Taking from others

Under the new rules, federal agents have impounded millions of Americans' dollars with these suspected ties to terrorism, according to the Treasury's official list of designated terrorist organizations.\nAmong the numerous organizations whose assets have been frozen is Global Relief Foundation, a Muslim charity. In December 2002, agents stormed the charity's offices in Chicago and "carted away files, froze bank accounts and put the charity's founder in jail" (St. Petersburg Times Jan. 13, 2002).\nThe same article noted that following the government siege of its offices, Global Relief Foundation's chief attorney issued a statement illuminating the government's explanation for the raid. "They've said nothing to us except that they have a reason for what they did, and it's classified," he said.\nWith such a clear explanation, I now understand.\nGlobal Relief Foundation joins the Texas-based Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development as well as other seedy joints on the list of believed terrorism supporters that have had their funds frozen.\nThe impounding of assets is not all that uncommon in American law. We give the same treatment to drug dealers and their associates. So since it is clearly working well in the war on drugs, why shouldn't we expect the same results in the war on terrorism?\nYet, I think I might have stumbled on another reason for seizing the funds of these terrorist supporting charities. According to the Associated Press, "Millions of dollars impounded by the government from three Islamic charities accused of financing terrorism have been spent."\nThis should come as no surprise. Our nation was founded on taking things from others.\nWhat happened in 1492? Columbus discovered America. Well, on Oct. 12, 1942, Columbus sighted the Bahamas and, 15 days later, ran into Cuba. Still, Columbus founded America and jammed a flag into the soil and claimed it for the queen. Thus our land was discovered.\nIt doesn't matter people were already here, or that Leif Erickson had been here half a millennium earlier. Columbus discovered it. Note the word usage here. Discovered is a verb meaning "to assume ownership of without the due process of law."\nThis is a great idea! Why did I pay $523.87 for books this semester when I could have explored the bookstore and discovered them?\nWas Hernando Cortés thinking about things like laws and ethics when he was killing the people of Mexico in 1519? No! He was discovering the land! It didn't matter that people lived there or that the Aztecs had a flourishing civilization. All that mattered was that Cortés wanted the land and riches.\nI, for one, plan on embracing the spirit of the great explorers of the past. Why should I do things like buy a car when I can go to any respectable parking lot and discover a Mercedes?\nThat's it. I'm going out, right now, to make some flags and I'm going to go discover myself a really nice manor a few miles outside of town with some land and a nice big lake …\nOh wait, I have to respect the rights of others. Maybe somebody should tell the government.