[thechat] Palestinians

[Martin]

Bill Haenel wrote on 12/9/01 5:52 pm

>As an 'Average American', I personally have no desire to send out anonymous
>bombs to anonymous countries that are the homes of anonymous people so I can
>sit anonymously here in my easy chair watching them 'pay' for what they
>didn't do. Certainly random violence is not called for in this situation and
>would definitely escalate an already bad situation.

>I stand by Ron and the entirety of my fellow Americans (and hopefully the
>rest of the world who could have been just as easily a target) when we say
>that the people who did this, and their supporters/protectors, must be
>stopped from ever doing anything like this to anyone, anywhere ever again.

>When we've hit back successfully, when we defeat our enemy, I will not
>celebrate in the streets, but rather despair that these actions have been
>necessary, in spite of the fact that I'm just one of those foolish, barbaric
>Americans who don't understand all of the terrible things I've done to those
>around the world.

And that's the most sane, ethical and rational thing I've heard in the
last couple of days.

>Save the list of our crimes as Americans for your weekly "USA-Sucks" meeting
>downtown or whatever.

I'm sorry that it wasn't clear that what I was saying is that the US 
(actually
most of the west) can't play the "We're the good guys so can bomb anyone
we like" card. It's neither ethical nor logical. Most of those who were
probably celebrating at yesteday's events are human too, and feel
equally wronged. And until we see them as such, rather than as 'vermin'
or 'scum', we do not rise above the level of terrorism ourselves.

More thought like yours, Bill, and less gunghoism is needed.

Cheers
Martin

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