"God's Gonna Cut You Down" - Johnny Cash (2006)

This is for the person, or persons, responsible for the carnage in Boston last week. Johnny Cash, who was an anti-war activist during Vietnam, expresses his outrage here over those who work so hard to make our existence in this life a hell on earth. Sometimes, a little fire and brimstone is appropriate.

You can run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Sooner or later God'll cut you down
Sooner or later God'll cut you down

Go tell that long tongue liar
Go and tell that midnight rider
Tell the rambler, the gambler, the back biter
Tell 'em that God's gonna cut 'em down
Tell 'em that God's gonna cut 'em down

Well my goodness gracious let me tell you the news
My head's been wet with the midnight dew
I've been down on bended knee
talkin' to the man from Galilee

He spoke to me in the voice so sweet
I thought I heard the shuffle of the angel's feet
He called my name and my heart stood still
When he said, "John go do My will!"

Go tell that long tongue liar
Go and tell that midnight rider
Tell the rambler, the gambler, the back biter
Tell 'em that God's gonna cut 'em down
Tell 'em that God's gonna cut 'em down

You can run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Sooner or later God'll cut you down
Sooner or later God'll cut you down

Well you may throw your rock and hide your hand
Workin' in the dark against your fellow man
But as sure as God made black and white
What's done in the dark will be brought to the light

You can run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Sooner or later God'll cut you down
Sooner or later God'll cut you down

Go tell that long tongue liar
Go and tell that midnight rider
Tell the rambler, the gambler, the back biter
Tell 'em that God's gonna cut you down
Tell 'em that God's gonna cut you down
Tell 'em that God's gonna cut you down.

Jerry Orr and the TSA - Brothers in Incompetence

Imagine for a moment, if you will, standing in line at the Airport, shoes in hand, pockets emptied, ticket and boarding pass, along with your drivers license at the ready, next in line to be electronically scanned, or sexually assaulted, in order to board the plane for which you have purchased a ticket. You have no criminal record and no ties to any terrorist organizations. All is well.

Suddenly, crashing through the window of the terminal comes a taxi cab, laden with explosives, detonating in an enormous blast which forever changes your life, as well as the lives of all the people who were, just moments before, standing in line with you.

Sounds a bit crazy, doesn't it? But it's not so far fetched. At least not here in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Charlotte-Douglas Airport, a major hub for air travel in the United States, has had it's share of troubles as of late. First, there was the boy in the wheel well of a plane, who managed to gain access to the tarmac, and fly to Boston, where he fell to his death. As of this writing no changes have been made at the airport in regards to the safety of the runways. And no one is responsible for that breach of security. I know this for a fact. I have called the TSA at Charlotte-Douglas Airport. They informed me that it was the provence of Charlotte Douglas Airport and it's Director, Jerry Orr, to deal with external security measures. Naturally, when I called the airport, they were not allowed to comment, due to security reasons.

Now we have some more fascinating news from Charlotte-Douglas Airport, regarding security, and once again a surprising lack of interest, or understanding, upon the part of the TSA.

This latest problem stems from the fact that Jerry Orr, Director of Charlotte-Douglas Airport, has awarded a contract to 2 cab companies, Royal and King Cab, both of Charlotte. There seems to be nothing unusual about this, until you scratch the surface. Two owners of the companies, who are brothers, have both served time for a felony. Okay, Jerry Orr takes the position that these men have served their time and are thus free to participate in all aspects of society again, including negotiating, and obtaining, contracts to run cabs out of Charlotte-Douglas Airport. Again, there seems to be nothing wrong with this scenario, until you once again, scratch the surface.

Just what was the crime that the brothers, Javed and Naheed Kashmary, were found guilty of in Federal Court in 2007? They conspired to obtain 40 phony driver's licenses, a tool which is indispensable if you are planning to drive bomb laden cars into the airport.

I'm not saying that the brothers Kashmary are planning any type of terrorist act. And even if they were, they would just be doing their jobs. But the task of the TSA, and the mandate of Jerry Orr, as Director of Charlotte-Douglas Airport, is to look beyond the surface and do more than just go through the motions of doing their jobs. The primary goal, for which they are paid, is to protect you and I. To that end, they are both failing.

Charlotte Mayor Pro-Tem Patrick Cannon gets it. He has called for a delay on the awarding of the contracts to the Kashmary brothers. He wants it put to a vote of the Charlotte City Council. He is to be commended for this stance. Call him and let him know that you agree with his measured approach to this sensitive issue. Here is his number: 704-336-3380.

The other contact numbers which I used in preparing this article are as follows;

Terry Stanton of the TSA. His number is 704-916-3328.

Terry Burgess of the TSA. He is the Assistant Director of Security Compliance. His number is 704-916-3322.

Jerry Orr, Director of Charlotte-Douglas Airport. His number is 704-359-4013.

For the record, I was unable to obtain any logical, or sensible answers to my questions. And remember, we pay these people. Now, if I disappear suddenly and without warning, you will know why.

The Boy Who Fell From the Sky - A True Story of the TSA

Last month a 17 year old boy fell from the sky in Boston. This was a very unusual incident, as young men do not ordinarily fall from the skies. But fall he did, onto a street in a suburb of Boston, Mass., where people became rightfully indignent about where the boy had come from. After all, in this day of plunging real estate values, one must be sure to protect the neighborhood from incidents such as these, which only serve to further depress home values in the area. And so, an investigation was launched.

The boy in question was from Charlotte, North Carolina. Apparently he had stowed away in the wheel well of a jet, which would be going to Boston. His body was found along the flight path leading to the airport, lending credence to the theory of his having stowed away. He had been attending high school here in Charlotte, where the school system is under funded and teachers are being laid off, even while new schools are being built. So nobody told this young man that it’s minus 20 degrees at 30,000 feet. But this is not the point of the story.

While this young man was busy climbing a fence, dodging the perimeter patrols which surround the airport, and then stowing away in the wheel well of a jet, thousands of people inside the terminal at Charlotte Douglas International Airport were busy disrobing and emptying their pockets for our collective "safety." Am I the only one upset by this?

The illusion of security will not stop a single determined suicide bomber or terrorist. Terrorists are not stupid, just misguided in their beliefs. So, if a 17 year old high school student can figure out how to elude the external security of the airport, reaching all the way to the airplane itself, how hard will it be for a trained and determined terrorist?

I called the Airport a few weeks back to ask how this happened. TSA said the external security is not part of their mission. The Airport is responsible for that. The Airport Security Office would not comment, beyond stating that it was the responsibility of the local Police. The local Police deny this. They state, rightfully so, that the security of the airport is the responsibility of the airport.

It’s sad that this young man had to fall to his death for some unknown reason. But his fall should serve as a notice to all that you are not one iota safer today than you were before 9/11.

Amerika - 2010

Rooftop Reviews (me) makes all attempts to stay out of the political arena whenever possible. But the events of these last few weeks have compelled me to break my silence in this regard.

It is said that a picture speaks a thousand words, and so I will let this photograph do the talking for me. I will, however, add that I never thought I would live to see the day that old men, women and children would be systematically lined up and striped, not merely of their clothing, but of their dignity as well.