thoughts and condolences

[athena]

Knowing that we consider each other friends here, I'm opening this thread for friends to let out any feelings or thoughts they want to share about the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

While I would have preferred that this never happened. I hope none of our members were hurt. Since it is impossible now for me to expect that no one was hurt.

I can only imagine how london felt when it was bombed back in WWII. I know that attack this throws pie in the face of those who were only concerned about ICBMs (Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles) as vehicles for terrorist attack.

Peter Jennings was editorializing and calling this a failure of the intelligence community. perhaps it was.

But ultimately this was a failure of at least one individual's free will. This could not have been prevented without gross intrusions into individual privacy. And Privacy and Safety should not be pitted against each other lest we succumb to the notion of a police state. At which point George Orwell becomes a prophet and thought crime becomes a punishable offense.

WE who share thoughts freely on the internet should be vigilant of protecting our freedom.

as Joroho said in the xara x forum, "May God help us all". . . . He will.

Please, if you are inclined to prayer, do pray for the people who are affected by this.

Athena

[This message was edited by T. Athena Hatton on September 12, 2001 at 08:34.]

[Jinny Brown]

There are priorities today and among our first priorities at the moment are to prevent these horrendous events from occurring again, to care for those who were injured and those who have lost loved ones, and to avoid placing blame before we know who is responsible.

The many other freedoms we enjoy, besides safety and survival, are important too and should not be forgotten or neglected.

**None of these can be protected if we are murdered by terrorists or frightened into thinking that nothing can be done.**

Let us not be distracted from what is of highest priority **now** so that we can remain alive and free to nurture our many other freedoms in health and safety.

My prayers for the safety of your loved ones today
and for a quick and certain stop to terrorism everywhere.
September 11, 2001

Jinny Brown
http://www.pixelalley.com
________________________

[freebird]

New York here. Am still in shock and disbelief. Horrified that people jumped out of windows. Horrified that many are burned from head to toe. God, please comfort all our suffering victims. Another act of terrorism, hatred or revenge and many victims left to face a lifetime of suffering.

[Jinny Brown]

freebird,

I too pray for all those who are suffering and hope that you and your loved ones are not among them but are safe.

Sincerely,

My prayers for the safety of your loved ones today
and for a quick and certain stop to terrorism everywhere.
September 11, 2001
____________________

Jinny Brown
http://www.pixelalley.com
________________________

[athena]

I hope you and yours are able to return to some semblance of normality in the near future. I know in Houston we've taken weeks to recover from our flooding. I'm very sorry to hear that this hit so close to home.

They say that you never step in the same stream twice.

Good Luck to you and stay safe.

Athena

[Wayne D]

Greetings - fellow greivers!

My concerns and prayers are added to the many millions of people around the world who watched in horror as a group of dissidents inflicted their will upon innocent people.

I want to add a different perspective and say that there IS a false sense of security in this nation. As the years have passed by, I am now almost 63, people including myself, at times, have opted for a personal peace and privacy at any price.
When we quit being a community of inter-dependent people, we gave the terrorists access to weapons of our own destruction. The drug pusher's and the outlaw's have been allowed to run rampant, because we choose to hide behind locked doors, bullet-proof glass and the like. I don't advocate frontier justice, yet I see the need to begin to care about what goes on in our families, communities and nation. We look to a growing government to "fix" our problems. But they are limited in what they can do. It is up to each citizen to interact with their own family, community and yes, the nation.

This nation stands at the crossroads of decision. Will we reach out to others or will we retreat further into our costly privacy? Then George Orwell will be a prophet!

Your friend,

Wayne D

Arizona

[Jinny Brown]

Wayne,

Thank you for speaking up and saying it so well. We have become isolated, comfy in our own privacy, and have asked for this even though it is shocking to even think that let alone admit it.

This is not make believe, it is real... what happened yesterday and what has been happening for a while, though not so close and not on such a scale.

Let us not forget that we are coming together now, at least on the Internet we are, and if we're not already, let each of us make an effort each day to create a living and caring community in "real life".

Jinny Brown
My prayers for the safety of your loved ones today and for a quick and certain stop to terrorism everywhere.
September 11, 2001
_____________________

[ghi stecyk]

harsh sight it was. seeing those towers come down and knowing full well the lives being lost at those moments. this is all beyond words.

but it is an an event that legitimately prompts war. and so it will be.

ghi

[gmotto]

I truly hope that all of our poeple that visit here are alright.
After seeing my share of war, after seeing Oklahoma City and all sorts of other nasty things that man can do to man, I still can't get my mind around this one. I have the feeling that as of 9-11-01 life has been changed and not for the better. We as a civilized society have but a few options, none of them are good.

[s.winders]

I cant think of adequate words so I made this image,and I hope it speaks for me.


If anyone likes this image enough,or finds it helpful in anyway,then please feel free to take a copy and re distribute freely if you so wish.


Stu.