In light of this terrible tradgy that has affected all Americans, a suggestion has been made to show our true colors. Today as part of the solidarity of Americans, try to wear something on your clothing proudly displaying the RED, WHITE and BLUE. United we stand! Just because we're down doesn't mean we're out!

Wishing you enough.

-- Anonymous, September 13, 2001

Answers

I'm having trouble here understanding about the patriotism thing. Obviously we are all in pain about the horror occuring on our soil for a change, and feel terribly sad about the agony incurred by all that loss of life, destruction, and disruption of our ordered, comfortable lives.

But what exactly is it that I am supposed to be PROUD of about the flag, or about being an American? I truly need help here, cuz I am flummoxed........

-- Anonymous, September 13, 2001

I am proud to be an American, but not proud of the fact that most likely we will find it necessary to start a ground war in Afganistan, just like Vietnam, to root out the vermin that instigated this bloody mess. Even with NATO's support and help, and the nod from Putin in Russia, it will be as messy and bloodfilled as the Vietnam conflict, and again, most likely will not be sucessfull either!!!

War is bad, for any and all reasons, killing for revenge is not the answer, there has got to be a better way. I truly believe that if women were in positions of high power, war would rarely, if ever, happen again.

-- Anonymous, September 13, 2001

Well, let's see Earthmamma, I believe you have children. You raise them and participate in their lives and you are a family. If one of your children did something that you greatly disapproved of you would seperate that action from them. You would not be proud of the action but still be proud that your children are who they are.

A patriot is someone that loves and zealously defends their country.

-- Anonymous, September 13, 2001

Earthmama,

I'm not sure I understand your comment. Maybe I'm just one of those sappy, emotional types but I firmly believe that our flag is a symbol of our freedom and independence. I will raise my flag proudly and wear the colors of my country just as proudly because I am very thankful to be an American.

And, Annie, I couldn't agree with your more. I definitely believe that, as a country, we should not re-act out of fear and anger. It was reported on the radio this morning that the people that would commit such horrible acts "don't think the same way we do" and "don't have the same appreciation for life that we do". I don't necessarily believe that because I can't imagine any parent anywhere in the world looking into their child's face and not appreciating life. Our country has suffered through difficult times before and may (God Forbid) do so again, but I still believe we live in a great country and seeing the "coming together" of peoples all over the country to help those in great need brings tears to my eyes. Being sheltered under the American Flag offers me a great deal of comfort.

Thank you Terry for understanding what I was trying to say.

Wishing you enough.

-- Anonymous, September 13, 2001

I sort of feel the same as EM. I think, for me, the problem is the little niggling thoughts in the back of my mind about how the flag and/or our national colors have been used as an excuse to indulge, even REVEL, in racism, bigotry, xenophobia, hatred, etc. My first inclination is to be wearing BLACK, our traditional color of mourning.

Dianne, you wrote: ". . . I firmly believe that our flag is a symbol of our freedom and independence." For much of the rest of the world, that flag is a symbol of oppression. I sort of feel like a great big display of "our colors" is like saying, "Whatever WE have done, we don't care, we're just proud of absolutely everything about our government -- so there!" I remind you, those are MY feelings.

And "United we stand!" Are we united? There is a whole wide range of feeling about what we should do now (I'm sure we're essentially united in the horror over these attacks and the consequences). Not all of us think we should go to war. Not all of us think that the perpetrators should be "gotten" no matter what the cost. So I don't know that we ARE united -- seems to me that we are not.

All that said, I am inclined to wear some sort of ribbon or rosette that would intertwine red, white, & blue with black -- to me that would show my mourning for the Americans who died and any people of other nationalities that may have been in the WTC or the airplanes.

I hope we (in this case, the BTS membership) will not get into a fight over this issue! For those who are interested, one of the sewing forums I visit mentioned that JoAnn Fabrics is giving out red- white-blue ribbons. Other fabric stores may follow suit.

For those of us so inclined, here is a website where you can "Light a Candle for Peace": candle

-- Anonymous, September 13, 2001

I am proud for one thing, of all those heroic firefighters and police officers who gave their lives, and who at this very moment are risking their lives searching for survivors in that incredible mess, while me and my family and neighbors and friends are safe and sound at home. I am proud of whoever it was on the flight that crashed into the ground in PA, that overpowered the hijackers. I am proud of the response of Americans and the citizens of the world who have offered help in our time of need. I am proud that I live here in America where I can type my thoughts out on this forum and not be censored and where you can do the same, even if your thought is not my thought. That is what America is about.

Annie, I sometimes had the thought that if women ran the world, we wouldn't have wars. Now I'm not so sure. Have you ever worked in an office of gossipy women? And who starts most family bickering? You should meet my mother-in-law and sister-in-law!

Peace and blessings to all (even the inlaws)

-- Anonymous, September 13, 2001

First I had to look up xenophobia! I have such mixed feelings. I of course don't like bigotry, hatred, or xenophobia. I also sometimes don't know if I know enough to have a definite opinion. I am guilty sometimes of just living in my own little world. I'd like to know in what instances we have oppressed others. I'm not doubting that we have. I just want to know what instances you are speaking of. I do understand though that in order to keep democracy alive we must defend it in other parts of the world. Even though I'm one of first to complain about wasteful spending and taxes, I wouldn't want to live elsewhere. I still believe that America is the best place to live. I like my life. Yes, we have problems. Yes, things could even be better. But it is far better here than anywhere else. I guess it's for that reason I would call myself a patriot and would hope we could all draw together emotionally (if not politically) around the symbols of our country.

As far as war, what are the likely implications of not retaliating? I figure that this is the best they could dish out. I don't mean to diminish the severity of this occurrence. But if they could do more than this, wouldn't they have done so? I think these terrorists are nothing more than bullies on a large scale. Maybe it would be best to just strengthen our defenses and intelligence and just plain get a whole lot smarter.

If this is too simplistic, let me know. I want to learn here.

-- Anonymous, September 13, 2001

If you're not proud to live here then why are you still here?

-- Anonymous, September 13, 2001

Hi, Debra,

I appreciate your comments, but let's not go there. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. In fact, that's one of the more important freedoms we do have - the right to have and express different opinions.

Believe me, it was NEVER my intention to cause any waves with my comments. I'm just upset as I am sure everyone is and that's MY way of coping.

Wishing all of us enough.

-- Anonymous, September 13, 2001

Thanks, Dianne. Hopefully, Debra didn't mean that to be as hostile as it could be taken. :-)

Denise, for your questions, I refer you to this piece by Michael Moore: link

That should give you some idea of the sort of things that the USA [via our government] has been involved in, and as he notes, usually covertly -- pulling strings behind the scenes. I'm naive about this stuff most the time too. I sure don't know what the ramifications of various actions [or inactions] would be. I don't believe ANY ONE really does. I think the whole world is in a bad situation.

-- Anonymous, September 13, 2001

Marion Winnick had an interesting editorial on NPR tonight that said it clearly for me. Why should more innocent people die because some innocent Americans die? I think I am the one-in-ten person who is against USA retaliation. Didn't the hijackers die too? The people who perpetrated this crime are dead.

-- Anonymous, September 13, 2001

EarthMama, I wave our flag because I Am proud to be an American, Proud to live in the land of the free, and we are free! Maybe not as free as we used to be but we are sure a heck of alot more liberated then alot of people. I wave my flag because My grandfathers, My uncles, my brothers, and my Husband fought for this freedom that I so take for granted. And my Grandmothers watched their sons go to war to fight for this country. I wouldn't want all that my ancestors have fought for to be unappreciated. This is my country and no matter how many mistakes she makes she is still my country.

-- Anonymous, September 13, 2001

Sorry if anyone took my question of "Why are you still here" wrongly. I certainly didn't intend for it to be inflammatory. I was just simply wondering. I couldn't stay in a place I wasn't proud to be in. Even if it took years I would find somewhere to go that I was proud to be in. I realize that sometimes we get stuck in places because of lack of money, a desire to stay near family, etc. I was simply curious as to what the reasons were for staying here. Please forgive me for not explaining that in my previous post!

When questions of this nature come up I always remember my Dad telling me about the 3 years he spent in the Pacific in WWII. He didn't get R&R like they do now. He had to stay till it was over, there was no choice. Anyway, when the war was finally over and his ship reached an American port he knelt down on the ground with tears of joy streaming down his cheeks and kissed the earth of America. A place he longed to be back to for so long and was afraid he would never see again.

-- Anonymous, September 13, 2001

Thank you, Joy, for your usual measured wisdom.

Thank you, Dianne, for your heartfelt caring, and contribution to our national healing.

And thank all others who have made me think.

Terry, I really liked your analogy; it helped me alot with my pondering today. I could see you recognized in my comments that I struggle with the feelings of what it means to love ones country while being aware of all the harm our government has done to much of the world. It is indeed a painful and confusing place to be, both intellectually and emotionally.

Anyway, if you're interested in discussing this, on a level of love and respect, I would like to submit the feelings that I came up with after giving it some hours of thought this afternoon. I welcome with open arms all critiques and questions, cuz I sure as heck aint no expert.

I especially liked that you used my children for an example, cuz you couldn't have chosen a metaphor I could relate to any better than this. I think this is about basic values, and firstly,

I think the flag represents different things to different people, both here and abroad. To some of us, it represents, like Terry indicated, freedom and independence. To others, especially, but not exclusively in other parts of the world, it represents (as Joy has pointed out) oppression and arrogance.

For one thing, I do not believe the rank and file of Americans have any idea of what our government does in our behalf in other countries. It is discomfitting to note that our so-called open media does a very good job of making it difficult for our citizens to access the news that much of the world is privy to, or is actually experiencing. Perhaps this is just the wrong time to bring this stuff up, when our hearts are in pain, and our nerves may be raw, but when y'all feel less fragile, please do some investigation of what we, as Americans, represent to much of the masses of people on our planet. All many of them know us by is by how we have been represented by our leaders. The link that Joy submitted is a great start, and if you wish to pursue it further, you will find information you will rarely find on the network news at sources such as ALTERNET

As far as loving this country goes.......geeez, I love it too.....and I guess I feel that I am GRATEFUL to be an American.....cuz I really can't think of a better place to live....and believe me, I have tried!

But am I PROUD to be one? Naw,.....sorry all you lovely people, but I aint.........I really am not......I guess I am most of the time, ashamed to be one, in the context of the whole world anyway,....same as I am ashamed to be a white person, same as I am to have unknowingly treated people badly back when I considered myself a christian........and I guess I feel it my duty to spend alot of energy trying to make up for the sins of past christians, (for example to my fellow gay brothers and sisters, but not exclusively so.....the list is long...), and Native peoples of this continent, and people of color I encounter, and on and on..ad nauseum......

Anywho, I like to talk about stuff,and banter ideas about,and most of all learn from others.

May we all be healed....

Blessings,

-- Anonymous, September 13, 2001

Thanks for the explanation, Debra. Maybe you're too young to remember it, but during the Vietnam War era, there was a sector of the citizenry who responded to ANY criticism of US policies with "MY country -- LOVE it or LEAVE it!" -- as if anything our country did was holy, simply because it was our country. That used to infuriate me, so that's probably why it struck me as "hostile". Glad you didn't mean it that way.

I do love this land, but that doesn't mean I think the USA can do no wrong. Hugs to you all, I am out of here for several days.

-- Anonymous, September 13, 2001

Debra, that IS a good question...'why are you still here?' But it is appropriate for ALL of us, not just those questioning what it means being an american. You answered with a story about your father. Do you have a story that addresses your attachment to the USA? (This is not meant to be inflammatory, only thought-provoking).

-- Anonymous, September 13, 2001

"But am I PROUD to be one? Naw,.....sorry all you lovely people, but I aint.........I really am not......I guess I am most of the time, ashamed to be one, in the context of the whole world anyway,....same as I am ashamed to be a white person, same as I am to have unknowingly treated people badly back when I considered myself a christian........and I guess I feel it my duty to spend alot of energy trying to make up for the sins of past christians, (for example to my fellow gay brothers and sisters, but not exclusively so.....the list is long...), and Native peoples of this continent, and people of color I encounter, and on and on..ad nauseum...... " Earthmama Earthmama, Let's think about this for while. I don't believe that there is a nation in this world that does "not" have bigoted and prejudice people - so, of course that includes our nation. But I'm not one of them so I am "not" ashamed to be white or a Christian or an American. Angered and upset with people that are and that have done atrocious things in the past, sure, but I can not change the past - only help to change the future. Even though we feel so badly about slavery in the past and prejudice in the past and present I don't owe anyone an "apology" . It seems that we sometimes confuse apologising with feeling empathy and sympathy.

One day, a few years ago, I was in a large store and several of us were in a line for returns. I won't go into the whole story but a women that was completely innocent of any wrong doing was treated very rudely - so rudely, and for no reason other than this man thinking only of himself, that she started to cry. I almost cried too because I felt her humliation and I told her I was so sorry - this was not an "apology" because "I" had done nothing wrong. I was just sorry that someone would treat her that way. This man was white but it did not make me ashamed to be white. This man had brown hair but it did not make me ashamed to have brown hair. This man was close to my age but it did not make me ashamed to be the age I was. This man possibly lived in the same town as I but I didn't become ashamed of my town. Make sense?

Now, as far as being ashamed for your own treatment for the way you treated black people in the past, you should be. You did it, you apologise for it. I feel terrible that you would have done it too but "I" don't need to apologise for you.

I believe a lot of people feel this way and I hope I have expressed it in a way that makes sense.

-- Anonymous, September 13, 2001

Anne, count me as another of the one in ten that doesn't believe that we should go to war as retaliation in this matter.

What we should concentrate our energies on is doing all we can at preventing this from happening again as easily as it did Tuesday! We are so complacent about security on airtravel, heck, even bus and rail travel too!

And we should be prepared at home too, when the gas prices jumped, it was the folks that felt they MUST have gas NOW that really added "fuel to the fire" so to speak. If they had a bulk tank full, or even several 5 gallons cans full at home, would they have felt that same panic? Of course not!

Being prepared is perhaps one of the most patriotic things every American can do, it greatly lessens any sense of panic that these type of tragedies can cause.

-- Anonymous, September 14, 2001

Hi Anne-What an excellent question! I'd have to say my attachment to Turtle Island (America) comes from my Native American ancestory. I'm not so much attached to our government or culture, because of their obvious flaws, but I'm mighty attached to the land and all my fellow non-human brothers and sisters. I stay here to fight to preserve all of nature that I possibly can. I teach everyone I can from tiny tots on up to old folks. I write letters and study biology and environmental sciences. I support like minded groups with money when I can. These activities probably take up about 30 hours each week. This is on top of my 40 hour a week job and of course all those chores at home.

Thanks for the question, I'm always happy to explain my position on something.

-- Anonymous, September 14, 2001

I'm torn. Proud to be in the land of the FREE. That includes the freedom to disagree with the policies of the government, the freedom to call the president or whoever I want a bonehead. The freedom to choose my own spiritual path whether it is approved by the powers that be or not. Freedom to not be another sheep in the flock. I empathize with you em in that I am very ashamed of many of the actions our government has taken oppressing so much of the world within and without it's borders. It could be so simple if only we would try to follow that little saying we learned as children ' do unto others as you would have them do unto you. That question 'why stay here if you don't like it?' For me it's the freedom to like or not like it which isn't possible in much of the world. peace jz

-- Anonymous, September 14, 2001

Thank you, Terry, for your example of the incident at the store. I hope it is not my intention to try to convince anyone else how they should feel about anything, only to express how and why I feel the way I do. It would seem to be arrogant of me to do otherwise.

Having said that, I must admit that your scenario does not speak to me. I see no commonality between you not feeling a need to apologize for this nasty fella, and my feeling of lifetime obligation to try to make up for the sins of my 'people'. To my knowledge, there is no history of the class of brown-haired people committing acts of atrocity toward non brown-haired ones. I assume there is no history of people from your town committing genocide against people because they were from other towns. The same cannot be said for people of my race, of my former religion, and of the extension of me which is my government. I will apologize, in every way I possibly can, for the rest of my life; it is the least I can do.

Simply because I have never personally to my knowledge treated a black person with disrespect, does not give me free reign to click my tonque and forget all those who have and do. My people as a class, as a group, (it matters not that there are individuals who have not) have behaved despicably, and I want it to stop. It stopped in this family with me. But that's not enough, not for me anyway. The work has only just begun, and it must be done mostly by good white people, because we hold the power. The same way that women will never have full parity with men in this culture until good men stand up and protest against sexism, because they hold the power. THe same way that children will continue to be treated with disrepect until en masse, adults stand up to defend their rights, because we have the power.

About your example of a child of mine doing something I disapproved of.....you are correct that I would still love my child. However, if my child perpetully committed acts of hideousness, I most assuredly would not be proud of her.I would know there was something sick inside of her that needed healing, and would strive to find that healing for her as soon as possible. In the meantime, I would want her to be prevented from committing any more hurtful acts.

In the spirit of understanding,

-- Anonymous, September 15, 2001

"Proud to be an American" ??

I always wondered about that statement. I feel I am lucky to be an American. I think about how different my life would be had I been born in Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan or the West Bank. Proud???? Damn fortunate is more like it (sorry for the foul language!). I always feel like you are proud of things that you have some say in. For example I am proud that I went to school and got a PhD. I worked hard, gave up a lot to get that degree. I am proud that my kids do so well at school and are such neat people. David and I work very hard at parenting. I take pride in things I have control over. In my mind, my citizenhip is something to be thankful for, not something that I can take any credit for!!!

Kim

-- Anonymous, September 15, 2001

Hi Earthmama,

What I was trying to explain is that I feel that we are all indivduals and cannot "force" anyone to believe differently than they do. We can educate, explain, etc. and we can outlaw "actions" taken by individuals but they will only think the way they want to. So, how can I be responsible for them?

When slavery was legal and accepted in this nation, there were many individuals that certainly were against it and continued to work toward changing that until they were successful. You are ashamed of our nation for allowing it, why not instead be proud of our nation for eliminating it? How long would you keep blaming one of your children once they realized their "wrong" and changed their ways? Once you forgave them would you continue to hit them over the head with it all their lives? Of course, there is a difference between committing a different "wrong" than in continuing in the same "wrong" over and over. Would you be ashamed of your whole family because one member was jerk or a criminal? I know this analogy is a long way from perfect, but it's the best I can do for now.

We are not perfect people so we do not have a perfect nation but as long as we are trying our hardest to be the best we can be, I'll be proud. If I had to "forever" feel responsible for what others have done (in areas that there was no way to be involved) I would be in a state of despair and see no hope. A nation is like we are - as people - we make huge mistakes in our lives and try to learn from them and do better. Hopefully we have others in our lives willing to forgive us and help us go on and that's how I believe we should be with our country.

I was in no way trying to trivialize any issues with the analogies I used in an earlier post. I was trying to make the point that just because we are part of a group (white, etc.) we are still individuals and are responsible for our actions and not everyone elses. <>The reason I am proud of our nation is because we ARE individuals and yet can come together as a nation to help others. We don't just do this when our nation is hurting but we come together for others also. Even though I deplore actions of groups such as the KKK and others, I don't feel that I need to apologise for my Nation because they exist. People with these kind of beliefs are, unfortunately, everywhere.

-- Anonymous, September 15, 2001

What Terry said. I do not feel guilty for sins that I did not commit; for sins that my forefathers did not commit.

My red, white and blue ribbon has been pinned to my dresses since Tuesday. Here's what those colors mean to me. The red signifies the blood of the men and women who willingly gave their lives so that we might enjoy the liberties that so many of you seem to take for granted. The white signifies the tears cried by families as they sent their loved ones off to war; and the sweat that dripped from the brows of those who have worked and toiled to make this country what it is - the greatest country on earth. The blue signifies loyalty, patriotism and the strength that comes of being tested by fire and emerging stronger yet.

I have been thinking about this post ever since the first few responses were posted. Maybe my patriotism is tempered by growing up with a picture of Uncle Harry facing me on the dining room wall at every meal. Uncle Harry was killed in action in Germany in WWII. After his death, his brothers - my uncle and my father - enlisted in the Army. They could have had a deferment; in fact, my uncle had enlisted before and the farmer he worked for went to the draft board and got him deferred. But they enlisted and they went and they fought. And my grandmother watched them go with tears in her eyes and was proud of the stars in her window.

I printed the thread out so that I could read and re-read it. I talked it over with family and with friends, and I started to write a response over and over again. I stopped every time, because my response was along the lines of Debra's - If you don't like it, leave. Flat out. No apologies. You're ashamed to be an American?! Me too - I'm ashamed that you're an American too. How dare you take the freedom of speech, the liberty that so many have died to defend and use it to make a statement like that? How abysmally ungrateful can you be? I am as ashamed of you for making those statements as I am of those people that you point out who you feel shame us as Americans. You need to take a long look around if all you can do is find things to be ashamed of. You need to take a long look at yourselves. And while you're looking, look around and find a country with no immoral politicians and military folk; find one that's never had slavery, never had war, never moved in on the indigenous people, never had any form of religious persecution - never had any of the things that you are so ashamed of. I'd like to know where that place is. I'd like to know how they treated their vanquished foes. I'd like to know if all of their children are entitled to a free education. I'd like to know if they have programs to provide beds for the homeless, food for the hungry and care for the ill and elderly. I'd like to know if their social programs are run without fraud, if their politicians are honest and their religious leaders holy. I'd like to know if their women are treated fairly, that pornography and alcohol do not warp the minds of their people, that children are not abused. In short - you look around and you try to find me a country as good as this one. I don't think you can.

This is my country, land of my birth. This is my country, grandest on earth. I pledge thee my alligence, America, the bold; for this is my country, to have and to hold.

This is my country, land of my choice. This is my country, hear my proud voice! I pledge thee my alligence, America, the bold; for this is my country, to have and to hold.

-- Anonymous, September 15, 2001

Sheesh Polly.......I don't remember telling anyone else how they SHOULD feel, according to ME......I think I deserve the same courtesy. Am I at the right forum here?

-- Anonymous, September 16, 2001

Naw, EM; I think I'm in the wrong place. I sure don't belong in a pacifist society. I believe in being nice; but I sure don't believe in being walked on. Which has absolutely nothing to do with what you posted, BTW; and everything to do with terrorism.

Maybe I did tell you how to feel. I did say to take a long look at yourself. I also said maybe you ought to look for something to be proud of instead of wallowing in shame. Mostly what I said was that I was ashamed of any American citizen who would use their liberty to say how ashamed of being an American they were. I also said, show me something better - something that really exists; not some Utopic idea of how things ought to be.

Yesterday, I dropped off some tomatoes at a friend's home. The man and his daughter were outside target shooting. He's recently retired from the Nat'l Guard with 20 years service; she just completed her initial training. She said she was scared, but she had taken an oath to defend this country and she would. Her father said he wished he could go with her to protect her. We were talking about it at the dinner table at home later and I told my family what I had been saying all week "I'm 43 years old, 30 pounds overweight, with a bum left knee - If my country needs a nurse, all they have to do is show me where to sign." Hubby allowed as to he would be willing to go and turn some wrenches and reckoned he could still aim a weapon well enough to hit what he was aiming at; Pop said that he drove an ambulance in WWII and figured he still remembered how; and the kid wanted to know if we thought they could use any nurse's aids.

I've decided that maybe patriotism is a nature issue; rather than a nurture one - if it ain't born into you; you just ain't got it. Seems we have a pretty strong patriotism gene running through us.

You all go have a lovely day enjoying your liberty, me,now, I'm off to a hastily called family reunion before I head over to KY to visit with Sharon for a few days. I reckon I'll get a big enough dose of patriotism to carry me through.

-- Anonymous, September 16, 2001

I post this because it is my firm belief that perhaps in the days to come the voices of reason will most likely be silenced as unpatriotic, whimps, Communists or whatever label the going thought of the day would be. I, like Kim, am very grateful to be an American. Unfortunately in this country patriotism is often confused with blindness and those who tell the truth are ridiculed and persecuted, no matter what their religion. Do you, any of you, believe in Karma or the law of cause and affect??? If our own weapons of darkness that we have used against our enemies are turned against us, why are we so surprized??? Polly will march off to war, I sure wish I could march off to peace. My dream would be ships of peace and hope going out to the countries that are harboring these people of terror. The "people" there are running in terror of us. Hugs to all again.............I hope that some small voice of peace will speak to each of you.

Dear Friends,

I have heard people say, concerning the current crisis, that the idea of holding to love in our hearts seems to work well in terms of an individual's life - job, family, home, etc. but that it doesn't seem to work well on a large planetary scale.

My response to that would be, how would we know? Have we ever tried it?

The basic metaphysical law of Creation is the Law of Cause and Effect: Love brings back love, and fear brings back fear. That law holds true whether for an individual's life, or for a collective life, and individuals are not spared the consequences of actions taken in its government's name. Clearly, it is in our own best interest to foster compassion in the political realm. We know in our personal lives that love is a healing and reconciling force, yet when has any government -- including our own -- ever made love an organizing principle of domestic or foreign policy?

Does love guide our government's actions around the world? And given that the answer is so often "No," has the fear which dominates our foreign policy created for us a world that works? Is it working now? And most painfully but perhaps most significantly of all, is it not possible that some of our own government's behavior has contributed in major ways to the trial that we face now?

The people who perpetrated these terrorist acts are neither rational nor sane. They are full of hate for us and for our children, and they must be dealt with in appropriate ways. But at the same time, there are millions of others - who are not irrational, who are not insane - who deeply resent what they perceive to be America's arrogance and unjust attitudes when confronted by any questioning of our right to economic dominance throughout the world. While those people would not attack us as we have now been attacked, the intensity of their often valid resentments must inevitably contribute to attitudes of violence towards us.

Our President has said that we're going to "whip those people." The presumption is that we will find all the terrorists, route them out of the world, and then the problem will be solved. But that kind of thinking is both simplistic and dangerous at such a time as this. The President's attitudes are like someone saying, "I know I have cancer. Just give me enough radiation and chemotherapy, operate on me and take it all out. Then I know I will be okay."

Sadly, the case is not often that simple when it comes to cancer and it is not always that simple when it comes to politics. Every terrorist was once a child, and it was in childhood that he or she was first taught to hate. If the United States now makes its primary response to our current crisis the complete annihilation of any part of the world which has in any way conspired with terrorists, then we will contribute to the emergence of a generation of people whose numbers, and intensity of hatred toward the United States, will be even worse than what we face now. It is to be noted that if such a situation is to occur, then it will not perhaps be us - but surely it will be our children - who pay a terrible price for years to come.

Of course we want to DO something; it is so painful to think that there is not some one big display of power that will rid us of the horror we feel now. Yet it is our capacity to BE with that horror, and ask God if there is anything He would have us learn from it, that is the key to our deliverance, both personally and politically.

The love in our hearts is more powerful than bombs. If enough of us remember this, we will have a miracle. If we do not, God help us all.

Dear God, We pray Not only for those who love us, But also for those who do not. May all our hearts be awakened now To the common bond of our humanity. Touch every heart With a miraculous kiss. Dear God, Please make us One. Amen

Love,

Marianne

-- Anonymous, September 16, 2001

Diane, that was incredibly wonderful!!! If only everyone could read and comprehend that quote, America would be a kinder, gentler place.

As an American of German ancestry, I know too fully well the horrors of war that men rage upon themselves and our world, and there was a nonviolent manner to depose even Hitler during WWII, but we did not follow that path yet again.

When will we take that diiferent path when confronted with these things? When we are "evolved" enough to leave rage, hatred, and fear behind, and instead go forth with love for our fellow man and not blind revenge in our hearts!!!

-- Anonymous, September 16, 2001

AMEN!!!

-- Anonymous, September 16, 2001