Hi Robin and all,
>Here on the campus where I work (upstate NY) not only were many of us
affected directly by the loss of friends and
family members.... but also, racist attacks are now manifesting. One female
student of Middle Eastern descent was assaulted by three male students
yesterday at noon as she tried to
enter a building. All of the men dressed in red, white and blue colored
clothing & wearing NY Yankees baseball caps. incidents like these are being
reported all over campus. It's
only a microcosm of what's happening in NYC itself, and I imagine, many
other cities. The very peaceful Muslim and Middle Eastern students on this
campus are afraid for their lives.<
Here in the UK Muslims are also being harrassed as a result of tuesday's
events. Unfortunately there're a lot of people who want any excuse for
racial harassment and the constant news on how Tuesday's events are the work
of Islamic peoples (even though the full story via evidence has not yet come
to light!) is giving these people their excuse.
>I have to thank everyone her for your discussion of the travesty that has
just occured here in the United States. I am very worried, as it seems it
will become a global situation for many years to come.<
Unfortunately it seems that Bush is using these attacks to immediately
declare some sort of war. Interestingly since he can't quite find a country
to have a war with yet in the meantime he's declared war on terrorism.
Presumably this is because other wars such as the war on drugs or indeed the
many other conflicts the US (and its allies such as the UK) has engaged in
have not been successful. I have to say that as long as Bush talks about War
and the rest of our leaders back him we're unlikely to see an end to
terrorist activities. The terrorists will get what they want if the US (and
now NATO as a whole) concentrate on retaliation and waste vast amounts of
money in the process while increasing the racial divisions within their
societies.
I'm sure that Tuesday's events will change the world..........hopefully
though, the level-headed government elements (indeed I hope there are some!)
will prevail.
cheers,
Sol.
