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Articles: what a lousy way to get a day off |
Posted by
bettie_x on Tuesday, September 11, 2001 - 01:55 PM PST
I showed up at work today at the mall...slightly late, but no matter. I passed truckstops that were packed with cops and trucks, and as I got nearer the mall, I noticed military vehicles, as many as thirty per installment parked along I-5. How bizarre I thought...
As I was unlocking the front door, a simon mall employee walked up and said "uh, ma'am, did you know that we're closed today?" "No, why is that?" "Oh, I don't know, corporate is closing all the simon facilities for today" I was a little confused, but thought, HEY! Free day off! I went inside to voicemail my DM that we would be closed, and call the 10:00 shift and catch him before he left. I then called the closing manager Wendi. Her response to the mall being closed was "Oh, thank GOD! I was hoping it would be." I questioned her strange response and she said "didn't you watch the news this morning?" No, I had gotten up, straight to the shower, then walked my dog and gone straight to work, R.E.M blasting all the way. No tv news, no radio news...just R.E.M "Document"....ironic enough before I got out, "it's the end of the world as we know it" had just ended. Well, I don't feel fine. "The Twin City Towers are GONE, laurie. Half the Pentagon is collapsed. It's like pearl harbor. Didn't you hear?" I was stunned. She told me what the radios and tv's had been blaring all morning. Four hijacked planes carrying civilian passengers by unknown terrorists. Two FLEW INTO the World Trade Center, which shortly after collapsed, one dived into the Pentagon, and another crashed near Pitsburg. First major attack on U.S. soil since the revolutionary war. I don't know how I feel right now. I'm scared, worried, horrified, disgusted, angry. I listend to an impromptu Tom Leykis broadcast (he's been on all morning, taking a break, then back from 3-7) Some people called in and were blaming the middle east (of course), blaming foreign immigrants (of course) etc. This almost worries me more. This is what put asian americans in interrment camps in WWII (as he pointed out several times) People are screaming war. Against who? How can you declare war on an unknown enemy? How can you declare war on a country that unknowingly harbored, but does not endorse, support, condone, nor keep these wretched murderes safe? It goes two ways. If it's the actions of a country, then we go to war. We have to. BUt how many more lives of civilians will be lost to pay for those lost here by the actions of sick sick people? What will that accomplish? Or, it's a terrorist group. Not a country. How do we FIND these people? How do we deal with them if we DO find them? We know that any sort of action will bring even more severe reprocussions from sympathetic terrorist groups. What is worse is the sheer precision and timing of the attack. Four planes, four different airports.....as sickening as it sounds, it reeks of an inside job. Somehow. This is scary. This is sad. This is history. This is our lives for the next 6-12 months. How do we deal with this? A tragedy of this magnatude? America will never be the same...end of story. Nothing of the like has been seen, and hopefully will never be seen again. It was on LIVE TV NEWS as they covered the first shaky moments when the first airplane hit and nobody knew what was happening. They had their cameras on the crater in the top floors, the fires, when on the screen came a second airplane, which arched around and deliberately collided with the second building. Then the two collapsed. The home video of the explosion, of the collapse, people falling, flying, JUMPING to their deaths. We are 3000 miles away...but this is an attack that has echoed around the world and back...and we are at ground zero. What can you do short of busting out there and digging out any unlikely survivors? Please, all of you elligable, call 1-800-give-life Medical help and most of all blood supplies are desperately needed. It's the smallest thing you can do that will have the biggest impact. I intend to do so...I feel in a time like this, something so small should be expected of us to do without flinching an eye.
If anyone here has family, friends, associates that may have been caught in this tragedy, I'm sure msn.com has hotlines and info lines to find out if you knew someone on one of those flights, or in the new york area. I hope my hardest that you do not.
How do we deal with this? What do we do? It's so horrible to feel so helpless, so unprotected, and so utterly helpless. It makes one wonder when we are next... We never saw THIS one coming...what's to keep us from being blindsided yet again....
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what a lousy way to get a day off | Login/Create an account | 53 Comments |
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Re: what a lousy way to get a day off
by Schizo on Sep 11, 2001 - 03:38 PM
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I woke up early this morning. Generally I get up around 8:30 and go online until a little after 9. This morning I got up at 7:30 and decided to watch t.v. At 9, I usually would still be at the computer, but this morning, I was there to catch the live footage of the second plane crashing into the building. With the first plane, it could have been an accident. With the second, it became terrorism.
I could barely tear myself away to take my shower for work. When I came back, they were talking about the Pentagon. Oddly enough, earlier I had been thinking something along the lines of the Pentagon probably being pretty untouchable, probably very well protected. Well, I guess not.
I left for work at 10:20. I even got dressed in front of the t.v. to follow developments. The radios in the restaurant were all following the news. Even in the dining room. There I learned about the towers collapsing.
This is one of those events that, 20 years from now, people will discuss where they were when they heard of the destruction of the World Trade Towers. Just like the Kennedy Assasination.
I thought it would be a slow day at the restaurant. I thought people would be staying home, watching the news and clinging to their security blankets. The place was packed.
There was even a wedding party that decided to drop in. Bride and all. What a day to get married.
Somehow, it hasn't sunk in yet. I'm in my apartment. Nothing has changed. My life wasn't touched. Yet America is pretty well shut down around me. There is no sound of planes overhead. There are people in pain, people in tense waiting to find out about loved ones, people stranded away from home, searching train schedules madly. There are people working their asses off trying to rescue and clean up. People working their brains off trying to find the culprits.
And somewhere, there are people laughing. People thumbing their noses at the pride of America. People grinning from ear to ear at the pain and devastation they have caused.
And people call us evil.
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Re: what a lousy way to get a day off
by Meranda_Jade (scurtis510@home.com)
on Sep 11, 2001 - 06:22 PM
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I would give blood, but the last time I tried they laughed at me... I can't give blood, though I'm o+ because I'm anemic... wish I could, though... this is terribly scary....
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Re: what a lousy way to get a day off
by Fergshmuck (fury_alecto@yahoo.com)
on Sep 11, 2001 - 06:25 PM
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I was reading over Randall's shoulder a message board regarding today's news. Almost all I saw were people pointing their fingers, saying "Arabs/Muslims/Jews/Niggers/Americans/New Yorkers (yes, they talked shit about New Yorkers too) and so on Suck! DIe Now! My (insert group here) Pride!" blah blah blah. I saw maybe six or seven posts from people giving condolences and urging others to give blood and plasma. Seven posts in every 500. Tell me this: what gives us the right to, at the first sniff of smoke, point our fingers at a certain group? I know this reeks of an inside job. Lots of people know this, but they're still using today's events as a way to gratify their urge to point at someone and say "I hate you." They don't remember that a good chunk of terrorists depend on their victims to turn against each other. That's a big part of taking over, warring factions. PEOPLE DON'T NEED HATE! FUCK HATE! PEOPLE NEED SUPPORT! PEOPLE NEED ARMS TO GO TO, NOT GUNS! NOT BOMBS! NOT HOSTAGE SITUATIONS!
...people need to listen to people like us... who care.
I doubt that when everything happened, anyone really thought about the people who died- who they were attached to, who was going to someone's graduation or school play or grandchild's baptism or nephew's bar mitzvah. Who was coming home to see their wife and son after a 6-month business trip? Nobody, now. How many people on those planes, in the Pentagon, in the twin towers thought simultaneously as they were engulfed in flames and shrapnel, "I love you, sweetheart!" or "God, I'm sorry, Mom!" or even "Lord, I'm coming home!"....not alot of people care. But I fully support those who do.. those who went to their church today to pray, those who lit a white candle in their living rooms on top of the TV, those who smeared ash on their foreheads and tied black ribbons on their arms. I know what you're thinking.. "Silly, nobody does that anymore." Well, there might be 4 people in this world who still do. I want to personally hug them and tell them it's all right... their loved ones are in a place where hate is moot. And that if we absolutely have to die because someone hates someone else, we'll at least be with those we loved, and the people who killed us... won't.
I'd like to ask that those who read this burn a white candle.. for memory, and for hope. And Whatever/Whoever you all put your faith in, be it a god, an item, or someone you love, give that source of faith your prayers. You can pray to people you love and have faith in- after all, Jesus was a person first, wasn't he? (I'm not Christian myself- but I do take comfort in thoughts like these.) PLEASE don't fight with people and things for now.. love as much as you can.. give as much sympathy as you have to those who really need it.. and help me find a way to make a difference. Stay safe, all of you, and accept my support and love, even if you don't know me. You may need it later.
power to people who care,
`rik
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Re: what a lousy way to get a day off
by Xaoswolf (Xaoswolf@hotmail.com)
on Sep 11, 2001 - 06:49 PM
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what gets me is when they show the people on the west bank cheering and throwing candy around like this is something to celebrate. Had they bombed an aircraft carrier or made some great military victory, then sure, celebrate all you want, but they hurt innocent people. The tore apart the families of people that had nothing to do with thier troubles with Isreal(I'm not saying that Pakistan did it). The people that died were for the most part, not soldiers, they were stock borkers, business men, fire fighters and police. I hope we find out who is responsible for this, and make them pay.
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Re: what a lousy way to get a day off
by Anonymous-Coward on Sep 11, 2001 - 06:59 PM
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Fuck this world. we hate enough to pull this shit. we are all guilty of hate. See what hate does? it kills innocence..
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Re: what a lousy way to get a day off
by feralucce on Sep 11, 2001 - 08:25 PM
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I notice two things in this...
we are at war... GWB... OUR FEARLESS LEADER... made an announcement to the nation... Softly stating that we would retaliate and that anyone harbouring these people would be guilty of an act of war. We are at war...
Second... GWB said NOTHING... NOTHING about the loss of life... Welll that is not entriely true... his annoucnement featured fake words... his words were puntuated by what scientists and investigators term a "Micro-expression..." His sorrow... was a lie...
They are using this as a fund raiser for the FBI and the CIA... The AP in the UK... Three weeks ago, benlauden (I KNOW THAT IS NOT HOW IT IS SPELLED), made a statement that they would strike the US in a "scope the likes of which has not yet been seen." The man that has, in the past, stated it is the duty of his people to kill americans made a statement taht we would suffer and the authorities say "we had no intelligence to this fact." the man who crippled a us navy vessel with a row boat...
Now, I am not saying he did it... but I am apalled by the lack of response...
I cannot think of anything beyond dumbstruck fury... My cousin was in the solamon building... which was brought down by one of the towers collapsing...
A canadian friend of mine said "well... your country was asking for it. It had to happen at some time..." and sadly enough I agree...
I am... concerned... We are going to hurt other people... in a loss of life that is not warrented, nor is it moral... And it has already started... In New Orleans, some Cab Drivers of middle eastern descent have been attacked... We have declared war on anyone who hides these people... We're only continuing the problem... and... I am ashamed to be a part fo the species...
If you're not outraged by both sides of this... you are not paying attention...
Feral
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BUSH'S Address - fucking ominous
by feralucce on Sep 11, 2001 - 08:29 PM
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Today, our fellow citizens, our way of life, our very freedom came under attack in a series of deliberate and deadly terrorist acts.
The victims were in airplanes or in their offices -- secretaries, businessmen and women, military and federal workers. Moms and dads. Friends and neighbors.
Thousands of lives were suddenly ended by evil, despicable acts of terror.
The pictures of airplanes flying into buildings, fires burning, huge structures collapsing, have filled us with disbelief, terrible sadness and a quiet, unyielding anger.
These acts of mass murder were intended to frighten our nation into chaos and retreat. But they have failed. Our country is strong. A great people has been moved to defend a great nation.
Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve.
America was targeted for attack because we're the brightest beacon for freedom and opportunity in the world. And no one will keep that light from shining.
Today, our nation saw evil, the very worst of human nature, and we responded with the best of America, with the daring of our rescue workers, with the caring for strangers and neighbors who came to give blood and help in any way they could.
Immediately following the first attack, I implemented our government's emergency response plans. Our military is powerful, and it's prepared. Our emergency teams are working in New York City and Washington, D.C., to help with local rescue efforts.
Our first priority is to get help to those who have been injured and to take every precaution to protect our citizens at home and around the world from further attacks.
The functions of our government continue without interruption. Federal agencies in Washington which had to be evacuated today are reopening for essential personnel tonight and will be open for business tomorrow.
Our financial institutions remain strong, and the American economy will be open for business as well.
The search is underway for those who are behind these evil acts. I've directed the full resources for our intelligence and law enforcement communities to find those responsible and bring them to justice. We will make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them.
I appreciate so very much the members of Congress who have joined me in strongly condemning these attacks. And on behalf of the American people, I thank the many world leaders who have called to offer their condolences and assistance.
America and our friends and allies join with all those who want peace and security in the world and we stand together to win the war against terrorism.
Tonight I ask for your prayers for all those who grieve, for the children whose worlds have been shattered, for all whose sense of safety and security has been threatened. And I pray they will be comforted by a power greater than any of us spoken through the ages in Psalm 23: "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me."
This is a day when all Americans from every walk of life unite in our resolve for justice and peace. America has stood down enemies before, and we will do so this time.
None of us will ever forget this day, yet we go forward to defend freedom and all that is good and just in our world.
Thank you. Good night and God bless America.
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JERSEY FUCKING TURNPIKE
by feralucce on Sep 11, 2001 - 08:30 PM
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less than an hour ago... a van was pulled over... 3 or 4 individuals within... the van PACKED with a massive amount of explosives... this is far from over...
Feral
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What are we to think? what are we to say?
by VampCourt (Morbidchic@hotmail.com)
on Sep 12, 2001 - 06:00 AM
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I cant even fathom how this could happen. Americans granted have thrown thier weight around in other countrys and such. but that was no reason to go and annilate all of those innocent people. I was at werk when this all was going on and all we could do was stand around the radio and listen and cry.I couldnt keep the thought of my friends from new york out of my head..I could stop thinking.. my god... I walked through that place.. i looked up and saw those towers.. What if i was there on that givin day.. What are we to think? what are we to say? All of those people.. children.. parents.. handicapped.. many diffrent people.. All suffering and dying because of power and who has more. Come On people. We are all Humans.. we all exsist on this planet.. we have the same makeup. We breath the same air. Why fight over who has more power. this is insane. compleate and utter insanity.
And i work at a very high scale prep school and i got to see many young kids and adults cry.. Stand in the dining hall and pour thier tears.. because those children who attend this school.. thier parents werked in that building.. How that made my heart hurt more..
We see people starving and try to help them.. we see people in other countrys.. and we try to help them... Why in the name of all the planet would you hurt the hand that feeds you.
This has proved one thing to me.. As much as there is alot of good people out there.. There are some very evil.. very mean.. very cold and heartless... very caniving people out there. And my trust twards this race has depleated.
And I would like to say something to the people who dare make a joke or laugh at this situation.. I want you to imagine yourself.. stuck.. in a plane.. in a building.. in the dark.. screaming and banging on the walls.. slowly cooking to death.. trapped and slowly dieing miserbaly.. I want you type of people to think about that.. I applogize for that vision but.. I have heard so mant people make a joke of it.. and it makes me want to vomit..
I think tho' instead of being rotten about this situation.. i am going to look and search for ways to help. all of those familys lost.. all of those friends destroyed. Help is the word. Not Hate. I think we have done enough hating for now....
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The Arabs among us
by Maranda (saboneta@aol.com)
on Sep 12, 2001 - 06:07 AM
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I was sitting in a class when the second plane hit, and the world suddenly knew that the attacks were intentional. The instructor turned on National Public Radio and we listened in silence.
As I watched the expressions on the others' faces, I saw a Muslim girl's face contort into horror as the name Osama bin Laden was first mentioned. As NPR continued to discuss Islamic terrorism, I watched that girl shrink in fear, then quietly-- almost shamefully-- leave the class. I was sure she was afraid for her safety among her fellow AMERICANS.
After class, I stopped into the convenience store next to my house. The two Arabic brothers who own the store were staring at the TV speechless. One looked as if he'd been crying.
The news media kept playing images of Christian church services and singing Senators. Here where I live, two mosques opened their doors to anyone who wished to pray for the victims of the bombing. I wish someone had covered that.
I know that after such a tragedy, there is a need point fingers. In this case, Islamic terrorists may very well be to blame. But I hope that Americans remember that the Arabic community, here and worldwide, is no more guilty of these events than contemporary Catholics are for the Crusades.
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Re: what a lousy way to get a day off
by Castrator (andy_tyers@hotmail.com)
on Sep 12, 2001 - 12:48 PM
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Fucking Hell. I'm not American(or in America), so all this wasn't as close to home as it is to the majority of people here, but still...what a fucking mind job.
I found out at school, and was sceptical at first (Last week the school was told by the headmaster that the Queen mum had died), but after definite conformation...Jeez.
I was watching it on the news, the second plane flying into the tower, and I just realised something - hundreds of people died just there, as I was watching it on TV. I had just seen a plane full of innocent people just...die. Fuck.
It's chilling, and I think that whoever ordered this should be brought to justice, but I worry that Bush will act before thinking.
Now, I don't think there will be a third world war, but Bush with the big red button is worrying.
Bush with a reason to push the big red button and public support to push the big red button is extremely scary.
May whatever God(s) you believe in have mercy.
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Re: what a lousy way to get a day off
by bettie_x (strangersangel@hotmail.com)
on Sep 12, 2001 - 01:08 PM
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Yesterday on my way home I saw a solitary man on the sidewalks of the main intersection near my apartment. He was in his 50's, in a veteran's cap, and doing nothing but walking up and down the roads waving an american flag. Horns all around honked in support. It was the picture of a funeral procession in my mind. He was later joined by several other veterans and neighbors, signs, flags, car horns honking. There are a lot of immigrants in the area I live in, and for that instance, no matter how fleeting, we were a country. ONE country, one city of american citizens. I feel sad that it takes something so tragic as the loss of thousands of lives to bring us together, but perhaps it is a step....a baby step, but one in the right direction.
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Re: what a lousy way to get a day off
by feralucce on Sep 12, 2001 - 06:24 PM
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I... lost someone in all this... I am... not sure how to proceed... I... am lost... for the first time in my life... I have no clear path ahead of me...
Feral
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Re: A simplistic plan
by Xaoswolf (Xaoswolf@hotmail.com)
on Sep 12, 2001 - 10:20 PM
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If one looks back on what happened, you will see that we need a newer type of security. In protecting from the great weapons of war, we have left a small crack under the shield. If a missile is launched anywhere in the world, we know, have launched counter strikes, and taken the missile out, before any human even knows about it(good old computers). Taking a bomb on a plane is rather difficult, and moving four bombs onto four planes is even harder. Moving them overland to 4 targets and not getting caught, is even harder.
But look at what they did. They took box knives, mace, and pocket knives onto a plane. They quickly attacked and spread fear through out the croud. The put them in the back of the plane, not telling them that they were going to die. The had pilots, or at least people that were trained to fly a plane, which isn't hard. Commercial planes will fly themselves, the pilots are there to steer, land, take off, and handle any problems. Well, the hardest parts are the take off and landing, which they didn't need, they just had to steer. They could easily coordinate the attacks by simply looking at the flight schedule, and buying tickets for flights that take off at roughly the same time.
We have no way to gaurd against this kind of assualt at this time, sure we now say that no knives are alloud on planes at all, but you can still smuggle on the new plastic or ceremic knives. The pilots are not protected at all in the cockpit. You could probably sneeze on the door and knock it down.
And look at the targets, two giant towers, each holding at peak hours 25,000 people, a huge building(if you want to get from one side to the other, you ride a little golf cart, walking would take too long) holding the defense department, who's design doesn't allow for emergency vehicles to get to the inner sections that still burn(of course the huge underground complex beneath the pentagon didn't feel a thing when the plane hit.).
There need to be several changes in security in order to insure that nothing like this can ever happen again.
We have pretty much declared that Bin Laden is the master mind behind the attacks, so we need to make an example of him. We need to show the other terrorists out there, that we won't stand for this, and if Afganistan won't hand him over, then we need to make an even bigger example of them. We won't even need that many ground troops. They are already under attack by other groups, we just need to fly in and bomb the hell out of whatever is still standing. We have the support of several other nations, England, France, and Canada to name a few. We can easily do what is needed in Afganistan.
I also feel that President Bush is handling this rather well, I don't feel that he was weak nor do I feel that he is itching for the red button. I feel that he will attack, but I don't think he will do anything that is not necessary.
And lastly, gas is not going to get more expensive because of this. The last thing we need now is more problems caused from people fighting over gas(I saw it today). This kind of petty crap is something we don't need at a time like this.
Now for some of the good points. We took a crippling blow to the American goverment, and we barely missed a step. We took quick action and saved many lives. There were people waiting in line to donate blood for up to four hours showing that they cared and were willing to do what they can. The people of Oklahoma City have sent 1000 teddy bears along with words of condolence to the children of New York.The nation has pulled together when some would fall apart.
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Re: what a lousy way to get a day off
by jadedraven (smithsm@alfredstate.edu)
on Feb 27, 2002 - 08:36 AM
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OK, so I am a little late, but thought I would share anyway.
I had just gotten out of a class (it ended at quarter after 10 am) and I got back to my room, I had left the TV on, and didn't even notice that the news was on. So I threw my books on my bed, and started doing some Western Civ homework for my next class, completley tuning out the news, until my mind started wandering away from my homework and I started to watch the TV. At first i didn't realize what I big deal it was ( I live in Upstate New York) then I found out that all afternoon classes were canceled. I made contact with my mom (who is a truck driver and frequents NYC) and found out she was OK, and put it out of my mind, it never really hit me. Then the death tolls started coming in, and it still didn't hit me. Then there started to be racial beatings on campus, and people near me were screaming for blood, and someone threatened my life because i didn't share the common lust for blood, so obviously I was just as bad as the terrorists. All of this never really sunk in for me until after the new year, and now, it is not a lust for blood I want, but i cry for all the innocent people in this country who died certianly, but also for all the innocent people across the ocean who are still dying. That is what hit me from this event, the senseless bloodshed, followed by only more violence, more hatred, it just makes me feel so helpless, and sick. I am not scared to leave my dorm or anything, but I hate not being able to do anything, everyone wants blood, so who is going to listen to my 1 voice when I say NO, that is NOT RIGHT, people look at me as if i might be carrying some anthrax around in my pocket or something. Is not wanting to see more people die such a bad thing? I am not very patriotic, I never will be, I don't like a lot of things about my country. I didn't go buy an american flag, I will not fly one on my car, or put one on my door, because I do not believe in everything we stand for, but that does not mean I do not care about what happens to the people here, or to the earth, and it certianly doesn't mean that I wish for something like sept 11th to happen.
ok, rant over:-)
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