The elderly are especially at risk of various scams and frauds perpetrated by those without conscience that understand the mechanisms by which they can profit from those unable to properly handle their own affairs. In his declining years my grandfather had a home in Redondo Beach, but being fiercely independent all his life continued to try to handle his own affairs long past the time he was physically able to do so. But eventually he was forced to have someone come in to do essential household chores for him as many of the elderly, especially those living alone, often do.

Circumstances of geography often prevent family members from helping their elderly loved ones, and such was the case with my grandfather. But when he passed away, much to my dismay I found the “housekeeper” had forged a deed on his home. Eventually by much dogged effort and expense on my part, including hiring a lawyer which should not have been necessary, the miscreant was eventually brought to justice. But equally to my dismay the DA involved told me his office handled hundreds of such cases on a monthly basis, that they were “routine” throughout southern California! Further, I could count myself among the more fortunate that had the education, the means and perseverance to pursue the case involving my grandfather to its satisfactory conclusion. I learned many such cases do not reach such a satisfactory conclusion and quite often the thieves are successful. In some cases, even if the thieves are caught their forgeries can cloud a title making it very difficult to clear the property involved.

Things have only become worse in the case of forgeries and counterfeiting over the years since the experience with my grandfather’s home. The problems of identity theft for example are increasing at an exponential rate, and even the Social Security numbers of children are being stolen, a theft that may not be discovered until the child reaches an age where they are employed.

The blame for such things is properly laid on a government that rewards incompetence, a government such as we have been forced to endure that puts people in charge of agencies on the basis of political connections rather than competence. How many teachers for example are forced to endure incompetent administrators in much the same way as We the People are forced to endure those in charge of intelligence agencies that don’t even know how to turn on a computer, let alone use one! “A Nation At Risk” made the point long ago concerning the failure of our schools, but nothing was done to correct the situation because of this inbred incompetence of the universities and all government agencies.

But let anyone in the lower echelons of government agencies call attention to incompetence, even outright malfeasance on the part of those in charge and they find themselves looking for another job. And despite all the laws purporting to protect whistle-blowers, black lists are maintained and often prevent future employment. And when it is made so painfully obvious politicians in particular never hold their own to account, our whole nation suffers as a result of this thoroughgoing lack of accountability.

Like the conscienceless thieves preying on the elderly, corrupt politicians are stealing wholesale from We the People for power and profits to satisfy their corporate masters; and there seems to be nothing we can do about it. Why? Because America is in the hands of terrorists! But instead of using bombs, the terrorists in America use lawyers! And the ACLU is by this definition a terrorist organization! And unlike the simple expedient of Muslim terrorists using bombs, this organization with its deep pockets funded by taxpayers who foot the bill in many cases uses lawyers to intimidate and whip into line all those who oppose the organization.

Virtually no knowledgeable person is unaware of the fact that America is the most litigious nation in the world. I was once sued by a “professional litigant” that had 22 cases to her credit in the same year she decided to make me one of her victims. Fortunately for me, as with the case of the attempted theft of my grandfather’s home, I had the education and perseverance to succeed against her. But it still cost me money and time to succeed, money and time that by definition was extorted from me in order to defend myself.

No matter what you do as a law abiding citizen of America, if you have means and property, if you try to run a small business eventually you are going to face the unscrupulous that will sue you. Quite often such suits are what are called “nuisance suits” brought by professional litigants or even worse by “professional victims” that have the resources of taxpayer funded lawyers forcing responsible people to defend themselves out of their own pockets.

But it isn’t always the money these terrorist/lawyers are after. Sometimes it is a matter of silencing opposition to their political agendas. Unlike bombs, the means of these terrorists include lawsuits, black lists, insults, threats, obfuscation, character assassination and such. McCarthyism is alive and well, practiced by terrorist/lawyers. Do yourself a favor and get out your dictionary and look at the words terrorist and terrorism before accusing me of overdrawing the theme of American Terrorists: Lawyers!

Fortunately for America, these terrorist/lawyers have not silenced all dissent. For example, those that believe a Menorah should be equated with a Christmas tree should read Michael Medved’s column today from which the following is excerpted:

The Real Hanukah: A Celebration of the Religious Right. By Michael Medved, Wednesday, December 13, 2006: Who are the bad guys in the Hanukah story? And who are the good guys? These are serious questions with serious consequences. Most Jews (and certainly most Christians) dismiss the winter holiday as a trivial, feel-good festival about candles, potato pancakes, spinning tops (dreidls),and eight nights of gifts, without coming to terms with its serious, relevant and distinctly uncomfortable messages. While frequently (and fatuously) described as a “celebration of tolerance,” Hanukah is more properly designated as an annual re-dedication to the values of the Religious Right. No wonder that so many American Jews (with their reflexive, often ignorant liberal instincts) refuse to acknowledge the real Hanukah and its politically incorrect messages. In last week’s Washington Post, a householder from Potomac, Maryland named Kenneth Nechin proudly explained that his home attempts to honor the “deeper meaning” of the holiday: “Religious tolerance, the freedom to practice religion, minorities overcoming majorities who are trying to take your rights away.” Actually, far from celebrating “diversity” or “tolerance” or “respect for every faith,” Hanukah (the name means “dedication” in Hebrew) marks a singular display of intolerance-- when religious zealots, exalting the values of “that old time religion,” came into the Temple in Jerusalem and drove out all alternate, “creative” forms of worship. In the “For the Miracles” (Al HaNissim) prayer recited at least three times a day by religious Jews during the eight days of the festival, we salute this uncompromising assertion of absolute truth: “Your children came to the Holy of Holies of Your House, cleansed Your Temple, purified the site of your Holiness and kindled lights in the Courtyards of Your Sanctuary.” No, the fervently faithful rebels did not assign a special area for other religious impulses as part of some ancient commitment to multiculturalism…