Andrew was quite right in his analysis of my expression.  I'll make a
few more points on this, and then I'll say no more.

I have a problem with any argument that lends any credibility to the act
of terror and that is why I wrote what I wrote.

To those who interpret justice to mean "bomb the hell out of them," that
is not at all what I meant.  I would like to see those people
aprehended.  I would like them to apologize to the world for their
actions.  And, I would like them locked away forever.  Let their
resistance to apology determine the hardships they will endure the rest
of their lives.

As for why we are where we are, I believe a lot of the problems stem
from America's fear of the spread of communism.  That brought us into
several wars that we would otherwise not have participated (including
Afghanistan).  It even turned us against our own people (McCarthyism).

For those that seem to think that war mongering is the sole domain of
the Republican party, I offer this:  My own Senator, a Democrat, was
quoted as saying: "bomb the hell out of them."  Also, I'll remind people
that it was the Clinton administration that indiscriminantly bombed the
Sudan and Afghanistan.  Worse, that bombing was uncomfortable in its
timing leading many to speculate that Clinton was attempting to divert
attention from the Lewinsky matter.  Lobbing bombs at Sudan and
Afghanistan was dangerous and foolish.  

Regarding Bush's cavalier attitude, I am hopeful that these are gestures
directed at American people who need such expressions right now.  There
are many, many people in the US who would like us to lash out
immediately, and the President has to provide some outlet for those
people.  Let's hope that in the coming days cooler heads prevail and
that he is successful in channeling that fear and hatred into more
constructive pursuits.

In a great symbolic gesture to the world, I would like the United States
to line up several battleships in the New York harbor and detonate about
5000 missiles in the skies above.  Let it be a moment for all who need
it to expunge the hatred and the rage.

As for the terrorists:  mission accomplished...I am terrified.

- Stephen

> -----Original Message-----
> From: squeak-dev-admin at lists.squeakfoundation.org 
> [mailto:squeak-dev-admin at lists.squeakfoundation.org] On 
> Behalf Of Stephen Pair
> Sent: Monday, September 17, 2001 5:49 PM
> To: squeak-dev at lists.squeakfoundation.org
> Subject: RE: [rant] Re: [OT] Will the SSSCA outlaw Squeak?
> 
> 
> I can't believe what I just read...this is truly despicable.  
> Cees, it saddens me that you feel this way.
> 
> Let us be thankful that most of us live in a world where 
> power structures are not determined through violent means.  
> For all of its faults, capitalism and democratic civilian 
> governments have at least given us the opportunity to ponder 
> an even better existence.  I don't expect that I will live to 
> see the evolution of civilization beyond it's current basis 
> in capitalism, but I do expect to help lay the foundation for 
> such a civilization in the future.
> 
> The events of Tuesday remind us all that there are those on 
> this planet that seek to turn back the clock to a time when 
> people were ruled through voilence and intimidation...and the 
> only language they know is violence.
> 
> Cees, if you think that I, as an American, am going to stop 
> for even a second and ponder why this act was committed, you 
> are sorely mistaken. My only concern in this matter is justice.
> 
> - Stephen
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: squeak-dev-admin at lists.squeakfoundation.org
> > [mailto:squeak-dev-admin at lists.squeakfoundation.org] On 
> > Behalf Of Cees de Groot
> > Sent: Monday, September 17, 2001 4:36 PM
> > To: squeak-dev at lists.squeakfoundation.org
> > Subject: [rant] Re: [OT] Will the SSSCA outlaw Squeak?
> > 
> > 
> > Richard A. O'Keefe <ok at atlas.otago.ac.nz> said:
> > >(2) Last week's *outrage* is bound to create new pressure
> > from US intelligence
> > >    agencies for more power to intercept electronic communication.
> > >
> > ~Two hours after these awful images aired (I drove home all
> > the way - 50 miles - with a knot in my stomach) I saw a 
> > Republican guy who was on some defense or intelligence 
> > commision argueing on CNN that this proved the US should 
> > spend more money on the military. His tone was terrible, and 
> > if I weren't already, it would have turned me into an instant 
> > cynic when it comes to US government. That cynic in me is 
> > constantly wispering that cowboy Bush c.s. are just craving 
> > for a good fight, I haven't heard a word of compassion nor 
> > seen even the slightest sign of realization that people may 
> > have actually very good reasons to hate the US and that it's 
> > about time to rethink how the US (and other, err, 'civilized' 
> > countries) behave in the 'uncivilized' parts of this world. 
> > It gives me a very bad feeling that all these people have 
> > died a horrible death for nothing, and their deaths will not 
> > even be written down as the turning point in history towards 
> > a better world it should be. And I do think that the spooks 
> > (the 'military-industrial complex' in some people's 
> > ideologies) will abuse this to take away basic rights like 
> > the right to privacy in communications the US and friendly 
> > states have been (and are) violating on such a massive scale.
> > 
> > Of course, it is more important that oil stays at affordable
> > prices, otherwise it would get too expensive to drive that 
> > SUV to the local MacDonalds. Liberty and freedom in the US is 
> > not being forced into compact, fuel-economic cars and to hell 
> > with these infidel Afghans who were useful to the free world 
> > as long as there was a Soviet Union to fight against. The 
> > founders of the USofA, who I think possessed intelligence, 
> > insight, sophistication, and - most important - worthy 
> > ideals, are spinning in their graves at supersonic speeds. 
> > I'm not religious, but last week I've been praying their 
> > spinning will be heard.
> > 
> > -- 
> > Cees de Groot               http://www.cdegroot.com     
> > <cg at cdegroot.com>
> > GnuPG 1024D/E0989E8B 0016 F679 F38D 5946 4ECD  1986 F303 937F
> > E098 9E8B http://www.anti-dmca.org/
> > 
> > 
> 
> 
>