Hi All! First of all to everyone in Toronto who feasted on the festivities ... How wonderful for all of you and thanks for keeping us posted. I guess I wasn't that excited till you all got there and started posting. But we want to hear more, - every little detail.
Ashara, what a great post ... it was way better having you report than E! I will be reading that over and over to make sure I can see everything that happened as if I were there ... And then there's Mags, my newest friend since leaving Jonifest 2001. What beautiful verse you wrote and were kind enough to share with all of us. Another post I will read again and again. I am so glad you are there to enjoy this with Brei. Both of these posts had me - of course - in tears, but tears of joy and a tiny bit of envy. I want to speak about the attacks & our reaction. I wish I was in a good enough place with all that has happened to get my thoughts in better order, but I am not very confrontational and I wince at some of the personal attacks and insinuations I have seen here. So please be easy with me - I am a big chicken. Guess I am ready to roll ... But just some quick hits, I am a pacifist with a temper. Okay no Billy Jack jokes, ... well it's the first thing that came into my head after I wrote that damnned sentence. Seriously though,I believe in pursuing justice for as long as possible in a non-violent manner. BUT comes a time when we can not accept all the guilt and be our own worst enemy, nor be so complacent that we get walked all over. What kind of action at that point should be well planned and thought out. After reading many of Kate's posts here since the horrific event, I too felt that violence was not necessarily the first & only or the best way to go. But I also don't pretend to know what the right answer is, I was impressed with Bush's first few days - 2 weeks after the "event." But I think he is feeling way too comfortable in his skin right now and that attitude can trigger even more animosity. I am trying NOT to entice or insult anyone here, so believe me I was shocked and glad he handled things as well as he did ... early on. But for all we say about the need for war - the longer it goes on the more innocent people will be killed, maimed, starve etc. And guess what ... I am a little worried about "me" in all of this. I am so sorry, but I think it was someone from Chicago (Fred?) as he used the Sears Tower in his example, I too fear the reality of nuclear disaster from these "suitcase nukes." I am more scared than at any time during the Cold War. I have been working out in my head, when I get depressed or bored, escape plans or safer places to live. Sometimes I feel crazy cause this seems to be the last thing everyone thinks is going to happen. What are we doing about defending against that or is it this real - THERE MAY BE NO DEFENSE FOR THIS OCCURRENCE! I have had several "Nuke" dreams, this is NOT like me at all. I think many nights, during train rides to work or home, waiting in store lines about the horror almost 6,000 people had to face their last moments on earth and it makes me sick. I think of the thousands more who waited for days for loved ones to come home and didn't and my heart bleeds. But I think about picking on a war torn devastated country and look at the pain in their faces and I can not look away. Can you? Since 1976, that's 25 years to make a policy or carry out a plan in the middle east. I won't go into my Regan bashing here & now but he was soo used against Jimmy Carter by Iran. He must have thought after the hostages were released that he actually had a plan in place so far as the Middle East was concerned. For that matter every administration since has failed to see that light and I who once had a comfort zone where these matters were concerned ... feel it no longer. So now we must start from the bottom and work ourselves up. We must ALL get rid of ALL that is nuclear, we must keep our noses in our own business and we must build solutions that are based on our common threads. Perhaps as a country it is time for us to take that road less traveled. Before the roads are all destroyed. This is not giving up or in, it is how heroes & history & victories are made. I am not a hero ... I my friends am very scared for my family - for me and for all of you beautiful people. I know I have rambled, but I have a bit more to say to our little community. Kate thank you for helping me not to simply react. I was reminded of my Robin in many of the words and thoughts you focused on and I was reminded to continue on with her dream of peace through pacifism. Thank you Kakki for your well thought out views and the non-confrontational way you present them. Two people with opposing views who actually listen to each other! Ahhh what a wonderful world it can be. Anne thanks for your poem, it touched us all deeply. So many more posts or words that I can't pin on the correct person, but thank you all. You certainly have all been a comfort to me this past month. And to all the gang on JMDLEZ, thanks for just being who you all are. There are days when I just want to destroy everything in our way, but I am reminded that I am an American - a human - I am civilized - I feel pain - and I remember that there are more people who come together than pull apart ... Imagine, I do and I know I am not the only one. Well I may have come in as bright as a neon light and burned out right here before you but I was boiling over with my thoughts and I wind up going all over the place. Anyway there is my two cents. Let's all keep talking but let's all do more listening. Peace Susan Well that took up about 2 hours of work oh well time to go! Make a great connection at Yahoo! Personals. http://personals.yahoo.com
