Confronting the Evil

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Confronting the Evil
by Robert Yoho, Columnist and Senior Editor

March 28, 2003

"Eye on Conservatism"

Columnist Robert Yoho From time to time, I believe it is good for the civilized people of the world to stare at the horrors of war and the evils occasionally inflicted upon humanity by the bloody hands of evil men. We have seen many of these nearly unspeakable acts in the past week; the parading of brave but frightened POWs in front of a camera and the display of obviously executed prisoners.

No doubt some of the world will find these images repulsive. Some of us will quickly turn our eyes from the carnage. Part of the world—the French and the Germans, in particular—will simply try to convince themselves and others that it didn’t truly happen.

Most people do not have the capacity to focus on these events indefinitely. They will change the channel to a sitcom or anything to remove these images from their mind. They just cannot sustain the emotional level that these images evoke. Still, it is good for us to look upon them—to face them, for as long we can! Man needs to see it. It is beneficial to be confronted with it. It is instructive to learn that barbarism and genocide continue to occur.

By staring into the face of evil, we come to appreciate the good that exists in much of the world. By seeing these ghastly images, we remember and once again cherish the blessings of liberty. That is why the Holocaust Museum had to be built—not because we want to see these images, but because we need to.

The treatment of our POWs is in no way surprising to me. The actions of the Iraqis are entirely consistent with an evil and oppressive regime. If you had any lingering doubts about the treachery of Saddam’s legions, then you have to look no further than their abuse of our POWs—then and now! The Iraqi military officials beat our prisoners in the Gulf War. They starved them. They let them dwell in their own vomit and human feces. They raped our female captives. No doubt some of our American POWs were brutally executed. And in the case of pilot Scott Speicher, one of them may still exist in Iraqi captivity. These horrendous acts of violence and others will be revisited on the American military personnel who fall into the hands of the Iraqi thugs.

It should come as no surprise to anyone that evil men commit evil acts. History is replete with the examples. It also teaches us that these acts of human depravity had to be stopped by the hostile actions of gentle men. And the lives lost in the pursuit of liberty are truly lives well spent.

Evil never dies. It is never purged from our society. Whenever good triumphs, the evil just takes up residence in another body. It is simply reincarnated in someone else. The Hitlers of this world are never destroyed. Their spirit just gives birth to the Saddams and Bin Ladens who follow them.

As coalition forces get closer to Baghdad, it is certain that the fighting will intensify. Evil does not yield its gains easily. If Saddam is still alive, then his most able-bodied troops will be covering his ugly, sadistic, and gutless backside. When dictators sense the end is near for them, then nobody—friend or foe alike—is safe from their treachery.

Hitler’s "final solution" involved the mass extermination of an entire race. Only time will tell what Saddam’s final solution will be. Perhaps it will involve the use of chemical weapons that Hussein has already employed on his own people. It is also quite likely that he will dress his troops in American uniforms, then broadcast the images to the world of "coalition forces" engaged in the systematic slaughter of innocent civilians.

It is for these reasons that—if he is still alive—Saddam and his sons should be promptly dispatched to hell! And that is another image we need to see.

As I stated earlier: It is good to confront the evil in this world. We need to see it, to stare into its face, and most of all, to never forget. ***

Photo of Robert Yoho courtesy of staff files