We are living in a dangerous, fast changing world.
Machines now dominate the lives of Americans and are also very useful tools to terrorists all over the world.
Last night former President Bill Clinton nailed it:
BILL CLINTON: “The explosion of information technology, and other factors, has made power more defuse. ((EDIT)) The bad news is, technology can go to ISIS and they can become adroit on the social media, and all of sudden you see two Austrian teenage girls picked up at the airport trying to go there and blow people up for them.”
Mr. Clinton saying that ISIS, al Qaeda and other killers can now recruit online, instill fear online and instantly publicize their homicidal exploits worldwide.
Yesterday ISIS showed pictures of captured British national John Cantlie.
Cantlie was forced to make a propaganda video and is in grave danger of losing his life.
As you know, ISIS has already beheaded James Foley, Steven Sotloff and David Haines.
The fact that they are now torturing Mr. Cantlie speaks for itself.
And the worst part of the internet intrusion is that no one can stop it.
The terrorists have an enormous amount of power right at their fingertips.
On the home front, Home Depot has just announced that is has been hacked, and 56 million shoppers now have their information in cyberspace.
That comes on the heels of Target being hacked.
Hackers have stolen explicit photos from more than one hundred celebrities.
Chinese hackers have stolen information from U.S. military contractors and American companies.
Edward Snowden stole national security secrets, which were put out on the net, endangering the lives of American operatives all over the world.
Snowden remains in Russia protected by Putin.
On a more personal note, millions of American children are addicted to their cell phones, personal computers and laptops.
They can access almost anything.
They can see the worst kind of pornography and violence, and there is little parents can do to stop it. This is a huge problem.
There is no question that for all the benefits of the net, evil is now flourishing there.
As American children become adults, their interpersonal skills will be far less than in past generations.
Narcissism thrives in cyber-space. It's all about me because I hold in my hand all I need to know.
In the future, those who reject the online addiction will prosper. Those who succumb to it will fail.
We are looking at a brave new world, and believe me, you're going to have to be brave to endure it.
And that's the memo.