Understanding the Enemy

Let me ask you something: Do you want to get inside Charles Manson's head and understand why he did the things he did?

I don't.

But a guest on my show does: The Heritage Foundation's James Carafano argues that we owe it ourselves to understand why so many terrorists hate this country.

Jim's a good man. But unfortunately, we're talking about bad guys, evil guys.

I don't know about you, but I have no interest in having a cup of tea with Chuck.

I have even less in devoting so much as a cup of spit to the attacks of Sept. 11.

Sometimes evil is evil and a nut is a nut.

Only in America can someone try to kill us and we turn it around and surmise, "Well, it has to be us."

Newsflash: It's not. It's them.

It’s not all of them. Not the ones who hate Western culture. But it’s the ones who ram planes into buildings, because they hate Western culture.

Look, you don't like our movies, don't watch our movies.

You don't enjoy capitalism, enjoy your tent.

But for those who get your jollies beheading captives, shooting innocents, storming passenger planes and otherwise losing your minds, I say, lose any hope of understanding and dialogue from us.

You don't deserve it. We're not going to give it.

Look, kindness and understanding goes to those who have the power to exercise the same, not for those who exercise evil.

And, the last time I checked, ramming planes into buildings like terrorists, or condoning the butchering of a pregnant actress like Charlie Manson... that's evil. That's nuts. That's crazy. That's it.

I'm all for self-examination. But this kind of self-damning talk makes me wonder whether something else isn't required: a lobotomy.

Watch Neil Cavuto weekdays at 4 p.m. ET on "Your World with Cavuto" and send your comments to cavuto@foxnews.com