Google: Why so long to do what's obviously right? Four months to pull down terrorist training videos?

Google's motto 'Don't be evil' appears to be more PR and folklore than real ethical guidance for Google.

How could it possibly take Google almost four months to decide to act against one of the most obvious, pervasive, and painfully real 'evils' in the world today --  hateful, unabashed, terrorist organizations like al Qaida committed to destroying America?

• In May, when the Senate Homeland Security Chairman asked Google in a formal letter what most every American would think was a perfectly reasonable and important request -- to take down any YouTube videos that promote terrorism against innocents --
  • Google's instinctive and near immediate formal response was to stiff arm this legitimate Government request -- exposing Google's true colors and skewed ethical compass -- Google's purported "don't be evil" morality notwithstanding. 
• The AP reports that Google just agreed to have its YouTube subsidiary take down videos that promote or incite terrorism or incite others to commit violent acts. 
  • Thank you Google for finally doing what's obviously right by any reasonable American's ethical compass.
    • But why did it take you so very long to 'do the right thing' on a matter of life and death, and war and peace?
    • How many lives were put at risk by Google's confounding, irresponsible intransigence over the last four months, because of Google's instinctual recalcitrance and arrogance that Google's ethical screen was always superior to others'? 

Unfortunately, this is not the first instance where Google ignored its ethical obligation to help prevent the enabling and emboldening of terrorists to harm innocents.

• The Guardian reported in October of 2007 how "Google Earth was used to target Israel" by terrorists.  

Bottom line: This recent, obvious and serious ethical lapse by Google exposes a real flaw in Google's operating philosophy, code of ethics, internal controls and leadership.

• It's sad that it took the national focus and remembrance of the seventh anniversary of '9-11' to prompt Google to finally do the right thing.