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What we should do is, as you said. Find those responsible for this disaster and make them pay. But we should also rebuild. Rebuilding, and helping those in need, while at the same time seeking those who have wronged us so that we can show the world we will not allow ourselves to be wronged so, is at least a part of the answer. We must show the world not only that we cannot be attacked with impunity, but that we have the self-control not to lash out blindly but to find the true villian; also above all else we must show that we cannot be defeated forever. I suppose I use references to videogames even when it's horribly innappropriate, but I just remember from Final Fantasy 6, the people of South Figaro who vowed if their city should fall 100 times, they would rebuild it 100 times. We should show the world that where two buildings fall, we will build THREE in their place, to stand proudly displaying the determination we have to press on no matter what happens to us.<P><P>------------------
Three-tailed fox, in the house--<A HREF="http://www.alfador.8m.com" TARGET=_blank>Fox Den</A>, that is!

I'm not trying to steal your thunder with this, but I think it could answer your question.<P>"`He who seeks vengeance without justice becomes the enemy...'"
"`And he who refuses to fight for his freedom deserves it not.' But <I>sensei</I>, I have no sword to fight our enemies."
"Sometimes, the only weapon we have is an open heart. That is what makes us all warriors."
- sensei and student<P>
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"Fear can hit targets unreachable to bullets." - Swoop, Autobot Dinobot Bombardier<p>[This message has been edited by CyberCorn Entropic (edited 09-12-2001).]

I sat there, watching CNN, and I saw the north tower of the WTC collapse.
I continued to watch, and learned, as did all of you, of the airliners that were hijacked, of the emergency workers who were trapped by the collapse of the towers.
I learned of the fourth plane, the one that crashed short of whatever its target may have been.
I listened to the stories of the phone calls made by those on the planes.
I sat there, in a state of disbelief. It was not that I thought my country immune to the specter of terror.
I knew that there were those who hated everything America stood for, and that some of those people were willing to die to inflict harm upon us.
What I could not believe was the scope..the enormity of it all.
That we had lost so many lives so quickly seemed impossible, that we were in the grip of a nightmare from which I prayed we would awaken. <P>The nightmare continues, and we have not awoken.
People call this an "act of war".
They speak of a desire for retribution, a need to hurt and punish those responsible for this ungodly action.
I listen to those screaming for revenge and hear my own voice adding to the chorus. <P>To the ones who planned this, who sought to hurt us, to "punish" us for crimes real or imagined, I have this to say. <P>You have succeeded, perhaps by more than you could have hoped.<P> You have driven home to us the fact that you CAN get to us, that we are not safe from your bombs or the killing you can bring with you. <P>You have forced us to change our ways, to curtail some of our precious freedoms, to react to what you have done and acknowledge you. <P>You remain secretive, not telling us who you are

I'm not sure what to make of Dumont's post. Dumont, are you saying that we have or must become a rage-filled mob? If so, I disagree. I believe we as a people can seek justice without turning to bloodlust.<P>If this was not your meaning, perhaps you can explain it. I can be a bit slow at times.<P><P>------------------
Patch O'Black
The Jellicle Cat!

Just something I came up with, tell me what you think...<P>On the day the towers fell, I heard two men arguing.<P>The first man shouted, "How dare they? The cowards who kill without showing their faces! They must pay for this outrage!" He turned to me, "Join us! Let us kill all those who killed our countrymen! Let us destroy them all, in the name of revenge!"<P>The second man quietly spoke, "No, let us not go to war, for war is evil. We shall bury our dead, rebuild our buildings, remember this day, and sing sad songs. I'm sure we can learn to live with this."<P>I said to the first man, "I will not join you, for you wish blood for blood. Revenge is not a reason for taking up arms. You seek genocide, which no atrocity can justify. You have become that which you seek to destroy. Mindless hatred."<P>I then said to the second man, "While I admire your desire for peace, you seek to peace at a horrible cost. Peace without freedom from fear is the peace of a slave. I do not wish for war, I do not seek it. These people have shown that they believe they can kill without consequences. The time has come to show them this is not so. Not a war of revenge, but of justice."<P>The first man spit in disgust, "You weak-hearted liberal. It is because of you that this happened!" and walked away.<P>The second man shook his head sadly, "I will pray for you, for you have yet to learn the true path of peace. I pray for the day you renounce your war-making ways." and he, too walked away.<P>And so my question is...which one of us is right?<P><P>------------------
Patch O'Black
The Jellicle Cat!

Patchy, you are right.
Most Americans (according to Gallup poll) want to go to war over this, but wait until we know who is truely responsible.<P>To attack who we think is responsible, without proof, is to become like those who have done this to us.<P>To do nothing, is to say to those that did this: "Go ahead. Kill us. We will do nothing to stop you."<P>For discussions like this to even be spoken...shows the sad state of this world.

Patchy, I agree with you completely. This is a quote I have had to use a lot more in the past few days:<P>"When fighting monsters, take care, lest you become a monster...for when you stare long into the Abyss, the Abyss begins to stare back."--Friedrich Nietzsche.<P>It has just become more urgent not to let hatred consume us...<P>------------------

Are we a becoming a mob, intent on blindly slaughtering people to gain satisfaction? Not yet. I have seen reports on CNN and other news sites that suggest some people are falling to bloodlust.
But a mob lacks focus, it strikes out in many directions, fighting anything in its path.
So far, we are focused on a goal.
A mob lacks patience, it demands results fast and it brooks no delay.
We have the patience. We will not be finished with this in mere weeks or even months. The Secretary of Defense has told the press that our armed forces are being held ready for tasks in the months to come

Despite my high intelligence for my age (15) My mind seems incapable of comprehending what happened. While sorry, I do not feel the sorrow like I would if I was there, to me I can't feel much sympathy for the dead until I can go there and feel their souls cry out to mine. Although I am a pacifist, and would be haunted my whole life if I killed another human being. I would be more than happy to help our country in any way I can. This is destruction without a cause, without a reason. There is no justification for what happened. There will be justice, and there had better be more than one person responsible for this. For the punishment in my mind suitable for the death of thousands is one which the mind was never meant to withstand.

It is sad that some people have lost their sense of wonder, their belief in something gentler. But I still believe that, deep down, most people are good and will not give into hatred. Looking at how not only how people across the US have come together, but how people around the world have rallyed around this and are saying with one voice, "This act will not go unchallanged!" It is not the voice of a mob. It's not the voice of unrestrained anger. It's the voice of solid resolve to see that justice prevails. Perhaps it's just me, but that's what I choose to believe.<P><P>------------------
Patch O'Black
The Jellicle Cat!