Choices for dealing with 9-11 fallout

"We cannot stand by and do nothing while dangers gather," Bush said. "We must stand up for our security and for the permanent rights and hopes of mankind."

"By heritage and by choice, the United States of America will make that stand," the president said.

...And then we can respond to the consequences of our anger with fear of retaliation - which we create but which we blame on others.

Invading Afghanistan and Iraq gives us the illusion of being in control, but actually creates a breeding ground for more terrorism.

Through wars, we also create a bitter residue of wounded soldiers - physically and emotionally.

...or we can respond to 9-11 with healing.

Joe M.Greg Rodriguez died in the World Trade Center bombing. He worked for Cantor Fitzgerald. Greg was a NY CISPES (Commitee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador) activist in 1989 and 1990. Many of us remember him as the first to volunteer for civil disobedience for the cause of ending the war in El Salvador. Greg's parents wrote this letter to the Editor of the New York Times.

Our son Greg is among the many missing from the World Trade Center attack. Since we first heard the news, we have shared moments of grief, comfort, hope, despair, fond memories with his wife, the two families, our friends and neighbors, his loving colleagues at Cantor Fitzgerald / ESpeed, and all the grieving families that daily meet at the Pierre Hotel.

We see our hurt and anger reflected among everybody we meet. We cannot pay attention to the daily flow of news about this disaster. But we read enough of the news to sense that our government is heading in the direction of violent revenge, with the prospect of sons, daughters, parents, friends in distant lands dying, suffering, and nursing further grievances against us. It is not the way to go. It will not avenge our son's death. Not in our son's name.

Our son died a victim of an inhuman ideology. Our actions should not serve the same purpose. Let us grieve. Let us reflect and pray. Let us think about a rational response that brings real peace and justice to our world. But let us not as a nation add to the inhumanity of our times.

Our son is one of the victims of Tuesday's attack on the World Trade Center. We read about your response in the last few days and about the resolutions from both Houses, giving you undefined power to respond to the terror attacks.

Your response to this attack does not make us feel better about our son's death. It makes us feel worse. It makes us feel that our government is using our son's memory as a justification to cause suffering for other sons and parents in other lands.

It is not the first time that a person in your position has been given unlimited power and came to regret it. This is not the time for empty gestures to make us feel better. It is not the time to act like bullies. We urge you to think about how our governement can develop peaceful, rational solutions to terrorism, solutions that do not sink us to the inhuman level of terrorists.

Phyllis and Orlando Rodriguez have asked that people share these letters widely as possible.

We have serious choices to make.

We can continue to respond to 9-11 with wars that will beget more terrorism and more wars.

We can respond to 9-11 with healing.

And healing begins at home, with self-awareness that we have choices in handling our angers and other feelings and issues.

Excerpts From A Love Letter To My Enemy
by Phil Rockstroh
October 20, 2003

Personal ad posted in the Zeitgeist:
"Young, mixed race nation seeks enemy - preferably with dark skin and swarthy features and fundamentalist superstitions similar to my own (but foreign enough to seem menacing) for a long term relationship based on a mutual need for a permanent commitment to war so that we may be distracted from the existential dread inherent in human existence."

A love letter to my enemy:
So much of my existence would seem meaningless, only a bewildering blur of random events, without you, my dearest enemy. You bring "moral clarity" where there once was only the murk of self doubt. This new-found sense of certainty soothes the anxiety created by the falling away of so many of the verities of the past... My finite existence, which before you came into my life seemed so confused and devoid of meaning, is now imbrued with mythic purpose. Because of you, meaningful narrative has been bestowed upon the vast, incomprehensible and impersonal cosmos. The wayward prince has become a warrior king. Purposefulness has replaced equivocation. The dull avenues of mundane existence now throng with torch-lit processions. The once stagnant air crackles with alacrity. The War God has risen and roused us from our torpor. Soon, class distinctions will dissolve. We will all be made equals in our shared enmity towards you, our beloved mutual enemy....
To read in full: www.swans.com/library/art9/procks11.html
· · · · · ·

	CHOICES FOR DEALING WITH 9-11
	*We can respond to 9-11 from anger...* President Bush Addresses U.N. September 12 [2002] Says Saddam Hussein regime poses grave danger to world peace ... the people of my country will remember those who have plotted against us. We are learning their names. We are coming to know their faces. There is no corner of the Earth distant or dark enough to protect them. However long it takes, their hour of justice will come. Every nation has a stake in this cause. As we meet, the terrorists are planning more murder -- perhaps in my country, or perhaps in yours. They kill because they aspire to dominate. They seek to overthrow governments and destabilize entire regions. From The White House website November 10, 2001
	The U.S. President offered to work with other nations on a resolution "to meet our common challenge," but said "the purposes of the United States should not be doubted. The Security Council resolutions will be enforced, the just demands of peace and security will be met, or action will be unavoidable. And a regime that has lost its legitimacy will also lose its power."		These two versions have substantial differences
	"We cannot stand by and do nothing while dangers gather," Bush said. "We must stand up for our security and for the permanent rights and hopes of mankind." "By heritage and by choice, the United States of America will make that stand," the president said. From US Dept of State website November 10, 2001 (Link no longer available) *...And then we can respond to the consequences of our anger with fear of retaliation - which we create but which we blame on others.* Invading Afghanistan and Iraq gives us the illusion of being in control, but actually creates a breeding ground for more terrorism. Through wars, we also create a bitter residue of wounded soldiers - physically and emotionally. Links to articles on soldiers in need of healing *What better ways could YOU devise for creating more terrorists?* *...or we can respond to 9-11 with healing.* Joe M.Greg Rodriguez died in the World Trade Center bombing. He worked for Cantor Fitzgerald. Greg was a NY CISPES (Commitee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador) activist in 1989 and 1990. Many of us remember him as the first to volunteer for civil disobedience for the cause of ending the war in El Salvador. Greg's parents wrote this letter to the Editor of the New York Times. Not in our son's name Saturday, Sep 15, 2001 8:35pm Our son Greg is among the many missing from the World Trade Center attack. Since we first heard the news, we have shared moments of grief, comfort, hope, despair, fond memories with his wife, the two families, our friends and neighbors, his loving colleagues at Cantor Fitzgerald / ESpeed, and all the grieving families that daily meet at the Pierre Hotel. We see our hurt and anger reflected among everybody we meet. We cannot pay attention to the daily flow of news about this disaster. But we read enough of the news to sense that our government is heading in the direction of violent revenge, with the prospect of sons, daughters, parents, friends in distant lands dying, suffering, and nursing further grievances against us. It is not the way to go. It will not avenge our son's death. Not in our son's name. Our son died a victim of an inhuman ideology. Our actions should not serve the same purpose. Let us grieve. Let us reflect and pray. Let us think about a rational response that brings real peace and justice to our world. But let us not as a nation add to the inhumanity of our times. Copy of letter to White House: Dear President Bush: Our son is one of the victims of Tuesday's attack on the World Trade Center. We read about your response in the last few days and about the resolutions from both Houses, giving you undefined power to respond to the terror attacks. Your response to this attack does not make us feel better about our son's death. It makes us feel worse. It makes us feel that our government is using our son's memory as a justification to cause suffering for other sons and parents in other lands. It is not the first time that a person in your position has been given unlimited power and came to regret it. This is not the time for empty gestures to make us feel better. It is not the time to act like bullies. We urge you to think about how our governement can develop peaceful, rational solutions to terrorism, solutions that do not sink us to the inhuman level of terrorists. Sincerely, Phyllis and Orlando Rodriguez Phyllis and Orlando Rodriguez have asked that people share these letters widely as possible. *We have serious choices to make.* *We can continue to respond to 9-11 with wars that will beget more terrorism and more wars.* OR We can respond to 9-11 with healing. And healing begins at home, with self-awareness that we have choices in handling our angers and other feelings and issues. Excerpts From A Love Letter To My Enemy by Phil Rockstroh October 20, 2003 Personal ad posted in the Zeitgeist: "Young, mixed race nation seeks enemy - preferably with dark skin and swarthy features and fundamentalist superstitions similar to my own (but foreign enough to seem menacing) for a long term relationship based on a mutual need for a permanent commitment to war so that we may be distracted from the existential dread inherent in human existence." A love letter to my enemy: So much of my existence would seem meaningless, only a bewildering blur of random events, without you, my dearest enemy. You bring "moral clarity" where there once was only the murk of self doubt. This new-found sense of certainty soothes the anxiety created by the falling away of so many of the verities of the past... My finite existence, which before you came into my life seemed so confused and devoid of meaning, is now imbrued with mythic purpose. Because of you, meaningful narrative has been bestowed upon the vast, incomprehensible and impersonal cosmos. The wayward prince has become a warrior king. Purposefulness has replaced equivocation. The dull avenues of mundane existence now throng with torch-lit processions. The once stagnant air crackles with alacrity. The War God has risen and roused us from our torpor. Soon, class distinctions will dissolve. We will all be made equals in our shared enmity towards you, our beloved mutual enemy.... To read in full: www.swans.com/library/art9/procks11.html · · · · · ·
	"We are the targets of terrorists because we stand for dictatorship, bondage, and human exploitation in the world. We are the targets of terrorists because we are hated. And we are hated because our government has done hateful things." - Dr. Robert M. Bowman, Lt. Col., USAF, (retired) Courtesy of Jean Hudon/Earth Rainbow Network Coordinator

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