War skeptic on terrorism, drugs, poverty

It seems since September 11, almost everyone and their mothers have become what I like to call “born-again patriots.” With the abundance of U.S. car flags, the sudden re-emergence of Lee Greenwood, and even rappers getting into the swing of things (see Petey Pablo’s USA version of “Raise Up”), it seems to be totally chic to be blindly patriotic.
However, this is one American citizen that is more than a little skeptical of this new war being waged. Now before some of you give me the “you should be thanking the Lord that you live in the United States of America” speech, allow me to state my case.
Remember when President George W. “Pretzel Boy” Bush basically said the government will go after terrorists and the nations that harbor them? The thing that got me was that he somewhat conveniently omitted the United States of America.
The constant discussion of al-Qaida in the news kind of shifts our attention away from individuals and/or groups in the U.S. that have terrorized Americans for years. I really just want to know whether the government will go after American terrorists based in the U.S. with the same zeal they appear to have when it comes to fighting foreign terrorists.
Almost as soon as the networks dubbed Operation Enduring Freedom as the “War on Terrorism,” I started thinking about a couple of wars the U.S. has declared. The “War on Poverty” officially started in 1964. I still see poor people everywhere I go. Let’s not forget about the “War on Drugs.” Nowadays it may be easier to get some drugs than to get work-study for a semester.
By judging the government’s performance from the other two “wars,” it seems that the prospects of winning a war against terrorism are grim. As long as people want to get high or stoned, there will always be drugs and the “War on Drugs” will continue. As long as opportunities for a better life become few and far between, there will always be poverty and the “War on Poverty” will continue. If there are people that want to use terror tactics to impose their will on others, then there will always be terrorism and the “War on Terrorism” will continue.