At 06:44 PM Wednesday 9/27/2006, Robert G. Seeberger wrote:
On 9/27/2006 2:01:04 PM, Richard Baker ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote:
> Dave said:
>
> > A couple of weeks ago, she sent me the following, which sums up
> > some
> > thoughts I've been having lately about what's wrong with the
> > current
> >
> administration's approach to terrorism -- it gives the terrorists
> just
> > what they want: for us to be afraid. For us to lose our freedoms
> > in
> > the name of a little illusory safety. For us to be _not_ US.
>
> One of the most striking things about the July 7 attacks was how
> utterly unterrified we all were. I know people who were very close
> to
> the bombing attacks and their response was uniformly calm and
> practical. In fact, those attacks seemed to cause more anxiety and
> fear on the other side of the Atlantic than they did here.
>
> I think a positive first step would be switching nomenclature from
> "terrorist" to "idiot", for calling them terrorists tends to suggest
> that we're
> terrified of them or at least potentially so. Besides,
> news stories that start
> "A group of idiots demonstrated their
> stupidity by blowing themselves up..."
> are so much less glamorous
> from their point of view.
>
> Rich
> ROU Global War On Idiocy
If you thought a war on "terror" was unwinnable . . .
I don't know how it may appear from over there, but on 9/11 I was
angry.
Me, too.*
Heck I was angry on July 7 and after Madrid and Bali too.
I think the only times I felt much in the way of fear was in regard to
the Anthrax cases and the sniper case, those things just seemed more
likely to grow where it could harm people I knew and cared about.
I don't think I actually can remember anyone who was frightened, but I
do remember lots of folks who were royally pissed off.
Me, too, at all of it.
Perhaps it was different in other parts of the country, but even if
Americans do not uniformly project calm I would suggest that the fear
that was sensed was coming from the administration and the news
media's attempts to whip up a frenzy of ad sales.
Overall I agree that we should change the nomenclature.
If the nomenclature were changed to what many
people would think appropriate, it could not be
printed in the newspaper or said on television.
Perhaps we should stop calling that group Al Qaeda and start calling
them Al Kato.
(After Clousseau's sparring partner<G>)
I thought maybe you meant O.J.'s house guest . . .
_____
*Interestingly, when I expressed it by starting
to use the following .sig, it was someone on this
list who made a disparaging remark about being "a born-again patriot" . . .
-- Ronn! :)
God bless America,
Land that I love!
Stand beside her, and guide her
Thru the night with a light from above.
From the mountains, to the prairies,
To the oceans, white with foamÂ…
God bless America!
My home, sweet home.
-- Irving Berlin (1888-1989)
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