Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife Tasheem Malik carried out a finely plotted plan to kill as many people as possible last December while the unsuspecting victims-to-be enjoyed a Christmas party on the premises of their employer in San Bernardino.

Ultimately Farook and Malik killed 14 people and physically wounded many others. The ones scarred psychologically and emotionally is an untallied number.

The victims were co-workers who welcomed Farook and his family into the workplace and their hearts. They even threw a baby shower for Farook and Malik.

All for not. These kind, good, non-bigoted people were just infidels who must be wiped from the face of the Earth.

The murderers didn’t do all of the damage they intended. A bomb device planted in another part of the building failed to detonate.

When authorities got involved, the result was the death of both of these terrorists. Bravo. The world is a far better place for their deaths.

During the ongoing, exhaustive investigation process, Farook’s cell phone was located.

And that’s where the next unbelievable hurdle came in.

Apple, the manufacturer, refused to help the investigating agencies. They cited users’ privacy. Yep, public safety, the greater good be damned. Protecting the cell phone of mass-murdering terrorists took precedence over our government’s investigative agencies getting information that could lead to a bigger picture and facts that could protect the lives of Americans.

Litigation ensued, and Apple stood strong, albeit arrogantly, with CEO Tim Cook at the helm. They wouldn’t even get the information themselves and give it to the government.

Some critics say this stance is about being a good marketing tool. In other words, we “protect” everyday Joe, whom no one cares about, over worldwide terrorism at all costs.

Then the script changed.

The government found someone or some entity to crack the data; now the shoe is on the other foot.

Apple has been enjoying the limelight with its position. Now they are hypocritical beggars. They want the government’s information, and the government isn’t stepping up to provide it.

Apple’s attorneys are researching ways to force the government to hand over details.

Audacity comes to mind.

Apple suddenly had the impudence to assert the government has “a moral obligation” to disclose specifics.

Astounding. Apple, in its head, had no moral obligation to disclose data used by a terrorist on his work cell phone, which actually was the property of San Bernardino County, the employer.

What if there is information on that phone showing communications and a plan to perform other mass killings at a mall, school or some other public building? What a sad scenario, considering what that could possibly result in many more deaths and maiming.

Now that the hand has changed, cyber security specialists are on the bandwagon for the government to spill its beans. Only now is undisclosed information a matter of “putting innocent users at risk.”

Obviously Apple’s claim is that its needs the info to take the steps to close the gap that allowed the professional access. Naturally, Apple would tighten up again, and more terrorists can buy their phones.

Apple wasted opportunities to provide the data specific to the subject terrorist’s phone, and now it’s whining.

What happened to “benefit the greater good?”

Betty Arenson has lived in the SCV since 1968 and describes herself as a conservative who’s concerned about progressives’ politics and their impacts on the country, her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She says she is unashamed to own a gun or a Bible, couldn’t care less about the color of the president’s skin, and demands that he uphold his oath to protect and follow the Constitution of the United States in its entirety.