To all EUG_LUGer's --
Greetings. Having new job duties and a move have prevented me from
attending meeting or participating in the list as frequently as last
year. I do still lurk as I highly value and respect the persons and
information the group holds in common.
I must express my outrage at the comments of a person who posts on this
list who uses ad hominin attacks and ill-considered racist prejudice to
defend a reality that is based on mass hysteria and manipulation of our
nation's population in a time of crisis.
Calling Pat Wade a "fool" and [who can't] "even pull your fat head out
of your smug little ass" for making a point about the valid use of
encryption, Calling Jacob "silly" and in need of "get[ting] a grip" when
jacob has a greater depth of understanding of how things are, calling a
race of people, of whom one member is MAYBE responsible for this weeks
tragedy (or who MIGHT just be the "scape goat du jour"), "some
camel_fscker" -- this is intolerable, mean spirited, and an example of
the the worst of the American psyche. I cannot stand by idly and let
this pass. I have pasted a brief quote form Noam Chomski that I think
puts some of this in perspective at least for me.
On the Bombings
Noam Chomsky
The terrorist attacks were major atrocities. In scale they may not reach
the
level of many others, for example, Clinton's bombing of the Sudan with
no
credible pretext, destroying half its pharmaceutical supplies and
killing
unknown numbers of people (no one knows, because the US blocked an
inquiry
at the UN and no one cares to pursue it). Not to speak of much worse
cases,
which easily come to mind. But that this was a horrendous crime is not
in
doubt. The primary victims, as usual, were working people: janitors,
secretaries, firemen, etc. It is likely to prove to be a crushing blow
to
Palestinians and other poor and oppressed people. It is also likely to
lead
to harsh security controls, with many possible ramifications for
undermining
civil liberties and internal freedom.
For further understanding of other points of view:
W A T C H M E B L E E D
/from MER/
by L.M.Hashim (Um Ahmad: a palestinian poetess)....
Come, my brother, enter herein - enter my life. You wanted to know. You
wanted to see. Come taste my strife.
You speak of peace so easily - not knowing my war - not feeling my
pain.
Your "justice of all" is only "justice for few" while the guilty
remain.
You want us to put weapons down, while their weapons persist.
For you - easy talk. For you - food, family and freedom exist.
It might make you feel good to speak out on aggression and say that you
care.
But that does not give you license to make my decisions while I am not
there.
You set up your conferences to "educate others" on our situation.
Yet, you pick your own speakers to represent us while we lose our
nation.
You say you are with us and convince all around you it is peace that
you
seek.
You say you will listen. You say you will hear us, but you won't let us
speak.
And you with the peace signs, organizing your marches, please only
yourselves.
You think your good thoughts can alone change the world like your signs
on the shelves.
You must face reality You think it is simple - it simply is not.
Reality is watching your land taken away and your relatives shot.
Two fingers up does not stop a bullet and make everything right.
Righteous indignation does you no good if you won't see the light.
You ask lots of questions, but won't hear our answers about what we
need.
The only thing left is for me to invite you to come watch me bleed...//
With respect for most,
Woody
