May 2, 2010, - 8:09 pm
Lance Horton & Duane Jackson, American Heroes: Alert Vendors Saw NYC Bomb; Don’t Ignore the Cassandras
Regardless of who is responsible for the now-defused terrorist bomb in New York City’s busy Times Square (and Pakistan’s branch of the Taliban, is now claiming responsibility), we know who is responsible for discovering the bomb in time and alerting authorities: Lance Horton, a Vietnam Veteran and vendor in the area. He and fellow Vietnam Vet, Duane Jackson, flagged down New York Police officer, Wayne Rhatigan, who took him seriously.
Lance Horton, Duane Jackson:
Observant Vietnam Vets Discovered Times Square Bomb
These alert Americans, Horton and Jackson, who served their country in one war and now in another are the reasons the bomb did not detonate, whether or not it would have done great damage (a matter now being debated) or is a diversion from a far worse future attack. Make no mistake, they likely saved hundreds, or even thousands, of American lives.
Both Horton and Jackson noticed the illegally parked Nissan Pathfinder with its blinkers on and heard the popping sound in the vehicle. It turned out they were right to be concerned, as the car contained fireworks and three propane tanks, gun powder, gasoline, and fertilizer.
While we’ve been told to be alert for explosives dressed as stray packages (something they’ve had to do for decades in Israel) and suspicious neighbors, all too often those who’ve been on the alert have been dismissed by authorities and the mainstream media as crackpots.
The same goes for those who are concerned about the growing Islamic presence in America. Liberals and conservatives alike dismiss those on the alert for them are also dismissed as crazies. (Interestingly, ABC News reporter, Ron Claiborne, in the report above, is a complete hypocrite, as he is part of this dismissive crowd of idiots, constantly pandering to American Muslims involved in terrorist-related activity. Claiborne’s fave word is “Islamophobia.”)
Sadly, in many instances, they are vindicated after it’s already too late. This was the case for the 9/11 hijackers who, themselves, gave so many hints they were trouble. But most of the Americans who encountered them didn’t want to be dismissed as nuts. So they said nothing.
Those who said something have often been ridiculed and attacked. A sharp South Carolina sheriff’s deputy, who stopped and discovered suspicious behavior and fishy stories told by two Muslim alien students, Ahmed Mohamed and Yousef Megahed, later discovered pipe bombs in their car. Even though one of the men pleaded guilty to involvement in terrorist activity (and the other was acquitted as a result of incompetent federal prosecutors and a dumbass OJ-style jury sypathetic to Muslims), the sheriff’s deputy, James Lamar Blakely, was ridiculed and persecuted by superiors, even though his actions stopped a terrorist plot that apparently involved an attack on New York City using diving gear.
And now we have Lance Horton and Duane Jackson. They were alert and suspicious of what is an every day occurrence in New York–an illegally parked car with its blinkers on.
And they were right.
New Yorkers and tourists in and around Times Square are lucky that Horton’s and Jackson’s suspicions were heeded by police, and that he wasn’t just another Cassandra–the Greek goddess who warned of future events, but was always dismissed until it was too late and events proved her correct.
Three cheers for Messrs. Horton and Jackson for sticking their necks out. They are heroes (in Horton’s case, one who wants little attention, though he certainly deserves it). Hopefully, their actions will discourage future naysayers from dismissing those of us who warn of these kinds of things on American soil.
Sadly, I predict it won’t. Call me Cassandra, too. I know I’m right. And so do you.
Plus, now the two of them will probably get sued by the Council on American-Nissan Pathfinder Relations for discrimination and NissanPathophobia.
Tags: ABC News, al-Qaeda, alert, bomb, Cassandra, Duane Jackson, Heroes, Islam, Islamic, Islamic Terrorism, Lance Horton, Muslim, New York, New York City, Nissan Pathfinder, Pakistan, propane, Ron Claiborne, Taliban, terrorist, Times Square, Vietnam Veterans, Wayne Rhatigan
Fireworks and three propane tanks? That’s enough to kill several people. The fact that it is being debated … well I hate to play this card considering my own politics, but had the same been in the possession of right wing Jewish settlers in Gaza, or of a Tea Party fellow who happened to be parked where Obama or Pelosi were giving a speech, there would be no debate whatsoever: it would be considered an attempted terrorist attack, plain and simple.
G: AMEN (plus there was also gun powder and gasoline). DS
Gerald on May 2, 2010 at 8:34 pm