Linda, I'm sorry to say that I'm going to have to strongly disagree with this material. The people who are responsible for this sequence of events should be prosecuted and any sovereign nation which harbors them should be prosecuted as well. Let me draw an analogy: In the Bad Old Days when a woman was raped, it was considered to be a crime against the person who owned the woman. i.e., her husband, father or brother. With the creation of British Common Law, the laws were developed to a higher level by making the rape of a woman a crime against that woman. In today's society, we have escalated the concept to make rape a crime against society. This means that society can prosecute without requiring that the victim file charges. I want to see international cooperation on the eradication of terrorism as a legal sanctioned form of government. This means that anyone who is a terrorist is an outlaw, but more importantly that any country who harbors terrorists will be hit with the hardest military action we have available, not limited to the use of nukes. We have to think in terms of a global society and we have to think in terms of what things in this global society are universally unacceptable. People who engage in terrorism do not have ideologies that allow for any room at communication. One of the biggest components of terrorism is a fanatical religious zeal. As a confirmed atheist and as someone who feels very comfortable with spirituality, I can say that I can see no good, overall, from almost all organized religions over the millennia. One of the things that scares the shit out of me is Americans who somehow think this country either is, or should be, a Christian nation. I find this to be at least as dangerous as the only slightly more visible Muslim crazies out there. We see Israel constantly struggling with terrorism, and yet the nation of Israel was founded on terrorism. The problems that we have today with terrorism did not start in a vacuum. The US has certainly contributed monstrously to the undermining of governments all over the world. Look at Chile. Look at Argentine. Look at most of Central America. The Shah of Iran was maintained by the US and Osama bin Laden was put into Afghanistan by the US, just to name a few. I don't know if the CIA has toned down their activity any, but I would wish for that be a part of our legal reform as well. This situation is war. Nothing less. The people on the opposing side have proven definitively that they will not stop. The only approach and the correct approach is the total eradication of an environment that supports this kind of activity. The organizations that are known to engage in terrorism should be bombed as well as the nations that harbor them. The nations that harbor them should be economically isolated and the accounts that supporters use to fund terrorist should be frozen and confiscated that same way we confiscate the funds of drug trafficers here in the US. Sure, innocent people will be hurt, but those people who don't like the way they are being treated will be given the opportunity to be proactive in their own counties at reforming their governments, the same way that we are active in ours and the same way that we revolted against the British to claim the right to be active. On Thu, 13 Sep 2001, Linda Guttman wrote: =>> =>>I find this quite sane in light of all the craziness. Please take the =>>time to read it and respond. => => => =>>Hi, =>>Wanted to share this thoughtful and timely letter I just received about some =>>ways we can be proactive in our response to Tuesday's tragedies. The =>>opportunity for thoughtful leadership and action is upon us... We can act to =>>prevent acts of hatred and scapegoating within our own communities, as well =>>as to influence our elected officials and the media. =>> =>>While the contact info below re: elected officials and media is for Mass. and =>>Boston only, those living in other states should also contact their own =>>officials and media outlets. =>> =>>Dear BNB Supporter, =>> =>>I am writing because I believe that in the wake of the horrible and deadly =>>attacks in NYC and DC today, there is an opportunity for all thinking =>>people to take leadership and help our communities, local national and =>>international, to not take actions we will regret later. =>> =>>Almost without exception everyone I have contacted today is in some degree =>>of shock. Many people have been unable to tear themselves away from their =>>TV's, where they are shown, dozens of times an hour, the same footage of =>>the second airplane crashing into the World Trade Center Tower in NYC this =>>morning. Several of the teenagers who work at Bikes Not Bombs spent the =>>entire second half of their school days just watching these scenes on TV, =>>without discussion or help from the adults around them to deal =>>constructively (or at all!) with the tremendous emotions generated by the =>>horrible scenes they were witnessing. =>> =>>I am afraid that without our leadership there will be a series of strong, =>>negative backlashes. We are already seeing rampant speculation about the =>>involvement of Arab or Palestinian groups, and the director of the CIA is =>>inferring that an Arab state such as "Iraq or Iran" is also possibly =>>involved. I fear a wave of anti-Arab racism hurting innocent people all =>>over the US. I am also concerned about President Bush and the right wing =>>in this country using this attack as an opportunity to both introduce new, =>>anti-democratic restrictions in the name of security, AND as a wedge to get =>>the US to spend more scarce resources on the military. =>> =>>Things you can do: =>> =>>1) Contact your Congressional representatives (Senators and your House =>>Representative), and urge them to make public statements against rash =>>military or legal action against any parties or nations without due course =>>of law. President Bush said, "Freedom has been attacked, and freedom will =>>be defended." Please remind your representatives in Congress that we =>>cannot defend freedom without having freedom of speech and the freedoms of =>>democratic action. If there are concrete actions that can be taken that =>>would make these kinds of terrorist actions harder to accomplish in the =>>future, fine, let the US take those measures. But let us decide these =>>things after a reasoned debate, with evidence and hard facts. As a few of =>>the anti-terrorist experts they actually managed to quote on this morning's =>>news pointed out, there is no real way to defend against this particular =>>type of action. This is not a time for a general reduction of civil =>>liberties. Civil liberties do not lead to terrorist acts - rage, =>>injustice, inequality and feelings of powerlessness and hopelessness lead =>>to terrorist acts. =>> =>>Since all Federal office buildings are currently closed, your reps aren't =>>receiving phone calls, so below we have supplied the contacts for the Mass. =>>Reps, their e-mail addresses as well. =>> =>>2) Call your local media outlets and ask for a different type of coverage. =>>Ask to see the thousands of humanistic stories that are developing as New =>>Yorkers help one another out, as communities pull together and figure out =>>what to do, as rescue workers and others repeatedly risk their lives and =>>show great bravery. Cover the stories of how people all over are talking =>>to each other more on the streets today, about how parents are figuring out =>>ways to explain this horror to their children. Tell them that we want =>>responsible reporting and not speculation for a situation in which there is =>>no available evidence yet about which group "may" be responsible. Remind =>>the media reps that after the Oklahoma bombings there was widespread early =>>conclusions that "Arabs" were behind it, only for us to find out if was two =>>confused, sick, white men from the mid-western United States. =>> =>>3) Contact BNB with your positive suggestions, both for things we can do in =>>response to these attacks and their aftermath, and for real ways to =>>increase security for all humankind. We'd love to hear your suggestions! =>> =>>Yours for peace, =>> =>>Mira Brown =>>Executive Director, BNB =>> =>>Massachusetts =>>Congressional Delegation =>> =>>SEN. EDWARD M. KENNEDY =>> =>>Address: =>>315 Russell Senate Office Building =>>Washington, D.C. 20510 =>> Phone: (202) 224-4543 =>>Fax: (202) 224-2417 =>>E-Mail: =>>Senator Edward M. Kennedy =>>URL: =>>http://www.senate.gov/~kennedy/ =>> =>> =>>SEN. JOHN KERRY =>> =>>Address: =>>421 Russell Senate Office Building =>>Washington, DC 20510 =>> Phone: (202) 224-2742 =>>Fax: (202) 224-8525 =>>E-mail: =>>[EMAIL PROTECTED] =>>URL: =>>http://www.senate.gov/~kerry/ =>> =>> =>>REP. JOHN W. OLVER (MA-01) =>> =>>Address: =>>1027 Longworth House Office Building =>>Washington, DC 20515 =>> Phone: (202) 225-5335 =>>Fax: (202) 226-1224 =>>E-mail: =>>[EMAIL PROTECTED] =>>URL: =>>http://www.house.gov/olver/ =>> =>> =>>REP. RICHARD E. NEAL (MA-02) =>> =>>Address: =>>2236 Rayburn House Office Building =>>Washington, DC 20515 =>> Phone: (202) 225-5601 =>>Fax: (202) 225-8112 =>>E-Mail: =>>[EMAIL PROTECTED] =>>URL: =>>http://www.house.gov/neal/ =>> =>> =>>REP. JIM McGOVERN (MA-03) =>> =>>Address: =>>416 Cannon House Office Building =>>Washington, DC 20515 =>> Phone: (202) 225-6101 =>>Fax: (202 ) 225-5759 =>>E-Mail: =>>http://www.house.gov/writerep/ =>>URL: =>>http://www.house.gov/mcgovern/ =>> =>> =>>REP.BARNEY FRANK (MA-04) =>> =>>Address: =>>2210 Rayburn House Office Building =>>Washington, DC 20515-2104 =>> Phone: (202) 225-5931 =>>Fax: (202) 225-0182 =>>URL: =>>http://www.house.gov/frank/ =>> =>> =>>REP. MARTIN T. MEEHAN(MA-05) =>> =>>Address: =>>2434 Rayburn HOB =>>Washington, DC 20515-2105 =>> Phone: (202) 225-3411 =>>Fax: (202) 225-0771 =>>E-Mail: =>>[EMAIL PROTECTED] =>>URL: =>>http://www.house.gov/meehan/ =>> =>> =>>REP. JOHN TIERNEY (MA-06) =>> =>>Address: =>>120 Cannon House Office Building =>>Washington, DC 20515 =>> Phone: (202) 225-8020 =>>Fax: (202) 225-5915 =>> =>> =>>REP. EDWARD J. MARKEY (MA-07) =>> =>>Address: =>>1208 Rayburn House Office Building =>>Washington, DC 20515 =>> Phone: (202) 225-2836 =>>Fax: (202) 225-1716 =>>URL: =>>http://www.house.gov/markey/ =>> =>> =>>REP. MICHAEL E. CAPUANO (MA-08) =>> =>>Address: =>>1232 Longworth House Office Building =>>Washington, DC 20515 =>> Phone: (202) 225-5111 =>>Fax: (202) 225-9322 =>>URL: =>>http://www.house.gov/capuano/welcome.htm =>> =>> =>>REP. JOHN JOSEPH MOAKLEY (MA-09) =>> =>>Address: =>>235 Cannon House Office Building =>>Washington, DC 20515 =>> Phone: (202) 225-8273 =>>Fax: (202) 225-3984 =>>E-Mail: =>>[EMAIL PROTECTED] =>>URL: =>>http://www.house.gov/moakley/ =>> =>> =>>REP. WILLIAM DELAHUNT (MA-10) =>> =>>Address: =>>1317 Longworth House Office Building =>>Washington, DC 20515 =>> Phone: (202) 225-3111 =>>Fax: (202) 225-5658 =>>E-Mail: =>>[EMAIL PROTECTED] =>>URL: =>>http://www.house.gov/delahunt/ =>> =>>Some Boston Area Media ContactsS =>> =>>New England Cable News =>>617-630-5024 =>>[EMAIL PROTECTED] =>>www.necnews.com =>> =>>WBZ-TV, Channel 4 =>>News - 617-254-6383 =>>Main - 617-254-5969 =>>www.wbz.com =>> =>>WCVB-TV, Channel 5 =>>781-449-0499 =>>Nights - 781-433-4550 =>>Fax - 781-449-0260 =>>www.thebostonchannel.com =>> =>>WFXT-TV, Channel 25 =>>781-467-1300 =>>fax: 781-467-7213 =>>[EMAIL PROTECTED] =>>www.fox25.com =>> =>>WHDH-TV, Channel 7 =>>617-725-0777 =>>Nights - 617-725-0775 =>>Fax: 617-723-6117 =>> 617-227-4782 Newsroom =>>www.whdh.com =>> =>>WLVI-TV, Channel 56 =>>617-265-5656 =>>617-282-0938 Newsroom =>>Fax: 617-287-2872 =>>[EMAIL PROTECTED] =>>www.wb56.com =>> =>>WSBK-TV, Channel 38 =>>617-783-3838 =>>Fax: 617-783-1875 =>>[EMAIL PROTECTED] =>>www.upn38.com =>> =>>The Boston Globe =>>617-929-2000 =>>Fax: 617-929-3186 =>>[EMAIL PROTECTED] =>>www.boston.com/globe =>> =>>The Boston Herald =>>617-426-3000 =>>Fax: 617-542-1315 =>>www.bostonherald.com => => -- -Time flies like the wind. Fruit flies like a banana. Stranger things have - -happened but none stranger than this. Does your driver's license say Organ -Donor?Black holes are where God divided by zero. Listen to me! We are all- -individuals! What if this weren't a hypothetical question? [EMAIL PROTECTED] [ To unsubscribe, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with body "unsubscribe man-bytes-dog" (the subject is ignored).]
