MORE THAN JUST A CNN VIEWPOINT
I share your sadness and grief, and I cannot help but to think that it saddens me even further that "our" society can ignore so much oppression and horror that occurs in this world on a day to day basis... and now all those "other" problems, the AIDS pandemic, poverty in the North and South, the many conventional wars being waged will be once more forgotten and the social, political, cultural values that have maintained this cruel and unequal system will further be reinforced. It takes death to open our eyes but our hands and feet must follow. We can open our eyes and see what is wrong but if our daily routines do not change, nothing will.
Those who focus on the people in power seek it for themselves...Those who focus on the power in people seek it for everyone.
I am sure many have responded to the essay that you wrote, and I feel it is appropriate for me to respond as well. First of all, thank you for the courage of your words. In my mind what we need right now is not only the tightening of boarder crossings but personal, heartfelt analysis of not only what happened on Tuesday but more to the point what are we going to do about it. It is my firm belief that we need to have these discussions amongst our friends and families. We need to express what is inside of us not only to help purge the visual toxins which we have ingested but to seek a replacement for the hole that they have created. And let us be reminded that mercy is not weakness but one of the fundamental tenants of humanity.
======================================================================================
Good Morning Vietnam,
So the situation is going to be a wonderful movie one day, Pearl Harbor eat your heart out. When are the 'relocation camps' going to be set up, or should we just run down Palestinian women in parking lots. If you scroll below, you will find a wonderful and enlightening set of words.. 'Fuck them- it doesn't matter. Shoot first and sort it out later'
Have we defined the enemy? No, let me help:
The Palestinians, the Taliban, the Muslims, the ethnic Albanians, the Protestants, the Catholics, the Spanish seperatists, the Czechnians, the invading Russians,
the Afghani's, the Macedonians, Israel, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Austria's Haider, George Bush, and the 1000 death warrants he signed, Turkey, the Kurds, Bin Laden
and the thousands of deaths he caused, NATO for killing my friends entire family in Bosnia.. and oh yeah the USA.
.. and no I did sit there thinking of that list for long, so don't correct my spelling.., pls. fell free to add those we should fuck, and shoot first.
Good luck: the hammer has dropped, get your popcorn, turn on CNN and watch the biggest terrorists of them all kill more civilians, bc. your are HELPLESS.
Whether you live in the great Democracies, Red China (as quoted from Forrest Gump), Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, India or Pakistan: YOU have no choice, but to duck
when the bombs come your way.
Have I provided you with a solution, no I haven't. Just the idea, that perhaps we are going to shoot, and by we I mean the world, but we don't even know who we
are going to shoot. The innocent have now become the victims, both in America and soon in the Middle East. We will get some of the terrorists, but are the costs
right? Was the death toll to stop Milosovic right? Was the death toll to stop Saddam right...(well since the US can't stop bombing Iraq), was Vietnam right?
and will this be right? or are we going to isolate the innocent of the Middle East even more, creating further hatred and further violence?
Where is my popcorn?.....
======================================================================================
Words fail me when i try to convey what i feel. words are a huge part of my job; i lecture and teach, i write papers, i try to make things clear to
people, to explain ideas. now new york has two rectangular holes torn into her blue sky, and a gaping wound across her heart. last tuesday i saw
two beautiful, shimmering spires fall to earth, filled with beautiful, shimmering lives. and when i try to say how i feel, all my words are useless.
======================================================================================
No words can properly describe the horror and senselessness of the events at theworld trade center. However, when such events happen there should be a time for reflection. The shoot' em & nuke' em mentality espoused by some only shows their lack of emotional growth. Please excuse my ramble, the awful scene plus the inanity of the media has set me off
What drives 20-30 people to lay down their lives to drive home the message on the major symbols of the financial and military power of the U.S.??? Set aside for a moment that these are fanatics.... were the heros of WWII fanatics ?? No they were patriots dying for a cause they believed in. Was the bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima necessary? Yes, in order to save the lives of "our side". Right and wrong are dictated by the winning side.
The propaganda (in the guise of patriotism) and hubris of the media in the last few days is nauseating. I watched for close to nine hours before finding out that tower two had 54 minutes to get out and tower one had an hour and a half. Close to 75% of the coverage is technobabble. TV personalities asking other tv personalities what they thought of the events. Media scrums asking politicians who knew even less than the media ( as they were unable to watch CNN as they were giving an interview) . Repeats of the horrifics scenes of the crash until we were as desensitized as the jury in the Rodney King Trial. For what purpose? To improve their ratings Why was there no real analysis? How long did they get to evacuate? What truly caused the collapse of the towers. Less than 500 cases made it to each of the major hospitals. Thirty thousand body bags ordered but only 5000 casualties.
I was forwarded a lovely letter from a friend, in it, a woman who described her day before and the day of the suicide attack. Most of the letter described sheer happiness of the day before and her hopelessness of the day after. Imagine her sitting at home safe and sound watching the first part of the ten part miniseries "Brothers in arms"
with her family. Watching for entertainment a production which cost 120 million to produce showing men killing each other and then having to watch something which was real the next day. The glorification of war is acceptable and entertaining if it shows the winning side. But when real people die she asks how could they do this??
Americans spew an entertainment poison which in graphic detail show death, the macabre, physical rape, bombings aand even terrorist acts and then recoil in suprise when it happens in real life GIVE ME A BREAK. If you think this is the pinnacle of desruction wait until you children are grown. They will be so desensitized by the movies that this is just a hohum occurance. If you listen to some of the early sound tracks taken by home videographers you will hear cheering as well as screams of
horror. The desensitized are cheering.
How do you stop this cycle of murder mayhem and the entertainment of the "Roman masses" by providing excitement when death and destruction are its' main feature? It starts with you, my friend: refuse to go to movies which main reason for being is toentertain using death or the perverse. Tell your friends they are assholes for going to such stuff . There is nothing stronger than a friend telling a friend in no uncertain terms their view on life is wrong and perverse. There is nothing wrong by voting with your dollar and not going to an action movie. Actively discourage the " lets gettem" attitude of the Yankee way. Talk to your friends about how you would like a safe world and how it starts with them and you
======================================================================================
I as many others was caught dumbfounded at the events. Coming from Australia, a country which has never experienced an international war
on home soil and has never been invaded before, the events are almost too far to emphatise with. In fact I believe that may be the thoughts
of many Americans, how is this possible? And understandably the emotions that will fly around will be one of hate, revenge, shock and
protection of what you believe in and what you hold dear to you - as a broad generalisation.
However I would like to put a different point of view across. Having also lived in Malaysia for 10 years of my life, a mainly Muslim country
and one where the principles of Islam reign over all law at times I think those of the 'free world' need to put on the shoes of some of the
people in these countries for a short while. I personally condemn the western media as such and concur with --- in terms of showing
images of Palestine cheering and reports of similar things in Egypt. That blind money making news headlines in my humble opinion will do
more damage to humanity then the airplane crashes ever do.
Think about it from a Palestinian point of view for 1 minute. You have grown up in a state of continual war. You have heard stories or have
seen with your own eyes those close to you killed by war and violence. You have seen numerous peace talks fail. You believe that violence
is the only way of the world to get what you believe in. You are told by your sheltered media and political leaders that the cause of their
misery, and hardship as a country as a people is the western world of which America is the prime leader. Your children ask why are there
bombs? and you get told those that dont believe in god and what Islam stands for which is the right way are doing this to us to crush us and
drive us out of this world. The WTC disaster has seen the death of up to 10,000 in a country of countless millions. These countries have
seen the deaths of thousands and thousands of their people over decades and they only occupy a very small part of the world. You tell me
what you would think if you were them?
So what has the media effectively done. It has created two civilisations and countries that hate each other and despise the very values and
principles they each stand for. The ironic thing is that they both claim to be based on peace and freedom.
Have we not learned from history. Can our generation of leaders not remember the blind faith of countries that waged battle because their
leaders were able to influence them with propoganda and fear. Can they not see history repeating itself all over again and we as the civilians
of the world this time once again will be the victims and not the leaders.
To those in America I do not claim that I can emphatise with your loss. I do not claim that I have a right to tell your country to be the bigger
one and move towards peace rather than try to create it with violence. But tell me what will be the best case scenario? When has war ever
been as easy as lets go in and wipe them out and stamp it out? Look at the Gulf War, Vietnam, Palestine? Battles have been won yes but
what about the war? Do the people in those countries believe any more in peace or have learnt from their mistakes? All they have learnt is
that they cannot retaliate against a power like America if they want to live. But they will wait yes they will. They will wait till the next golden
opportunity and then move to counterattack and get revenge as well. Then what next time. It was WTC this time with a plane. What
happens if next time it is a nuclear bomb in the middle of New York. Or what about if it is in Europe or the UK? Nato is talking about
getting involved now so why will that rule them out of a retaliation. How are you going to convince a world of peace if they only know hate
and death. How are you going to convince these countries to become part of the global civilisation if you continue to blast them and kill their
families.
Yes the terrorists should be hunted down and removed. But how are you going to do that? How are you going to prevent the senseless
killing of innocent people. In my opinion, the media, the political leaders that are influenced by money and politics and make decisions based
on that are as bad as these terrorists. They perpetuate more violence and hatred then any people could do. Stamp that out, and maybe there
might be a chance. Impossible? then maybe we have already lost the war, the battle to preserve humanity.
======================================================================================
I can not describe my outrage and anger and frustration and sadness from what has happened....I can not comprehend it....and I condem it.
The media is playing dirty games by showing some palestinians celebrating the tragedic events ...Those people they have been kicked out of
their land and country by force and terror in 1948 and since then they have been living in refugee camps.... and they see infront of their eyes
that their return is impossible....They see that USA is blindly supporting Israel ....Just if someone live their situation one day might have an
idea about suffering....I wish the media carry the events that Muslims all over the world are condeming the terror against innocent civilians...I wish that media tell
the truth and does not blow things out of proportion.....
In Iraq it is estimated that more than 2 millions in less than 10 years have been killed most of them are kids under the age of 5 (from UN and
UNESCO)...Also it is estimated that, Iraq has been hit in few months by bombs equivalent in destruction to 400 times the nuclear bomb
thrown on Horishima....can you imagine the terror that people there were subject to?? and it is not over yet.....While Saddam and his family
and his gurads are living in luxury....the people are dying from hunger (so these sanctions are not against Saddam but against the people...)...
What I am saying I hope you do not consider as revenge....While I always call for separation between people and their government ....I can
not ethically and morally blame the innocent American people going to their work responsible for their administration arrogence (even if they
were elected officially contrary to the situation in Iraq for example where the people there are ruled by iron and steel)....
Inaddition, in Palestine....we have seen how the Israeli are exploiting these events in a very wicked and ugly way....and they launched severe
attacks killing more than 16 palestinians and saying it publicly "we have killed 16 palestinians ..nobody in the world said any word about
that"...this is their mentality....
Anyways, I hope It did not take alot of your time....my heart and prayers with all those who were affected and suffered.
======================================================================================
my personal response to the nyc terror was at first rage, but then realization with horror that this could lead us into another war. Of course we in the west look at this and think, what a cowardly act... however, we don't want to think about the fact that we've been sitting around for the last 10 years at least bombing Iraq from afar. Though in our minds it wasn't a 'war' the mentality in the middle east is understandably different. How could you not believe you're at war when you're being bombed all the time.
The problem with our view in the west is that we seem to think that in war everyone should play by our rules. So you have to get two armies (or more) and attack each other straight on. However, anyone with any brains as a strategist knows that no country in the middle east is capable of that... but then we're suprised when elements within the society find other ways to strike back. The US never lost a war to another army, but they were pushed out of Vietnam by guerilla attacks.
My greatest fear is that we'll be unable to change our mentality and make the effort to greater understand the middle east. Somebody has to be punished for what happened in nyc, but this has to be tempered with reconciliation with the middle east. We've treated them as an inferior people. If you treat another
person in that way, they will find a way to strike back, even if it's a sneak attack, so why are we surprised when a group as a whole acts the same way?
Don't take this as a defense of the actions of the individuals who committed the terrorism in new york. What they did was a horrible act... but I fear it's just the beginning unless we are willing to change our attitude towards them.
======================================================================================
I am sad, confused and in some moments desperade, the human race does not learn from his history. The past tells to us a lot of thinks that we do not want to listen becouse we think to be different or to be better than other. The only differenze is that time after time we are being more dangerous against ourself. In every part of the world every day people is killed, tortured in the name of some God or in the name of some different idea but with no rispect for the human beeing. The people is ignorant, do not understand what they have and how is important and delicate the life. It seems important only the war to survive against others.I am sorry but today I see all dark. Pray.
========================================================================================
Sorry ---but I totally agree with --- and hope no one actually reacts they way you think they should. It is a terrible situation and one that should never have happened. BUT, taking more INNOCENT is not the answer. Yes I believe anyone involved should be killed, hung, jailed, whatever. I do not believe a whole country and it's people should be singled out or attacked. This is the work of a group of people and not a religion. It is a very tense and dangerous sitation. My mother works at our mosque that is filled with Arab people and a school of about 500 kids. She has already recieved threatening phone calls and they were the target of a bomb threat years ago. The wrong people are being targeted here. FYI I am a muslim and our religion in the name itself Islam means PEACE. Anyone who says to kill in the name of our religion is not practicing his religion. He is using it as an excuse to act on his own personal feelings. Killing is not part of our religion. I totally agree with bringing the people involved in this tragedy to justice but two wrongs don't make it right any way you look at it! Everyone can argue this for ever at this this point but I just want to get a point across that "shooting first" is not the answer. I am extremely mad at what happened and I was ashamed to be a muslim when I saw the people celebrating in Palestine at the death of all those people. It sickened me but I guarantee it will be worse if retaliation is based only on hate and emotion. Just my thoughts and nothing personal towards anyone.
========================================================================================
Sorry but I cannot share in your tolerant views. You seem to be a lot more at peace with the situation than I can ever be. It might be anger, or emotions, or the fact that the event is still fresh in my mind, but I am very hurt by the events in NY and DC, and I am also angry. I believe this is an excellent opportunity for the US to strike back against the nations that target US civilians with terrorist attacks. Were they also to blame? Fuck them- it doesn't matter. Shoot first and sort it out later. I may seem a bit extremist in my views, but a lot of innocent people lost their lives here. More will lose their lives with the retalliation... but for a group that prides themselves on martyrdom, losing 3-5 people per hijacked plane is not enough to account for all the lives lost. They can stand to lose more of their supporters for their 'cause'.
========================================================================================
I hope that you are all well and safe after this sad, remarkable day. Forgive this email if it comes off at all preachy. I felt the need to connect to people I care about, and to express why I feel not only sad
and angry, but very confused tonight. Today the people of the United States have suffered a great tragedy. My first thoughts this morning were "enough's enough" and "let's bomb them back into the stone age."
But where does that get us? Will it make us feel better for five minutes? Probably. Will it solve the problem? No.
Remember that the Israeli government has been responding to terrorism with violence for 50 years. What has been the result? Even more terrorism. We cannot allow ourselves to become a state that exists in a continual cycle of tit for tat . . action and retribution. The code of Hammurabi may work for the Taliban, but we must be above it. I abhor everything that took place today, and I'm very angry. But I cannot reserve that anger for one group alone. I can spread it around. I am angry at:
1. Terrorism as an act, subhuman. 2. People that can celebrate death. ANY death. 3. Rogue states for sponsoring and abetting terrorism. 4. Israel for breaking every UN brokered peace deal of the last 50 years by continually expanding settlement, and shrinking the Palestinian homeland to a few miles of sand and rock. 5. Factious Palestinian groups (Islamic Jihad and others) for putting personal revenge goals ahead of the good of their people. 6. 50 years of US presidents for lying to us about what was really going on in the middle east, (Don't forget the USS Liberty! Israel napalmed American Soldiers!) simply so they could retain a bulwark against the encroachment of the red meanace. I'm not picking only on Israel. There is plenty of blame to go around (Khadafi, Hussein, Bin Laden, a number of Secretaries of State . . . take your pick.) 7. MYSELF, for the apathy and comfort which has allowed me to watch the world go to hell without raising my voice and fist in anger and protest. Let's be careful not to lash out at those that disagree, whatever our view.
Let us not lash out at our Arabic neighbors and coworkers. Many Arab-Americans who work in Manhattan were also victims of yesterday's violence. Does anyone doubt that their families also weep? Does anyone doubt that they feel the same sense of loss and outrage that we do? Please remember that every society, including our own, contains persons of goodwill that greatly outnumber any violent fanatics. In this time of grief, it is more important than ever to remember that we are all brothers, and mourn together.
Before the US takes action against those believed to be responsible, we would be well advised to remember the words of Benjamin Franklin. "Those who give up their Liberty to attain temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." Remember the rights of the innocent, and the constitutional right to due process. If ideas of revenge cause us to kill or injure innocent bystanders, then we are sacrificing that which makes us a great country. The US should act decisively, but with the ideals of our forefathers firmly in mind, and the facts on the table. We would all do well during these next days to ignore Orrin Hatch, and listen closely to John McCain. After listening to him today, I find him to be the most intelligent, tolerant and committed American politician of his generation.
If only he were in the White House instead of W, I would sleep a lot more soundly tonight. To better days, and a wish for peace to all the world. All my love."
========================================================================================
I'm trying to understand your opinion because in the past you always had what I have considered enlightened thoughts but, this time I think you are way off base. Even after a second read I can't help but believe you are espousing view points that are at best generalized idealism and at worst a philosophy that jeopardizes the safety of much of the world's citizens. It sounds like an oxymoron that military violence saves lives, but it does. Unfortunately, all to often you have to fight for peace and that�s why a "Peacemaker" is a pistol and "Peacekeepers" have blue helmets and an assault rifles.
It is asinine to say that the foreign policies of the U.S. should be held with equal responsibility to mass murdering terrorists. And to single out the US for having interventionist policies is missing the point that the US are almost certainly supported by many other nations before they take interventionist actions. Did the US invaded Iraq alone? Hell no, they did it with the support of nations from across the world as they were in their contributions to military actions in Somalia, Croatia, etc.
As a result of the "West's" foreign policies rogue nations are now fearful of the reprisal that would come if they took up arms and invaded their weaker neighbors, killing and destroying as they go. Even within sovereign nations, leaders know that the rest of the world will not sit back if they decide to displace or exterminate a portion of their society for whatever reasons of ethnicity or religion.
There must be dozens of shit crazy leaders of nations out there that would love to take over their neighbor, or exterminate their rival religion. And even though they often could they won't because they know that they don't have the biggest stick on the block. Interventionist and peacekeeping activities have saved lives by the thousands (tens, hundreds of thousands?) not only in the countries where they act in but in the countries that don't pull shit like Hussein or Milosovich did because they know that they won't get away with it. Your "FEAR of the powers that be are leading our society to place where aggression and hated is an accepted practice." Bullshit. I think the nations of this world have made it quite clear that such aggression will not be tolerated. You may call it being a bully but it saves lives. And we all must continue to do so.
The down side of saving all these lives is it pisses some people off. It is often seen as arrogance. It supports the belief that might is right. And you are right that it drives some of the craziest to terrorism.
But what is worst of all these terrorists believe they can get away with it, and I hope they are wrong. I hope they all find the just end of a "Peacemaker", and the sooner the better. My last hope is that these terrorists are just a fringe group and we save some bullets.
By the way, what whacked media are you referring to that is "portraying an entire religion as a culprit"? Through all the time I have been watching the news or reading about this tragedy (which far dwarfs the amount of time I've spent working) I have yet to see anything that suggested, "America Under Attack... by Islam". I am very impressed that the media is predominantly going well out of their way to avoid labeling the attack a result of any broad religion, culture or nationality. By suggesting that our media is being so inflammatory and so narrow minded is an insult to what has been a commendable effort to not misplace hate and to being objective by those reporting on the tragic events of Tuesday and all of us trying to cope with the aftermath.
I think it is the only the dumb, deaf and blind that try to ignore terrorism in the hope that it will go away by itself. Terrorism must be attacked and a message must be made that the world will not accept it. Violence will ensue. People will die. But in the end, every terrorist killed represents multiples more of innocent lives saved. And that is worth fighting for.
========================================================================================
We must understand right off the bat, the actual war is between large corporate entities (cartels) and religious fundamentalists, both of which our globe can do without. No question the acts are cowardly, and innocent people have been lost. A less evolved culture would support a government that retaliates with force. I think we inherently know that counter violence will lead us to further carnage and terrorism. The world is changing, war is changing and its time for the upper crust of society to speak out against our barbaric ways of counter attack. The US's foreign policies are just as much to blame as the terrorists who committed these useless acts. A branch of my cousins business was completely wiped out on the 83rd floor, a close family friend was stuck in the building until 2am and my sister now lives in Washington DC. Needless to say this even has hit's home, even from across the country.
NATURAL LAW - ANY EFFECT IS THE RESULT OF THE CAUSE - Pretty simple statement but often forgotten or overlooked. Our views and opinions are formed by the information we are presented (media shapes opinions) and unfortunately not our inherent beliefs (goodwill and understanding for thy fellow human). In this situation US has definitely felt the wrath of terrorism (some serious extremists) and we as the critical mass on this side of the world feel a sense of fear and uncertainty. Humans become sheep as fear sets in. Those with power shape the opinion of the critical mass. The FEAR I have is the powers that be are leading our society to place where aggression and hated is an accepted practice.
What many fail to understand is that people on the other side of the world have felt this sense of uncertainty fear their entire lives. Many have have become aggressive in their nature and the craziest of their society are the same ones devising plans of terrorist acts. Our media here portrays an entire religion as a the culprit while their counterparts in the middle east blame western civilization for their misfortunes. If the western military counters this act of terrorism with military force we will yet again close this circle of violence and repeat our mistakes of the past, thus further setting in hatred within our society. This is regression, not evolution.
Keep in mind it will not be the kingpin who ordered the hit that will suffer, he will be on a leer jet moving away from chaos (just like Junior Bush). It will be many young child, or worse someone's mother. This will only further the rage these people have for western civilization and repeat the existing cycle. To break this circle we must understand why this has occurred in the first place and not relive our mistakes. There is obviously something fundamentally wrong with how western society bullies other countries in an effort to protect its interests.
Just like the dumb, deaf and blind of our society who prescribe to the belief that counter violence will correct things, the supporters of religious fundamentalism are also brainwashed into believing that terrorism will offer revenge for the lost lives or lost land. Either way, what has become of our world is that the powers that be feel the only way to maintain there power and control over the critical mass is to instill fear or hate into our lives. We fail to put ourselves in the shoes of our fellow human beings from all over the world and instead act in aggression towards our enemies rather then compassion. We must understand who our enemy really is. It is those who ask us to hate someone for believing something different then us, all the the interest of maintaining control. In the new age, control will not be dominated by one country but given to those with the strongest innovations or brightest ideas for our GLOBAL society to evolve together.
We as Canadians are on the frontier of a new culture. We are wired, multicultural, educated and therefore should be able to rise above this barbaric way fear based thinking. Spread compassion not hatred or ultimately choose self destruction.
========================================================================================
It's my job to have something to say. They pay me to provide words that help make sense of that which troubles the American soul. But in this moment of airless shock when hot tears sting disbelieving eyes, the only thing I can find to say, the only words that seem to fit, must be addressed to the unknown author of this suffering.
You monster. You beast. You unspeakable bastard. What lesson did you hope to teach us by your coward's attack on our World Trade Center, our Pentagon, us? What was it you hoped we would learn? Whatever it was, please know that you failed. Did you want us to respect your cause? You just damned your cause. Did you want to make us fear? You just steeled our resolve. Did you want to tear us apart? You just brought us together.
Let me tell you about my people. We are a vast and quarrelsome family, a family rent by racial, social, political and class division, but a family nonetheless. We're frivolous, yes, capable of expending tremendous emotional energy on pop cultural minutiae -- a singer's revealing dress, a ball team's misfortune, a cartoon mouse. We're wealthy, too, spoiled by the ready availability of trinkets and material goods, and maybe because of that, we walk through life with a certain sense of blithe entitlement. We are fundamentally decent, though -- peace-loving and compassionate. We struggle to know the right thing and to do it. And we are, the overwhelming majority of us, people of faith, believers in a just and loving God. Some people -- you, perhaps -- think that any or all of this makes us weak. You're mistaken. We are not weak. Indeed, we are strong in ways that cannot be measured by arsenals. IN PAIN
Yes, we're in pain now. We are in mourning and we are in shock. We're still grappling with the unreality of the awful thing you did, still working to make ourselves understand that this isn't a special effect from some Hollywood blockbuster, isn't the plot development from a Tom Clancy novel. Both in terms of the awful scope of their ambition and the probable final death toll, your attacks are likely to go down as the worst acts of terrorism in the history of the United States and, probably, the history of the world. You've bloodied us as we have never been bloodied before.
But there's a gulf of difference between making us bloody and making us fall. This is the lesson Japan was taught to its bitter sorrow the last time anyone hit us this hard, the last time anyone brought us such abrupt and monumental pain. When roused, we are righteous in our outrage, terrible in our force. When provoked by this level of barbarism, we will bear any suffering, pay any cost, go to any length, in the pursuit of justice.
I tell you this without fear of contradiction. I know my people, as you, I think, do not. What I know reassures me. It also causes me to tremble with dread of the future. In the days to come, there will be recrimination and accusation, fingers pointing to determine whose failure allowed this to happen and what can be done to prevent it from happening again. There will be heightened security, misguided talk of revoking basic freedoms. We'll go forward from this moment sobered, chastened, sad. But determined, too. Unimaginably determined. THE STEEL IN US
You see, the steel in us is not always readily apparent. That aspect of our character is seldom understood by people who don't know us well. On this day, the family's bickering is put on hold. As Americans we will weep, as Americans we will mourn, and as Americans, we will rise in defense of all that we cherish. So I ask again: What was it you hoped to teach us? It occurs to me that maybe you just wanted us to know the depths of your hatred. If that's the case, consider the message received. And take this message in exchange: You don't know my people. You don't know what we're capable of. You don't know what you just started.
But you're about to learn.
========================================================================================
Friends, I wish i could be writing under happier circumstances. I imagine by now all of you are aware of the attack that took place against the United States today. Today I awoke at 6:40am to the scream of my mother as she turned on the news on saw the twin towers of the World Trade Center on fire. I ran to see what was wrong and felt sick to my stomach when I saw the television. An act of war has been committed against my country, against my family, against my friends, and against myself. I am enraged, horrified, sad, and very scared all at the same time. I watched in horror as the first building collapsed, thinking of friends i know that work on the same block, friends I know that live in Manhattan, but was unsure of where they work. Could it be that they work in one of the towers? Would I ever see them again? I watched in disbelief as the second tower collapsed, somehow whishing that what was happening in front of my eyes was somehow some shitty hollywood movie. it was not. I feel as if somehow someone has directly assaulted me. I feel that somehow its not fair that I'm alive and those people in the towers are dead. And, whether it's right or wrong, I feel a strong desire for revenge. I would be lying if I said the thought did not cross my mind of enlisting in government service dedicating my life to killing the fucking bastards who methodically attacked and killed my own countrymen. But it is this feeling inside me that scares me the most. I'm scared at the response my countrymen will demand; without a doubt they will demand blood: an eye for an eye. Is that not just? Funny when I lived in Manhattan during a summer internship, I lived in the southern part of the island, and from my Window I could see the twin towers; I woke up every day and greeted the twin towers as I walked to the shower. Strange to think no one, let alone myself, will see those two towers again. We are at war. We just don't know who we're fighting. I believe that the US will be deliberate in its effort to find the culprits of this cowardly attack. May God help us in our search. Enough of my babbling. I only ask that you all pray tonight for the victims of this attack, and that this incident doesn't lead to a larger and more costly war where more lives will be lost.
========================================================================================
I hope that you have had news of your friends by now, and that they are among the people who managed to get out. It was a terrible day. The CBC has been full time on the story since yesterday morning. They went through the night last night and are still on it. It seems that the first order that needs to be established after chaos is the order of language: what happened? what is the story? People telling their stories, what they saw, where they were, what they felt. Many have been saying that it was like a movie: an element of detachment, while you saw but could not comprehend. Like the CBC morning show man, repeating Oh, God, Oh God, when the second tower fell. So reality is messed up: can't comprehend the full reality of the events one saw, over and over again, and at the same time the reality of daily life has gone into retreat. Most people found it hard to work today, and it seems that many are in shock. Some students found it very difficult to be in class: Muslim students afraid, uncomfortable. My colleagues are very sensitive to this, and many are not discussing the matter in class for fear of painfully exposing some students: can't possibly know how many students in a
class of thirty-five may have a connection of some kind with the events in NY or Washington.
========================================================================================
I've appreciated some of the tempered discussion from reading these batch of emails. Rather than tackling some of the less tempered ones head on -- I'd might suggest instead that they begin by reading Chomsky as a primer -- I'd like to share a brief comment supplied from my younger brother, sent this morning from overseas. The only thing I will interject, however, is in disagreeing with the claim, often repeated without a pause of doubt, is that the suicide attackers were "cowardly". Perhaps their handlers are cowards; as for those who took their own lives, I can only imagine the desperation that leads one to make themselves into a human bomb. If that's cowardice, I've been misinformed these many years.
Like you no doubt, we have been following the news in the US closely. It is horrible, shocking and quite unbelievable. At a political level, I'm afraid that these suicide terrorists are also the perverted outcome of CIA funding anti-Soviet forces in Afghanistan. The other night an American news documentary was shown where Bin Laden's CIA handler described him as a committed and valuable fighter! Ten years later, and now its the American people who must pay the price for that support, training and those arms shipments. The whole terrible logic of terror is also an extension of the legitimisation of attacking civilians. From Coventry to Stalingrad to Hanoi and Baghdad, it is the West that has sanctioned the assault on civilian targets in modern times. The urge to retaliate is very understandable, but its effectiveness against suicide
terrorists is doubtful - and it's not a long-term answer in any case. To the credit of many Americans though, it must be said that the reaction of people on the ground has been quite moving. The bravery and dedication of the rescue services is admirable. So far I have not heard much jingoism - I don't know if you get more of that where you are.
========================================================================================
Here are my thoughts. What happened was a tragedy, despicable acts by a bunch of cowards. I sympathize for those that are directly involved but this does not have a great impact on my life. I am an observer of this drama but that is it. What the US should do or should not do is only the next act in the play. My views/values/beliefs are not going to change much from what they are today. For what it matters, I think that if/when the US finds out who is responsible, they should deal with them in kind. This is the only behavior people like that understand. They see benevolence/kindness as weakness. The only thing that has kept more of these kinds of things from happening is that they fear retribution. Things have gone to the point now where they do not fear the US. These people will always find something, some reason, to hate. Look at the situation in the Middle East. Those people have been fighting each other since the beginning of recorded history and will continue to do so for jst as long. If the US doesn't do anything, militarily, they will see it as their opportunity to continue with the carnage. Economic sanctions will not work. If the US bombs them to smithereens, their children and their children's children will nurse that hatred and pass it down. There comes a point in time when you have to stand up to wrong. Look at WWII, for example. The only thing that stopped Hitler was war. Appeasement was tried and failed. It would be nice if people would think like ---there might not be
these problems, but I believe that peace with these kind of people is a pipe dream.
========================================================================================
People feel very vulnerable, helpless, and scared. So it is understandible that anger and frustration are the key emotions people feeling right now. There will be retribution for this attack on our "Way of Life" and it needs to be done. The only way a wounded nation(s) can feel HOPE again that their "Way of Life" will be restored. HOPE is what we need right now. HOPE that this sort of atrocity does not happen again, HOPE for swift retribution, and HOPE that this act of terrorism is dealt with properly and justly. I will never forget or forgive what has happened and I HOPE I never see terror like this again.
========================================================================================
I guess, still being in shock over it and not believing what happened is real, it's hard to imagine solutions. I've always believed in raising our children with tolerance, compassion, and love. I believe many of us
are doing this. It's very scary and disheartening what is occurring all over the world. It is beyond belief that many people celebrated the deaths of innocent people, of kind, compassionate, loving people. The answer is
not to hate them. But at this moment I can not think of how we can achieve peace. All I can say is that I will continue to raise my child to know
tolerance, compassion and love. Hate is not word we use in our home. That is how we will continue to live.
========================================================================================
I am just as shocked as you by what happened yesterday. For both yesterday and today, I can't get anything done at work since everything that I do has been utterly trivialized by this tragedy. My personal thoughts on this subject are that the U.S. and the rest of the civilized world should take immediate military action on all active terrorist organizations in the middle east without prejudice. Every Islamic fundamentalist organization should share in the blame and any government that does not cooperate fully in the removal of these terrorist groups should also be held accountable.
I realize that there are many pacifists or non-confrontalists who would disagree with that, but to them I would ask "So, you are defending terrorist organizations?". All terrorist organizations have demonstrated to one degree or another that they are capable of profoundly evil and destructive acts. Anyone who defends them, in my opinion, does not have respect for decent human life.
In a world where there are many different belief systems and values, I think that very soon that the line will be drawn between those who value democracy and those who oppose it, there is no room for moderation. I hope that the U.S. government chooses the path that, at the end off the day, preserves peace, justice and the way of life that promotes the western values of freedom and dignity for the people of our world.
========================================================================================
I have been dumbfounded for the last 26hrs. The horrors of reading the stories, seeing the pictures and envisioning the terror of being in such an ordeal are unreal - rather surreal. As things unfold in the coming days and weeks I wonder how our worldwide instant communication networks will help us. At present, via e-mail, friends, co-workers and I have been sharing news, eyewitness reports, feelings and updates with people all over the world. The most promising aspect of our modern society is the communication networks that keep us thinking, talking and informed. The news stories and opinion articles that abound on the net only just begin to help us fathom the magnitude of yesterday's disaster. The exponential nature of this international concern - for me it's talking with AIESECers and various concerned world citizens united in outpourings of support and concern - brings me a ray of hope amid the otherwise dreary news.
---.I I agree completely with your comments. This is much more than just a political act. This is hatred and evil acting at it's very worst. These terrorists have put on the blinders of reality to commit these acts. Is it still possible in our world that someone might believe that the suffering of others will help our human race? I suppose that is a rhetorical question since yesterday just proved that these people exist and have the shocking ability to act. Our world has changed. In one day, it has all changed. Not just New York city or the USA, but our world and our seemingly peaceful, secure lives are no longer the same. The fictional and unfathomable has now become a real life tragedy. In answer to your question: What will I do to stop hate/intolerance/racism/torture/war? I will talk, communicate, share, express. I will endeavour to leave
each place (and person I meet) better than when I found it/them. That is the least I can attempt.
========================================================================================
What a shock this was. I am thinking back to my day yesterday and I woke up to hear that a plane had crashed into the first WTC. Everyone on the news thought it was an accident. Then just before I left for work I heard the other tower had been hit. At the time they were saying that there were problems with the aviation directions. When I got to work, that is when I pulled up news saying that terrorism was the cause. Then I heard the pentagon had been hit. Holy shit I am thinking. Then I go grab some coffee, come back and hear that the first tower had collapsed. Unbelievable! Rod and I then went over to the Bow Valley Club to watch the TV. When we got there they were showing the second tower coming down. People were just gasping. The rest of the day was crazy, every ten minutes the news websites were reporting new events. Another plane had been hijacked and was crashed near Pittsburgh. It was weird, they actually had our building under a lock down, as it the largest building in Western Canada. The buliding was empty in the afternoon as everbody was allowed to go home...everbody except for StoneBridge. It was weird seeing people jumping out of the building to their deaths. I thought everything looked like something out of Hollywood.
To be honest, I can see how those Palestinians reacted. From their point of view the American support of Isreal has led to a lot of deaths. However, I must say that I would not want to be a Palestinian or other Islamic Country right now. In Bushes speech last night he said that the U.S. will basically stop at nothing to ensure whoever did this would get their revenge. In addition, he noted that if a country was harboring a terrorist (i.e. Kasikstan and Bin Ladin) the country would also be at risk. There are still going to be a lot of lives lost as a result of this. Yikes! I feel numb about the whole ordeal (just as you do). I can never appreciate the fear of being at the top of the WTC and jumping. My closest experience was the top of the CN (scariest thing ever).
========================================================================================
How can we do something about it? Whatever could we do? The only way to know if someone is planning this kind of thing is to live in an Orwellian society where big brother knows all. Where big brother can find those who are intolerant, who hate for no reason, who base their lives on festering anger and who morally & ethically have no place in this world and eliminate them, as elimination is really the only way to deal with such deep rooted beliefs. Can someone's beliefs be changed? Only if they are open to listening and understanding, putting themselves in another's shoes. But that is the root of the hatred... a lack of understanding that the 'enemy' is a person too, that in their shoes you would be upset too, and that their life should be valued as well. Lincon said "if you were born where they were and if you went to school where they did, you would think what they do". He was talking about slavery, but it would fit neatly throughout the fractured and factionalized world around us. People just don't see that. Maybe governments should fly the Northern Irish, the Palestinians / Israelis, the Africans, the Bosnians /Serbs /Albanians /Macedonians to New York for the next few weeks to see what hatred reaps, to see clearly what the other person's shoes look and feel like, what made them step out of the broken glass encasing and into thin air. If nothing else, at least this shows just how free the world is. If people can create this type of devastation then big brother isn't there as much as we may have thought. Right now I'm not sure if that is a good thing or not....
========================================================================================
This is the worst thing I have ever encountered. I think here in North America we have always been very isolated from the violence, hate and ignorance that goes on in the world around us. We don't see people killing each other in the name of God and religion, or the vicious hate that goes along with being different in a homogeneous society. And this time it was very close to home. I know that in Canada, it was nothing like it was in the US, but all our downtown core was evacuated, the transit systems shut down, and most businesses closed. Walking down the deserted street yesterday afternoon was very scary, and we're not even close to the
centre of the conflict. So what can we do? We can live our lives determined not to spread this disease of hatred. We can wake up every morning and tell those around us how much they mean to us, and how much we love them. And trust me, after yesterday, that is exactly what I intend to do. We can hope that our generation will not be one that uses violence to make a point. And we can pray every day that this never happens again.
You guys mean a lot to me. Take care of yourselves.
========================================================================================
I saw a sculpture once and it related the idea of a man to emotion. It started off portraying man illuminated fore he had had an idea. Man communicates the idea, the idea is shared, the idea is rethought, man argues about the idea, man fights over the idea, eventually man just fights, and the idea is forgotten. What was the idea? At what point did humanity forget the origianl idea and simply start hating one another? What is the sense of religion if it only leads to hate, do we not seek GOd for redemption, rather than condemnation. I don't know. Who carries so much hate within their breast to lash out in such a manner. Why do they hate. Are we willing to make personal sacrafices to douse the flames of that hate, can we work against the tide of history to ebb that hate. Questions are posed to our humanity that I would rather not have to face, but ultimatly it is our generation that must, or we will be forced to.
========================================================================================