Craig,
I didn't understand where you were headed with your message.
I believe we may be a little safer than other countries, mostly because
we have less need and more opportunities. Most of us were "raised right"
and keep busy with families, jobs and hobbies. I believe politicians who
support education, job creation and equal rights will keep us on a safer
more cooperative path.
If you fear terror in this country, you should consider history as well
as prescience.
The worst (most successful) terrorist attacks on our soil may have been:
1. Oklahoma bombing:
Discovered to be planned and acted upon by an American Soldier.
2. The Anthrax scare:
Few deaths but huge anxiety.
Unsolved,
but the Anthrax proved to be from labs with NIH & Military ties.
3. The razing of the Twin Towers.
Unsolved.
Immediate response:
National policy created to hide $60 Billion and enrich Haliburton.
Irrational response:
Military action against a country with no apparent ties to the disaster.
Questions about 9/11 that have still not been asked or answered, to my
satisfaction include:
1. Need?
What country needed to target buildings filled with foreign nationals?
Who wanted co-mourners to join with us against terrorism?
People from 91 different countries died!
Countries with significant losses include:
Australia
Bangladesh
Belgium
Brazil
Britain (about 300?)
Canada
Chile
Columbia
Ecuador
Germany (about 250?)
Philippines
Turkey
USA (about 2/3rds of the victims)
2. Greed?
Where is the win?
Billions in untraceable funds? or
Being bombed back to the Stone-Age?
3. Opportunity?
Did the CIA really overlook, at every turn,
At entry to US
During Bank Deposits >$10,000
During Pilot Licensing
15-25 separate foreign nationals, many on a restricted list?
And of course their are other tests for a crime.
You chose to send a photo of a child, murdered on the way to school.
It had huge shock value. I can't thank you. I need to filter such
shocks.
I find I can do more, working toward success stories than running from
the failures.
I recognize the truth that terrorists seem to prefer an attack on
children and families.
Such attacks remove the next generation of soldiers and paralyze entire
families.
So... how (and why) did the 911 terrorist choose a target which resulted
in the death of NO child.
Even the planes were, by airline speak, child-free. (Airlines ticket
kids over 11 as Adults.)
Isn't the victim choice more in line with a military target than a terror
target?
Another test is symbology.
After the bombing, the government added protections to things I
understand as American symbols:
These included the Liberty Bell, Statue of Liberty, our Capitol, Senate,
and White House buildings.
But, I never got the WHY of the "World Trade Towers", not even with the
first Bush in office.
It would have been easier to hit the "Mall of America" or "Disney World"
and it would have been more consistent with an attack on families and our
core values. The logical attack on money would be to get it, not just
destroy it. So, who (what country) resented successful Stock Brokers,
Bankers and World Trade enough to destroy with no profit, and no public
taking of credit?
We are approaching a sad anniversary.
Attached are two links that provide windows upon the diversity of the
victims.
http://usinfo.state.gov/albums/911/ham4.htm
http://www.clydeskeywest.com/world_trade_center_7.htm
http://www8.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2001/memorial/lists/by-country/page9.html
All I can really do is prayer for the victims, their families and friends
and for peace.
I can also vote my conscience.
The anniversary triggers the impulse to review personal (and family)
escape plans.
How will we survive and regroup?
We should even plan to not survive.
Neighbor Bob Gasparro can write a "Last Will" (with "Living Will")
package for under $400.00.
It is a good time to investigate potential leaders and to make thoughtful
choices for the future.
November will be a critical vote.
What characteristics are most desirable in a leader?
Which more likely to secure our future?
It reminds me that I have more questions than answers.
And, it reminds me that I am not comfortable with simple aphorisms or
answers.
I don't think any "terrorist" hates us because "We live our lives daily,
with an extraordinarily high level of freedom and self-determination".
That is a paternalistic hate / fear. Any teen will tell you that's what
dad emotes the first time he finds his child asking for the car keys.
Terrorists are more likely to hate us because
we are arrogant and wasteful, and
we interfere where there is profit and ignore bigger crisis
(such as in Sub-Saharan Africa.)
we accept heterogeneity (in religion and culture)
2,752 were killed in the Towers.
The victims represented 91 Countries and 25 American States.
172 passengers and 20 crew died on the Planes.
I believe our country has attacked a country (Iraq) that is guilty of
little more than disappointing and embarrassing us. You may choose to
believe something else.
I'm not sure what the attached is, but it seems to enough links to
entertain theorists.
http://www.apfn.org/apfn/WTC.htm
It has even more questions than I do.
Best!
Liz
On Wed, 1 Sep 2004 09:00:01 EDT [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
>
> More Than Just
> The University City News and Views
> 09:00 Wednesday 09/01/2004 Edition
> This is the real subject of our presidential election.
> We are a country that is full of trust. We are a community that is
> full of
> trust. We live our lives daily, with an extraordinarily high level
> of freedom
> and self-determination, and for that some people hate us.
> Would you rather deal with the barbarians while they are storming
> someone
> else's gates or ours? This was Tuesday in Beersheba, Israel.
>
>
>
>
> Suicide bombers blew up two buses on Tuesday in Beersheba in
> southern
> Israel, killing at least 16 people and injuring more than 100
> others. The militant
> Palestinian group Hamas claimed responsibility, calling the blasts
> retaliation for the assassinations of two of its leaders.
>
> Copyright 2004 The New York Times Company
>
>
>
>
> Today, may end 100 times greater in Beslan, Russia? What kinds of
> freedom
> fighters wage wars using children as assets? What kinds of freedom
> fighters
> leave their calling cards in the embodiment of dead children? What
> would you do,
> if she was your child?
> It should not happen at 43rd and Spruce Streets. What will you do
> to make it
> a certainty? Character and determination are everything.
>
> Craig Melidosian
> RealSolutions Network
> P O Box 33355
> Phila PA 19142-0555
> 215-724-8148 24hr voice/fax
> 215-724-3212 voice
> Breakthrough Relationships
> Enhancing Value in Community & Government
> Copyright ©1998-2004
________________________________________________________________
Get your name as your email address.
Includes spam protection, 1GB storage, no ads and more
Only $1.99/ month - visit http://www.mysite.com/name today!
----
You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the
list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see
<http://www.purple.com/list.html>.
