence. But one angry person did—Timothy McVeigh. He hated the government for doing that and retaliated with the bombing of the federal building. If the feds hadn’t massacred the Branch Davidians, the federal building would still be there along with allthe people Mcveigh killed and McVeigh would still be alive today.
Unfortunately, many people over there do the same thing that you and other Americans do—they conflate the U.S. governmetn and the American people. So, when they end up hating the government, they end up hating americans too. I wish they’d understand that there are some of us, certainly not all by a long shot, who take a very principled stand against the wrongdoing of our own government. That’s not to say that there aren’t Americans who take the postion of “my government, always right.”
My position is that we must never be afraid to confront the wrongdoing of our own government, especially when its masacring people wrongfully both here in the United States and abroad. Now that bankruptcy looms on the horizon, people are finally starting to question the U.S. government’s warfare empire along with the welfare state and the drug war. The real battle in our country is not the U.S. government vs. terrorists, Muslims, drug dealers, or illegal aliens. The real battle is between statists vs. libertarians. Let the battle continue!
Best regards,
Jacob
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From: RichAucoin@comcast.net [mailto:RichAucoin@comcast.net]
Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2011 11:57 AM
To: Jacob Hornberger
Subject: Re: Why is Jacob Hornberger iObsessed with Hatred?
Thanks, Jacob.
After 10 years of Americans being more likely to die by a lightning strike than by some miffed Muslim, there is simply no evidence to support the questions: Why do they hate us so much? and why are they attacking us?
The real questions ought to be: Why DON’T they hate us, and why AREN’T they attacking us?
If we spend our time agreeing with the neocons that Muslims hate us and pose a threat (even if we disagree as to why that is), then Americans in substantial numbers will go on supporting the wars and consenting to the domestic police state that’s “kept us safe” for 10 years.
Only by exposing the myth that Muslims are a threat in the first place can we hope to undermine the neocons’ agenda.
So let us ask the right questions: why DON’T Muslims hate us? Why AREN’T they attacking us?
Rich
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From: “Jacob Hornberger”
To: RichAucoin@comcast.net
Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2011 12:11:40 PM
Subject: RE: Why is Jacob Hornberger iObsessed with Hatred?
Rich,
Just because a person isn’t attacking you doesn’t mean he doesn’t hate you.
Lots of Americans are still angry over 9/11 and actually hate muslims because of 9/11. They’re not traveling to the middle east to kill Muslims or killing them here.
What you have to ask yourself is: Do Americans get angry when foreigners come here and kill Americans? Your answer will be “Yes.” Then ask yourself: Are foreigners different from Americans in this respect? Your answer will be “No, Jacob, because human nature is human nature.”
Now, go read the transcript of Ramzi Yousef’s sentencing hearing. He’s one of the terrorists who struck the WTC … in 1993. yes, 1993—8 years before 9/11. You will notice one thing about his railing against the federal judge who sentenced him—rage—out of control rage—and all directed toward the horrible things the U.S. government had been doing (up to that point) in the Middle East, including the sanctions on Iraq that were killing hundreds of thousands of Iraqi children (which was, not surprisingly) angering lots of other people, including UN officials Von Sponek and Butler (neither of whom are Muslims), both of whom resigned in angry protest against what they termed genocide.
This is what you and so many Americans just cannot do—you cannot put yourself in the position of people who have been ravaged by federal wrongdoing, especially abroad,but quite possibly here too, such as at Waco, or the drug war, or the war on immigrants. This is one of the things that distinguishes libertarians from conservatives. We take a principled stand against all federal wrongdoing. Statists elevate the federal government to the position of god or at least a parent.
Finally, you are right to sugggest that there are Muslims who don’t hate you, just as there are Catholics, Jews, and Protestants who don’t hate you. No libertarian, as far as I know, has ever suggested that all Muslims hate you, or hate the U.S. government, or hate the American people. What we have suggested is that when the U.S. government goes abroad and wrongfully kills people, or supports brutal dictatorships who kill or torture their own people, or provides unconditional support to the Israeli government or other foreign regime, or humiliates, tortures, or abuses people, there are going to be SOME people, especially relatives and friends of the victims, who become angry, just as there are some Americans who become angry when foreigners do that to Americans. The angry people might be Muslims or Arabs or Latin American Catholics and Protestants. It’s not a religious thing. It’s a foreign policy thing. If the U.S. government invaded and occupied Vatican City, there would be lots of anger and rage among Catholics worldwide.
Don’t be afraid to confront the wrongdoing of your own governnent. It’s what a group of British citizens did in 1776! 🙂
Best regards,
Jacob
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From: RichAucoin@comcast.net [mailto:RichAucoin@comcast.net]
Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2011 1:05 PM
To: Jacob Hornberger
Subject: Re: Why is Jacob Hornberger iObsessed with Hatred?
Jacob,
You have made a bad assumption about me.
I absolutely DO put myself in the shoes of those victimized by this government. This is why I have been passionately antiwar since 1991, when I realized Saddam Hussein was being set up by Bush the first. Every fiber of my being has despised and distrusted Washington since realizing the lies that led to that despicable war.
But that doesn’t mean I would ever turn into a violent extremist!
So okay sure, there are probably Muslims who hate Washington for its policies, just as I do. But it’s extremely rare to see that hate translate into attacks against innocent Americans. And even when it allegedly does, the circumstances are usually quite fishy (e.g., underwear bomber = TSA groping).
So we must stop relying on unproven 9/11 theories like the blowback theory which only help the neocons propagate their all-important myth that Muslims pose a threat to the American people. They don’t!
The undeniable fact is, the 9/11 and anthrax attacks of 2001 (which set a global war in motion) remain unsolved crimes. So rather than propping up unproven theories about 9/11 that only aid and abet the myth of the Muslim threat, let us demand an end to the official coverups that remain hideous obstacles to justice in those cases.
Rich
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From: “Jacob Hornberger”
To: RichAucoin@comcast.net
Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2011 1:22:34 PM
Subject: RE: Why is Jacob Hornberger iObsessed with Hatred?
Rich,
Okay, sorry for misconstruing your position.
Regardless of 9/11, the point still remains: If I punch you in the face and keep punching you nonstop, at some point you’re going to swing back. And even if you don’t and you just keep staning there letting me punch you, most other people are going to punch back.
Or to put it another way, when you go poke hornet’s nests, it’s possible that the hornets in one nest won’t get angry and do anything. But that’s doesn’t hold true for the other hornet’s nests.
Go read the transcript of Ramzi Yousef’s sentencing hearing. If you can’t see the rage in that man — well, you will.
Let’s put it this way: If the Chinese communists did to the american people for the last 20 years what the U.S. government has been doing to people in the Middle East, you might not be angry about it, but I certainly would and so would a lot of other Americans. In fact, I am certain that I would join an insurgency rather than become a quisling working with the Chinese officials.
Bottom line: Read my blog today. You helped inspire it!
Best regards and thanks for sharing your perspectives with me. I enjoyed the exchange!
Jacob
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From: RichAucoin@comcast.net [mailto:RichAucoin@comcast.net]
Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2011 1:54 PM
To: Jacob Hornberger
Subject: Re: Why is Jacob Hornberger iObsessed with Hatred?
Your words are frightening.
So frightening that most Americans who hear them will support the war on terror and the patriot act.
After all, if our government has stirred up the terrible hornet’s nests you say it has, then we need to keep doing everything that’s kept us safe for the past decade.
We cannot let our guard down now! Otherwise one of those angry hornets is bound to sting us. Ouch!
You are turning me in favor of the war….we need to fight them over there before they get us here!
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From: “Jacob Hornberger”
To: RichAucoin@comcast.net
Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2011 5:39:13 PM
Subject: RE: Why is Jacob Hornberger iObsessed with Hatred?
Rich,
Don’t be frightened. Conquer your fears. Government loves a scared citizenry. That’s how they induce people to surrender their freedoms in the (false) hope of finding safety and security from the threats, real or imagined, that the government has produced. This is one of the horrific consequences of the welfare state—it has produced a nation of people, many of whom are dependent, frightened, and submissive to the government and who strive to gain their courage vicariously through the troops by “being tough” in foreign affairs.
https://www.fff.org/comment/ed1201b.asp
We need to restore the spirit of self-reliance, independence, and can-do that characterized our ancestors, who would never have tolerated either a welfare state or a warfare state.
The real battle in America is the libertarians vs. the statists, including both the welfare statists and the warfare statists. I still think we’re going to win because every day people are breaking through and joining up with our cause.
Best regards,
Jacob
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From: RichAucoin@comcast.net [mailto:RichAucoin@comcast.net]
Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2011 5:56 PM
To: Jacob Hornberger
Subject: Re: Why is Jacob Hornberger iObsessed with Hatred?
Spouting the 9/11 blowback theory plays directly into the hands of the security state and the preemptive warmongers.
Most Americans will gladly be TSA groped, and will gladly support preemtive wars, if it means they or their child will not be stung by one of these angry hornets you’re forever warning about.
I say drop your 9/11 theorizing already and deal with the fact that 9/11 remains an unsolved crime. Demanding the long-overdue criminal investigation and evidentiary discoveries with full subpoena power would be the truly brave and principled thing for libertarians to do.
If not us, then who?
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From: “Jacob Hornberger”
To: RichAucoin@comcast.net
Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2011 7:31:33 PM
Subject: RE: Why is Jacob Hornberger iObsessed with Hatred?
Rich,
The secret to solving the problem arising from poking hornet’s nests is not to continue poking them. It is to stop poking them. Duh! Read my article—A Foreign Policy Primer for Children—The Fable of the Hornets. It is good for grown-ups too!
Remember: After killing more than a million Vietnamese, the U.S. left Vietnam. Not one Vietnamese has retaliated with terrorist attacks after the U.S. exited the country. If the US had continued to occupy Vietnam, there would be lots more dead Americans who would have died for nothing.
Bottom line, which, for some reason, you continue to resist: Bring all the troops home from everywhere and discharge them, close the bases, and stop all foreign aid, including to dictators, democracies, and everyone else.
Conduct all the investigations you want. Libertarians are not opposed to investigations. Libertarians are opposed to imperialism, militarism, interventionism, socialism, fascism. In a word, we are opposed to statism. The battle in our country is libertarians vs. statists. So far, we’ve been losing for decades. But things might be moving in our direction. It’s very exciting.
Remember, conquer your fears! This is what government loves. That’s how they take away people’s freedom. They seize on your fears to induce you to surrender your freedom (and mine too) in return for the pretense of being kept safe. Even if the terrorists are dangerous, I’d still not want to trade my freedom for safety. I’d rather take my chances with them and stay free. But once the empire is dismantled, the terrorist threat dissipates and we can get on the road to freedom, peace, and prosperity.
Best regards,
Jacob
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From: RichAucoin@comcast.net [mailto:RichAucoin@comcast.net]
Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2011 8:43 PM
To: Jacob Hornberger
Subject: Re: Why is Jacob Hornberger iObsessed with Hatred?
Pathetic, Jacob.
I have won this debate.
You can read all about it at my blog: www.JaySeverin.org
I have been warned about you over the years. Now I see for myself.
Rich