[thechat] Justice, was Chomsky

[Marlene Bruce]

Deke wrote:

>But what choice do we have?  It's kinda hard to pick up our continent
>and run with it. Either it's a fight or a mugging.  I don't want us to go
>without a struggle.

I agree with Ron, well said; but does the struggle *have* to be with 
armed forces? Can't it be through peaceful efforts? Education, 
compassion, and understanding will help much more than a war ever 
will. If our actions as a nation over the last century have earned us 
enemies, then we need to understand why.

I think we should work for peace. It's easy to get angry and lash 
out. Peace is a much harder thing to achieve, but much more worth the 
effort. Like someone else said, an eye for an eye will leave us all 
blind.

My boyfriend has been reading widely, and has been gathering and 
presenting journalistic quotes and observations on his web log. In it 
he quotes from an International Herald Tribune column by William 
Pfaff:

    The final and most profound lesson of
    these events is one that it will be hardest
    for government to accept -- this government
    in particular. It is that the only real
    defense against external attack is serious,
    continuing and courageous effort to find
    political solutions for national and
    ideological conflicts that involve the USA.

He also links to "What became of tolerance in Islam?" at 
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-091401khaled.story
When I read the article, I couldn't help but think that their 
extremists are just like zealots of all stripes, including Christian.

If you're interested, take a look at my boyfriend's web log for more: 
http://www.wunderland.com/WTS/Rash/

Don't know if it's already been mentioned here, but a peace and 
justice petition is being circulated for world wide signatures. As of 
this writing it has 133,945 signatures (wow, they've more than 
doubled in three days!). You may want to sign it and circulate it 
further. Signers may choose to hide their identity from the public.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/224622495

I wonder if it can possibly make any difference, but I signed.

Marlene