Michael Dunatov
Seattle, Washington

We must protect the sanctity of the dead! Yesterday was our generation's Pearl Harbor and the World Trade Center is our USS Arizona. The fact that so many are entombed in the rubble and so few can have survived, once the chance of finding any more alive ends, the wreckage should not be removed nor the buildings replaced.

The site of America's worst single event should be left as it is as a most solemn monument to all those who died that fateful day even if it means the terrorists bodies also lay buried within.

The process of the digging and recovery of what little remains can be identified will be much too painful to the survivors and the families of the dead.

What a horrible day and even more horrific event. It can not ever be forgotten. The sorrow I feel is immense at the least.

God Bless the good people of this Nation and all those good people who have died or suffered in this most numbing and senseless trauma.

Adam Gerber
Chicago, Illinois

I’m still in a state of shock concerning Yesterday's events. Insofar as US foreign policy is concerned, the implications of this recent national tragedy are significant. While I am in no way apologizing for this terrible and cowardly act, it is important to point out that terrorism has always had two faces - terrorists to some, are freedom fighters to others. Ironically, the suspected perpetrator of this recent terrorist act, Osama Bin Laden, cut his teeth in the Mujahadeen, 'freedom fighters' armed and trained in the martial arts by US military advisors. The objective of the Mujahadeen was to destabilize Soviet control of Afghanistan. It succeeded. The war in Afghanistan has been accurately described as Russia’s Vietnam.

The US policy of destabilizing leftist regimes around the world has not led to stable democratic governments. Most often, these countries are racked by civil war until a strongman or totalitarian regime takes over. Examples include; Panama, El Salvador and most notably – Afghanistan. They say that history is bound to repeat itself. Haven’t we seen this scenario play out before with Manuel Noriega in Panama? The thought of George Bush Jr. hunting down a former CIA operative is as surreal as the terrorist attack itself. US foreign policy must be revisited in the wake of this tragedy.

Le Lowry
San Antonio, Texas

America, what will we do now? As a society we will find justice against those who seek to destroy us with terror. Our hearts cry for vengeance but hate will make us less as a people. America will become like those that hate us. We want vengeance but each one of us should offer forgiveness to those terrorists filled with fanatical hate toward Americans.

We then can look at why others hate America and where we can find change within us. America must change, for we instigate the hate of others and the terror some unleash on us. America is an arrogant place where through “manifest destiny” we seek to make the world more “American”. With arrogance we push our “American” economy, society and culture onto the rest of the world. The world begins to hate us. America forces itself on the world, pitting nations against one another, to gain political fortune. The people of the world die. Innocent people die from war, hunger, disease and terror. Now innocent Americans die from our arrogance.

Perhaps now is the time for humility. The rest of the world is so different than us. America should step back and let the world grow, live and make the same mistakes we have made in our history. America must not isolate from the world but open to the world’s other economies, societies and cultures. We must not change the world in our image but humbly coexist with others. Working towards one world that is good for all, not just for America.

America, we will recover from the terrorism that haunt us now. As a people we are tough and will rise above those filled with hate. With hope America will rise above without extreme hate and arrogance but love and humility.

John Vlok Dommisse
SouthAfrican-American

Right now, I agree that the immediate response must be one of total solidarity with the victims, and against the terrorists who committed these massacres. However, when the dust settles and calmer reflection is engaged in, I hope that the US will be more self-critical than they've been in similar circumstances in the past. [For example, to this day, I have never heard an American acknowledge that the anger of the Iranian people in 1980 was because the CIA assassinated their democratically elected leader, Mosadegh, in 1953, and installed the anachronistic Shah as America's 'Man in Teheran' for 27 years.]

I think that what Bush said about us being targeted in today's attack "because we are a beacon of freedom" is totally false. I think we were targeted because our new government is totally insensitive to certain groups of victimized people in the world, particularly the Palestinians. I hate to say this because I have some wonderful Jewish friends but Israel has become totally intransigent on the issue of peace and land over there; and this Bush Administration has encouraged them in this course of action. It was obvious, even to relatively disinterested observers of the scene in Israel, that it is heading for a conflagration. At some point, hopefully in time to change our posture in the Middle East before the whole thing blows up, this kind of self-recrimination needs to take place. Do I think it will happen though? No. George W Bush and the Republican Administration are far too arrogant, self-righteous, pugnacious and war-mongering to ever contemplate any change of heart like that.

Tom Blazier
Phoenix, AZ

The comparison of Tuesday's terrorist tragedy with that of Pearl Harbor is only partially appropriate. While the shocking and sudden destruction of life and property has had similar public reaction, the comparison ends there.

The new world order (globalization) has made the distinction between enemies and friends fuzzy. Giant corporations make more money than the GNPs of many countries and have no national boundaries or allegiances. Few pay taxes. Democratic processes and institutions (including the media) are compromised under the weight of their influence. The gap between rich and the rest of us widens.

Meanwhile, people from poorer regions of the world are unable to influence policies that effect their own lives. Even concepts like "my country" now seem to require qualifying definitions.

These things have created a world where "war" and "enemy," and "my country," don't have the same meanings as they once had with the Pearl Harbor generation.

Joyce Katzberg
Warren, Rhode Island

The United States is now grieving the senseless slaughter of thousands of its own people in this September of sorrow and thus joins the millions of others in war torn parts of the world for whom horrors and torture are a daily fact of life. We should declare this a time of mourning and refuse to participate in "business as usual".

Refuse to get caught up in the rising tide of insanity clamoring for revenge and retribution. From where ever you are, speak out against further violence. There is no security in weapons. There is no security in armies. There is no security in economies. There is no security in money. There is no security in anything other than in the ultimate mysteries of the universe - and here on Earth, a just and compassionate world free of tyranny and terrorism.

We should give no shelter to terrorism near or far, whether it be in our own governments or in our own hearts. We need a global movement dedicated to the abolition of all weapons of war. We need a new economic paradigm committed to providing for the elementary needs of all peoples and species on the planet. We must be willing to die but not to kill. A planetary pact for mutual survival. Nothing less than this will do. We must all individually examine the various ways in which we can withdraw our complicity with the machinery of murder and exploitation. We don't have any time to waste. The hounds of Armageddon are at our heels.

From small gestures to the grand we must make some kind of stand. In all our endeavors in life we must commit to speak against violence in all its forms. We must be willing to give up all of the ill-gotten fruits of empire and learn to provide for ourselves and each other. Don't consume what isn't necessary. Conserve and preserve. Share what we have and make certain no one goes without. We must begin to see each other as global family united in our vulnerability and yearning for true freedom. We need to entirely redefine our concepts of nations and community. This is the only security plan that has any hope of sparing us the nightmare of global ruin. Live simply that others may simply live. In this we will find our ultimate freedom.

Karen Medlock

I pray for the victims of the attacks victims and their families
I pray for the rescue workers looking for survivors and recovering bodies
I pray for the warriors already advancing more violence
I pray for the leaders to use wisdom and compassion in dealing with this crisis
I pray for the Arab Americans now under attack and suspicion
I pray for the other Americans now so eager for revenge
I pray for the people who deplore all forms of violence, and pray we prevail
And lastly, I pray for the people who committed this crime
and I pray that the hatred and demonizing that caused this attack died with them.
Amen

Michael Givel
Pleasant Hill, California

Yesterday I was listening to one of the talking heads on TeeVee telling a U.S. General in an interview that in America, we always thought we were invulnerable. She continued: "Why did this happen and maybe we have to reassess that." Her words made me cringe and spoke volumes as to why many in this country are insensitive to the suffering of others at the hands of the U.S. empire.

The narcissistic and arrogant and smug sickly hyper self-loving nature of much of this culture, seems quite often, to only be implicitly or explicitly concerned about its own well being and promoting "number one"--the hell with the 250,000 civilian "Moms and Dads" and children, for instance, who were killed under U.S. bombing campaigns in Iraq. As long as I "feel invulnerable" and comfy, I'll just ignore these little realities and rally around the flag when I am prompted and carefully deny or honestly analyze these inconvenient facts and actions.

Well guess what? Many more of us now very painfully know that blood spills equally around the world due to evil. If we are to fight this evil; we must start reaching out and respecting and caring for our brothers and sisters around the world and in this country and not for W's phony defense for "freedom" (which really means empire); but for real love and social justice.

My deepest condolences to all the innocent victims of this tragedy as well as all the innocent victims that proceeded them and all the innocent victims that may unfortunately follow them. May justice prevail and their tormentors and killers be brought to justice.

Shabana Mir
Indiana

May God bless those who died and may He protect all human beings from such catastrophes.

There is nothing Islamic about terrorism. As a Muslim, I have nothing to do with people of any religion who commit such acts.

David Christy
United Kingdom

The one most obvious fact of the recent events is that the people of the US can no longer apply a brutal foreign policy without suffering any domestic consequences. For a country which 'carpet bombed' Baghdad and Belgrade from 30 000 feet to call these attacks 'cowardly' is irrational. If other cities must suffer this way then America must be prepared to accept the consequences. Until now US citizens believed themselves to be untouchable: Not any more. My sympathy is with those innocent people who lost their lives, but not only in New York & Washington, but in Belgrade, Kabul, Libya, Sudan & Iraq. American lives are not worth more than other peoples and Americans can no longer brutalize the rest of the world with impunity.

Yours in the hope of peace & respect worldwide USA you have reaped what you have sown.

Joshua Dallman

"If we are to build a brighter future for the young people of this world, then we must replace hatred and intolerance with compassion and understanding."

GW Bush, 3/28/01

"Make no mistake: The United States will hunt down and punish those responsible for these cowardly acts."

GW Bush, 9/11/01

Loren M. Balhorn

Yesterday, as I watched the falling of the towers on live TV during my freshman science class at high school, the full repercussions of this tragedy never occurred to me. First of all, I didn't realize how many people were actually in that building. I thought that casualties would be easily under one hundred, let alone running in the thousands.

But far beyond the obvious results of this incident such as the thousands of dead and wounded, there are the repercussions that I believe will happen in the near future if nothing is done to prevent them. As I have already seen begin to emerge among my peers, a discriminatory, anti-Arab fervor is spreading around American society. We must be careful to prevent the use of Arab peoples as a scapegoat and target of revenge after the tragedy that occurred yesterday. The possibility of Muslim extremist groups having involvement with this act of terrorism runs high, but accusing every person of Arabic origin to be a guilty party would be an outrageous but very possible crime. In times like these, people want someone to blame. We must control ourselves and not jump to any conclusions about who did this and who is guilty.

I fear, as many other like-minded people I'm sure do, that those who wish to increase our military spending will use this incident as an excuse. Building more weapons of mass destruction, increasing the size of our armed forces, or constructing a "missile defense shield" will not protect us, nor will it solve the problem of global terrorism. The United States of America needs to re-analyze its foreign policy. If it was in fact a Muslim extremist group who conducted this attack, the reasons are most likely quite obvious. The United States gives one billion dollars a year to the nation of Israel. I support and believe in Israel's right to exist, but Israel is and has been for quite some time a racist, repressive state when it comes to the people of Palestine. As I saw on TV, some Palestinians celebrated yesterday's attack. I don't agree with that, but they have every reason to. American guns kill their innocent friends and family every day.

What happened yesterday was a crime against the people of America and the people of the world. I mourn the deaths of those who died in the initial attack, and those who died trying to save lives afterwards. But now is not the time to react in blind anger. We must proceed with caution. There has been enough bloodshed, we don't want to kill innocent Afghanis in retaliation. Military retaliation against possible suspects is not the answer. For now we should mourn the dead and hope for peace.

Casey Jones
Hartford, CT

To those of you who insist on immediate retaliation and rallying around the President (In particular, Shane from Idaho):

1. As Americans we have no obligation to rally round the President regarding our peacetime foreign policy. Contrary to the rhetoric here, heard and seen elsewhere, America is (probably) not under imminent threat of another attack and by no means under threat of a possible invasion. This is not Pearl Harbor and we are not yet at war with any nation. In 1941, the threat was real because the nations we faced were "significant and credible" as military opponents, to borrow the words of one Bush Administration official.

2. If we do find that a national government is responsible for this attack then we have a right to demand a firm and swift response from the United Nations and a right to use our own military unilaterally IF and ONLY IF there are no viable alternatives. If we do choose to use violence we have an obligation to formally declare war on that nation and make clear at the outset our terms for settlement/surrender. That's a minimum requirement for a just military action.

3. It is disgusting to listen to these foreign policy hawks proudly claim how willing they are to ignore international law and how easily they'd chuck out the US Constitution when it comes to raining bombs and retaliatory terror on foreign peoples.

4. No sane or moral person could believe that innocent victims deserve to die - here or abroad. I have yet to see a post here that implies that except from those of you who think it's time to load up the Aircraft Carriers and attack someone, somewhere in the name of justice.

What many of us ARE claiming is that unless we reassess our role in the world and our support for murder, dictators, oppression and violence, we should expect more carnage in the future to be brought to our soil. On our current path, we will live in an increasingly violent world whether we deserve it or not.

Mary Alice
Osborne Vermont

Dear Common Dreams,

As the Congress and Senate stood together to sing "God Bless America" last night, another song came to mind by Bob Dylan: "With God on our side": ...excerpt

But now we got weapons
Of the chemical dust
If fire them we're forced to
Then fire them we must
One push of the button
And a shot the world wide
And you never ask questions
When God's on your side.

In a many dark hour
I've been thinkin' about this
That Jesus Christ
Was betrayed by a kiss
But I can't think for you
You'll have to decide
Whether Judas Iscariot
Had God on his side.

So now as I'm leavin'
I'm weary as Hell
The confusion I'm feelin'
Ain't no tongue can tell
The words fill my head
And fall to the floor
If God's on our side
He'll stop the next war.

Website:
http://www.bobdylan.com/songs/withgod.html

How myopic we Americans are. The Muslims, who appear to be behind this attack, also believe that God (or Allah) is on their side.

My question: How can "God" ever be on the side of murder, devastation and war on either side?

America please give that some thought before we prey (or pray) tonight...

Murray Reiss
Salt Spring Island BC, Canada

A common thread in the postings I've read are that these attacks are a warning that the United State must change its (admittedly atrocious) foreign policies. Yet as I write we do not know who is responsible for these attacks. There seems to be an assumption that they are linked to the Middle East. Yet the last mass murder, in Oklahoma, was the work of home-grown Americans with grievances of their own against the US government. Was the lesson of Oklahoma that the federal government should put itself out of business? I'm not saying that there are not millions of people world-wide with legitimate grievances against the US government. I am saying that to link those grievances with the murder of tens of thousands of people who simply woke up in the morning and went to work, is to legitimize the same thinking that could lead to the bombing of Kabul.

Tom Yager
Arlington, VA

Let me start by saying that I am an liberal American and damn proud to be both. One of the reasons that I voted for Ralph Nader last year was that he took a strong stand against excessive military spending, missile defense, the sanctions on Iraq, the mistreatment of the Palestinians by Israel, the policies of the IMF and World Bank, and other aspects of our insufferably arrogant and bellicose foreign policy. However, I also agreed with him that we can't reduce our defense budget to zero, which is what this country might as well do if it refuses to defend itself.

Many on the left warn against "retaliation" and tell us to "turn the other cheek". Although we sink to the level of the terrorists if we lash out indiscriminately, I don't think that it is unjust to hunt down those who actually committed this monstrous crime. It is self-defense. How do we know that they will not attack us again? How do we know that refusing to act won't embolden other terrorists to attack us?

Although I believe that we need to change substantially the way that we treat other countries, making these changes as capitulation to mass murder and blackmail really sticks in my craw. Since the terrorists were too cowardly to claim responsibility for the bombing, we don't even know who to appease or how to appease them. There are far too many groups in the world with conflicting demands for us to appease everyone.

BTW, the agenda of terrorists is filled with some pretty nasty things. If we make it our first priority to find out how Big Bad America is "victimizing" them, and make it clear we view self-defense as an evil exercise that "just increases the level of violence", what's to stop us from being blackmailed by all sorts of groups with hideous ideas? What about domestic white supremacists? Can they bomb our black brothers and sisters back to Africa (never mind that many of their families have been here since before the Civil War)? Can Taliban-loving fanatics bomb our women back into subservience because American culture is so dominant and might undermine their terrible misinterpretation of Islam? Many terrorists hate democracy. Can they bomb us into a dictatorship that Stalin would envy?

Let us work for peace and justice in our world, but let us not forget our right to have peace and justice in America.

Aaron Strong
Chicago, Illinois

I am scared what this might do to the anti-globalization movement (fair trade movement, what ever you want to call it). Already activists are talking about calling off the Sept. 29-30 protests. I feel this should only be done it the IMF meetings are canceled. We have to make the case that this happened because of globalization, because of US militarism. This is the price we pay for our free market capitalism, and ignoring the needs of the poor. I’m not entirely sure yet how to make that case successfully to many Americans who want revenge even though they are also victims of US capitalism, but I do know that if we pause in the face of this tragedy; if we let it slow the momentum of our protests, if we let it quiet the tone of our voices and our outrage, if we let it slow down our organizing, if we let it slow our third party building, and sideline our progressive journalism and artwork this movement will quickly die. There are people suffering all over the world many of them here in the US, many of us in the movement are those people. They need us not to give in to conservative agendas and symbols (like “limited protests” or ignoring the upcoming welfare reform renewal) out of fear and guilt. If we weaken our stance and let our momentum slow, those in need (including many of us) will be crushed, and it will take another 20-30 years for this movement to build again.

Sean Tonko
Minneapolis

I'm sitting at work feeling like the only "peacenik" in the entire world. Thank you Common Dreams for being there for us. The woman who sits in the veal fattening pen across from me is in the Guard and she's talking about how doomsday is near because of the pending strike of state employees here in Minnesota. (The guard has been put on alert to fill the spots if a strike occurs.) The others in the office are making off hand comments about how the union should just shutup and get back to work and......I'm feeling like it's all slipping away. The anger and violent dreams of revenge are drowning out the humanity involved. I received an email from someone in management at my company expressing his desire to bomb the perpetrators to the stone age. I emailed back an article I read at TomPaine.Com that asked when we are going to learn that bombs beget bombs beget......He emails me (and everyone else) a very sarcastic response about hypnotizing the accomplices to "go back to their country and talk about peace and humanity." Anyone out there who has words of encouragement feel free to email. Let's share our thoughts and promote peace within ourselves at least until the others are ready......

MaryTyler Holmes and Habib Mehdi
Washington DC

My fiancé and I were on the roof of our building yesterday watching the Pentagon smoke from across the Potomac. It smoked for hours. We also watched the military's attack jets scream past us circulating the perimeters of DC. I gazed over at my place of work the Senate, the Capitol dome defiant intact in the bluesky and I thanked god we were alive.

Today when I arrived back in the Senate for work and listened to constituent voicemail I heard nothing but "Death to the Arabs", "retaliate", "Deport all Muslims from America revoke their citizenship", " Put the Muslims in internment camps like the Japanese", "Muslims are insane inhumane people", "Bomb Afghanistan back in the stoneage if innocent people die so what","Palestinians should be bulldozed". With each new voice I felt sicker and sicker. I ask to go off phones today even thought this is one of my duties. You see I am a Muslim convert I'm Irish and my fiancé is Afghan.

I turn on the news and Bush calls for retaliation to the countries that harbor the terrorists. CNN links bombs in Kabul Afghanistan with all this and Osama Bin Laden's picture flashes across the screen. My fiancé fears for his father still in Kabul I fear for him too and also all innocent Muslims who are now being attacked for being Muslim (see www.amconline.org). They may bomb Afghanistan. As if the Afghan people haven't suffered enough during the CIA backed war with Russia and the sick atrocities committed by the taleban (www.rawa.org).

I tell my fiancé not to leave the house and if anyone asks if he's Afghan to say he is Latino and a catholic. I give him a rosary from my visit to the Vatican to keep in his pocket in case he goes outside. I am so afraid and so sad for all the victims and all the future victims as Muslim Americans are being attacked and our military is trying to decide whether or not to bomb the Afghan people into oblivion.

Thunderheart7@webtv.net

Well I dreamed I saw the knights in armor come saying something about the queen, there peasants singing and drummers drumming. The archer split the tree. There was a fan fare blowing to the sun that floated on the breeze. Look at mother nature on the run in the nineteen seventies.

I was lying in a burned out basement with the full moon in my eyes, hoping for replacement when the sun burst though the sky. There was a band playing in my head and I felt I could cry. Thinking about what a friend had said, I was hoping it was a lie.

Pei Wu
Berkeley, California

As I watched the news yesterday, I began to cry very softly. Part of it was from the horror at the destruction, but another part of my mind was mourning the loss of progress toward peace as American politicians took to the TV, promising "punishment" with ugly undertones of violence.

The way our nation has reacted to this tragedy has not inspired any hope for peace in me. I can feel a miasma of suspicion, paranoia, and vengeance pouring over me, that same miasma that warps people's ability to care for others, to forgive. The same poison that twists every situation into a life-or-death situation, so that every action/reaction of violence on the US's part is regarded as both appropriate and necessary.

The creation and testing of weapons will only cost the world more human and environmental damage, pushing other nations who are hurt by our pollution and testing processes to desperate measures to show their objection to American actions.

Now IS a time for Americans to wake up-- to know that most of the citizens of the world have several valid reasons to be angry at Americans ignorant/apathetic consumption patterns, which drives international businesses to commit atrocities abroad in countless places, to countless innocents.

Can being sensitive and caring to the other peoples of the world prevent terrorism completely? Probably not, but it is something that every single person can do, and it, unlike the creation of more weapons, will at least decrease the chance of more terrorism. The creation of more weapons will only lead to the creation of better weapons, which only tears at the fragile world we are currently living in.

Peace.

Bill Heilbron
Lexington, Ky

I know the events of yesterday were horrible and now as the media reports we are united in a patriotic fight ---- against ???. We now have an enemy, but who. Peace

Anders Bellis
Sweden

Dear Americans,

My name is Anders Bellis. I am half Greek, half Swede, and a resident of Sweden, Europe.

Let me offer my deepest and most heartfelt condolences to every single one of you, to the families of the victims, to the American people as a whole and to the American nation.

Yesterday's horrendous attack is an attack not only on the United States of America, but on civilization as a whole. This is a cowardly but horrifyingly effective attempt to undermine the values of all democratic nations on Earth.

Please know that the latest resolution from the United Nations of Europe, as read on television here tonight, states in no uncertain terms that no effort will be spared to assist the American people in this hour of need, and to help in any way we can to hunt down and bring to justice those responsible for this horrible deed.

Please also know that the hearts of all of us are with all of you.

I am crying. I will continue to do so.

With deep sorrow, Anders Bellis as one of millions of citizens of Greece and Sweden

Peter Blied
Fresno, California

As I fought back tears at numerous times yesterday and on into today, I have become even more convinced that it is our own hubris that lead us into this situation. We are supporting and indirectly advocating various acts and governments in the Middle East yet expect to remain "clean" of the bloody events. We pretend that Israel is not acting as terrorists in Palestine while condemning any act by the Palestinians in retaliation or defense of "their" lands. No oil interest is worth the lives lost already, let us stop it now.

It is my hope and prayer that we will rethink our biased and imbalanced policies in this region and remove our money, equipment and above all, our military men and women. We must advance the cause of peace while remaining strong enough to bring judgment upon those who have inflicted this wound upon us. Only through careful planning and execution of covert actions will we even have a ghost of a chance to track down bin Laden or another responsible party. A full-scale war will not solve the problem and will undoubtedly lead only to further loss of personnel, on all sides. PRAY FOR PEACE and act accordingly.

Tammy Johnston

My God, what have we wrought...

Aaron Geoffrey Sheldon
Canada

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Let us first pray - Give forgiveness for the loved ones taken from us and give thanks for the loved ones who were spared.

In this time of great world crisis, one which man has made himself, we can not let this tragedy weaken our resolve to bring peace into this world. We must take from this event an increased devotion to make this World, Our World, better for all things man and beast. The enormity of our personal losses can only go to reinforce the urgency with which we must act to change our ways - to foremost let go of greed, as that is the first step towards true peace.

It is tempting to explain this death and destruction in the realm of culture, politics, and religion - but this is not so. We can only think of these attacks within the context of historical action, and environmental repercussions. After all does it really matter who perpetuated these deeds on us? Does it really matter why they did it? American, Chinese, or Arab - for God, for Country or for Love all these are moot when we see this action as part of all our actions. To be clear about the point I am trying to make: Man is behaving no differently than how any other animal on this planet would behave when faced with severe environmental stress. From fish to snake to ant to bear all will destroy themselves when faced with the extremes of starvation and predation - and in this way man has behaved no differently.

So I ask each and every one of us: Is the pain you feel from the sadness of the loss of our loved brethren? Or is it the shame of knowing that if we had all lived are lives with true love and responsibility, if each and every one of us had dedicated ourselves to making this World better for all things that inhabit it, then none of this would have happened.

Until now I have been quietly spreading the message - that we must change our ways or suffer the inevitable dire consequences. But I see that few have heeded my word. So now I will speak with great voice and urgency; choose now and choose wisely. Our leaders will come to us with plans of revenge - retaliation - retribution - reprisal; they will say that to continue our ways we must react violently and swiftly. We must deny them. We must say to them they we do not want to continue our ways, that we are sick of the greed, made sore of the arrogance and grow weary of our dismissive disregard of all others.

The World will no longer tolerate the presence of people who live their lives as we do, so we must be the ones to change or we will have those changes imposed upon us.

Namaste

Patrick Kelly
California

Thank you for having a voice that is rational during all the calls for big brother fascist response and the cry for taking away more civil liberties.

Keep up the good work as there is a need for the type of journalism you practice.