I'm Pretty Sure I'm Carrying Out God's Will...The Onion on Boko Haram's leadership
At the time, I suggested in a piece that a .50 cal between the eyes of the kidnappers would have been more effective. In others words, it was time to arm those hashtags. I believe a review of history would reinforce my advice:
Yes, it's been a year since Boko Haram kidnapped 276 school girls from a boarding school in Nigeria. After the news broke of the young girls taken hostage by Boko Haram, Michelle Obama launched her hashtag---#BringBackOurGirls. As expected it went viral. I also wrote that whatever works in freeing the girls, I was all in. But since that kidnapping, 200 or more of those girls are still missing. This was also the time when Hillary Clinton's State Department still refused to designate this homicidal maniacs as a terrorist group.
At the time, I suggested in a piece that a .50 cal between the eyes of the kidnappers would have been more effective. In others words, it was time to arm those hashtags. I believe a review of history would reinforce my advice:
- To this day, Boko Haram has been responsible for multiple murders, bombings, kidnappings and car bombings. Their favorite targets have included, but have not been limited to, churches (usually burning the churches to the ground), schools, police stations and even weddings.
- Most of their targets have been Christians.
- Since 2000, Boko Haram has been responsible for several hundred attacks.
- During the span of the last 15 years, they've been directly responsible for killing thousands. Last January alone, they murdered over 2000 in one day.
I also mentioned at the time that confronting global terrorism with hashtag diplomacy was a perfect example of style over substance. In other words, the hastags probably made many people feel good---feel like they were doing something. But much like the AIDS lapel ribbons of old (some that grew to the size of hubcaps), feelings don't solve the problem. Good intentions don't save lives. Only actions do. Unfortunately, progressives have never learned that lesson. One observer at the time said: "How sad that a nation that produced the Greatest Generation who saved the world from fascist tyranny, has reduced to walking softly and carrying a big hashtag in the face of Islamic terrorists?"
So I'm left with urging the powers-that-be once again: ARM THOSE F*CKING HASHTAGS FOR GOD'S SAKE!
