Posted by Elizabeth on September 11, 2001, at 15:49:13
In reply to Re: thinking about war, posted by Krazy Kat on September 11, 2001, at 15:00:24
> Elizabeth:
>
> I'm not assuming that it is anyone in particular.Yeah, I know. That part should have been separate -- I was pointing out that many people have jumped to that conclusion, and what meaning this has for me. I apologise for implying that you'd said anything of the sort.
(BTW, I think it's probably foreign, not domestic, terrorism, but after OKC I'm not sure of anything.)
> I'm appalled that we're worrying about the theoretical deaths of the future instead of focussing on a tragedy that just happened a few hours ago.
Like I said...I don't think it's an "instead." Focussing on the future is a personality style of sorts; some people ruminate on the past, some live for the moment, and some look to the future. Most of us do some combination of the three.
> And yes, it is "us" versus "them". Whoever "they" are - "they" just attacked "us".
Yeah, I know. What I meant was, we shouldn't put the crimes of a few on an entire country or region or religion.
> I don't understand this lack of insight into the evil in some people and the need to defend ourselves at times.
There's a difference between retaliation and self-defense. Particularly if the "retaliation" comes in the form of an all-out massacre with civilians accounting for the majority of casualties -- that would make us no better than the terrorists.
> Instead we're defending the terrorists? What the hell...
I'm not defending them. Never meant to say anything that might even suggest that. What they did was barbaric. I hope only that we may rise above that.
-elizabeth
poster:Elizabeth
thread:11115
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20010909/msgs/11201.html