| By Peachcreek (Peachcreek) on Friday, September 14, 2001 - 04:27 pm: Edit |
I was just a kid in the 1960s'. But I remember the passion of young people in the late 60s, that we would grow up and change the world. That we did'nt have to live the same way our parents and grandparents did- with random acts of war and carnage, economic depression, racism, and pollution of the planet for moneys' sake. And here we are-and we are in charge now. Somewhere along the line we became our parents.
They say that as a young person you want to build a stairway to the Moon. By the time you hit forty, you settle for a new fence in the backyard.
We are the generation that saw our friends die at Ohio State and the South for what they believed in. A generation that stood up for equal rights, an unjust war, the pillaging of our natural resources. We went through our own economic depressions, and are the most productive, hardest working people on the planet. We have busted our asses to the point now we are paying bills that our government rang up in our parents' time. We conserve, we recycle, we don't even tolerate cigarettes in public, or driving a car with a buzz on. And for what?
I agree that the individuals responsible for terrorism must be stopped and brought to justice, I do not agree that it is an opportunity to start an all-out war. I and the rest of us haven't worked as hard as we have to have our way of life and liberties compromised.
We are dealing with a small number of dangerous sociopaths, not evil nations. Our response should be appropriate. I guess it is an ongoing dissapointment for me that for all the hype and rhetoric of the Babyboomer generation, nothing ever changes.
Maybe I'll go listen to my old LP of "Wish You Were Here".....
| By Panini (Panini) on Friday, September 14, 2001 - 06:18 pm: Edit |
chef Tim,
I was refering to aliens, and throwing them out of the country.Please explain your comment further.
| By Chezhoo (Chezhoo) on Friday, September 14, 2001 - 06:19 pm: Edit |
I agree that we in the west (particularly here in the US) must make a real effort to listen and try to walk a mile in the shoes of those in the 3rd world and those outside of the Judeo/Christian sphere. As to sharing the wealth - - I don't know. If it weren't for our oil consumption and our ability to pay for it; the larger part of the middle east might still be vast emptiness dotted with villages and nomadic tribes-I daresay our wealth helped change that scenario just a little. If it weren't for the relatively small amount of our wealth pumped into third world aid agencies around the world a good deal of them might not exist at all. I feel the US has done a great deal - but are we responsible for doing it all? How much should we share? And how long before someone would pipe up and accuse us of trying to be the world's Big Daddy if we started showering impovershed nations with cash?
I agree that we need to be more empathetic, but on the other side - there are nations and religions who need to learn two words - "peaceful coexistance".
My comments earlier about nuking certain countries were stupid and done out of anger and typing too fast. My brother works in the Pentagon, so that had something to do with it as well. As a retired Air Force officer who used to pilot Cobras he pretty much gave me the same rundown as George. Our Military's response has probably been on the drawing board for a while now and when it is carried out it should be precise, quick and devastating, but not necessarily spectacular in a television sort of way.
I still have my reservation's about our ability to sustain the kind of effort we are going to have to put forth into making the "war on Terrorism" a success. I don't think we have the national will for a five, six or ten year slog. And that's what its going to take. That and thousands more US lives. Do we have the stomach? Or are we too comfortable? I really have my doubts. Remember the "war on drugs"? Is this different?
I'd love to see Hammas, the IRA, Shining Path, the NFLA, Tamil Tigers, and every other terror organization wiped from the face of the earth, but I think that's a pipe dream that we're not capable of fulfilling. Eventually we'll go back to wanting our NFL, our SUVs and getting our kids through college and screw the world and the Big Picture be damned.
| By Cheftim (Cheftim) on Friday, September 14, 2001 - 07:31 pm: Edit |
Terrorism beyond it symbolic nature is meant to elicit a knee jerk response. In this case, the need for heightened security with the loss of some freedoms, making the State more fascist, thereby further polarizing the population. Or, getting the U.S. to bomb innocents and further polarizing the situation.
Even if most people are willing to sacrifice some personnel freedom there will be some that are pushed into thinking of the State as an enemy, in effect aligning themselves with the terrorist. The harsher the crack down the more some people will turn against the State.
When the U.S. retaliates, those states that are aligned against us will become more steadfast because of our "barbarity' in killing innocents. And in those countries that are aligned with us their will be some that step further away from us.
You have to remember that the terrorist all ready live under harsh conditions and their inconvenience is less proportional then the average citizen's. Also, They won't lose any support for their actions they can only gain support because of our reaction. There will be and you have already heard condemnations from some that support them but be assured it is only noise.
Terrorism is difficult to fight against. The Romans were pretty good at it so was Nazi Germany. But is killing everyone in a country and then salting the earth a modern day option?
I'm just a cook, there are others more informed and with better understanding of the situation.
tim
| By Chefmanny (Chefmanny) on Friday, September 14, 2001 - 07:40 pm: Edit |
This is the reason we should go back to selective assasination, I'm sure there are many psychos out there willing to pay to go on these missions!
I agree, don't kill innocent people and certainly don't give them reason to hate us more, fight them with their own tactics!!! 1 bullet 1 kill!!!
Don't waste tax payer $$$ with $500,000 missiles.
Let the C. Mansons, T. Bundys and J. Damer out on these bastards.
| By Peachcreek (Peachcreek) on Friday, September 14, 2001 - 07:48 pm: Edit |
You want to win the war on terrorism is the U.S.? Get to know the neighbors! If everybody knew their neighbors, someone would notice terrorist behavior. From the sounds of these guys involved on the Tuesday attack, I'm surprised no one noticed.
| By TMarta on Friday, September 14, 2001 - 08:09 pm: Edit |
Guys, my parents met at a war plant...my husband is a veteran, his father and oldest brother were career Naval officers...my brother was a Marine in Viet Nam...my two sons, my only children, are currently in the ROTC in High School, so I don't want to sound unpatriotic, but I believe that everyone should have seen this coming, because the Muslims have been pushed, a dangerous thing to do, and we have given far too freely and supported far too freely the dangerous provocations against them. Everyonr knew that this was more than dangerous. That is my personal oppinion. And I simply can't stand by silent when someone says that we have to eradicate all of the Afganis or any other group, children and all, because of any reason that they may give. Why isn't this considered genocide? What difference is this to the assault and attempted genocide of the Native Americans, the Ukrainians by Stalin, the Jews, Gypsies or anyone else by Hitler? How can anyone call themselves a fellow human, let alone, possibly a Christian, and think such a thing? I have said plenty of rash things in anger myself, (on many occasions, daily in fact), but can we all just take a deep breath and think for ourselves? Let's not just get into a mob mentality.
Manny, all differences aside....how is Dylan?
I'm going to be off, but I will search the other threads for word from you..continuing prayers for all....
| By Chefmanny (Chefmanny) on Saturday, September 15, 2001 - 07:48 am: Edit |
TMarta, everything went great! He is doing fine.
Thank You for your support and prayers.
Manny
| By TMarta on Saturday, September 15, 2001 - 07:38 pm: Edit |
Manny,
God bless us, everyone! Thank God...we really needed some good news! Let me share one of your hugs for him!
T.
| By Chefmanny (Chefmanny) on Sunday, September 16, 2001 - 10:55 am: Edit |
Thanks T, God Bless us all! I gave him your hug, he just wants to know who you are! I said you were a long distance friend who was praying for you.
| By TMarta on Sunday, September 16, 2001 - 02:52 pm: Edit |
How sweet...and accurate! Have him say one for me!