09-14-2001, 03:39 PM | #1 |
Lord Soth
Join Date: March 5, 2001
Location: Southern California
Posts: 1,948
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Subject: Outstanding editorial "The Seattle Times: The barbarians
THE BARBARIANS WILL LEARN WHAT AMERICA'S ALL ABOUT >By Leonard Pitts Jr. >Syndicated columnist > >They pay me to tease shades of meaning from social and cultural issues, to >provide words that help make sense of that which troubles the American >soul. >But in this moment of airless shock when hot tears sting disbelieving eyes, >the only thing I can find to say, the only words that seem to fit, must be >addressed to the unknown author of this suffering. > >You monster. You beast. You unspeakable bastard. > >What lesson did you hope to teach us by your coward's attack on our World >Trade Center, our Pentagon, us? What was it you hoped we would learn? Whatever it was, please know >that you failed. > >Did you want us to respect your cause? You just damned your cause. > >Did you want to make us fear? You just steeled our resolve. > >Did you want to tear us apart? You just brought us together. > >Let me tell you about my people. We are a vast and quarrelsome family, a >family rent by racial, cultural, political and class division, but a family >nonetheless. We're frivolous, yes, capable of expending tremendous emotional energy >on pop cultural minutiae, a singer's revealing dress, a ball team's >misfortune, a cartoon mouse. > >We're wealthy, too, spoiled by the ready availability of trinkets and >material goods, and maybe because of that, we walk through life with a >certain sense of blithe entitlement. We are fundamentally decent, though â€" peace-loving and >compassionate. We struggle to know the right thing and to do it. And we are, the overwhelming >majority of us, people of faith, believers in a just and loving God. > >Yes, we're in pain now. We are in mourning and we are in shock. We're still >grappling with the unreality of the awful thing you did, still working to >make ourselves understand that this isn't a special effect from some >Hollywood blockbuster, isn't the plot development from a Tom Clancy novel. > >Both in terms of the awful scope of its ambition and the probable final >death toll, your attacks are likely to go down as the worst acts of terrorism in >the history of the United States and, indeed, the history of the world. >You've bloodied us as we have never been bloodied before. > >But there's a gulf of difference between making us bloody and making us >fall. This is the lesson Japan was taught to its bitter sorrow the last time >anyone hit us this hard, the last time anyone brought us such abrupt and >monumental pain. When roused, we are righteous in our outrage, terrible in our force. >When provoked by this level of barbarism, we will bear any suffering, pay >any cost, go to any length, in the pursuit of justice. > >I tell you this without fear of contradiction. I know my people, as you, I >think, do not. What I know reassures me. It also causes me to tremble with >dread of the future. > >In days to come, there will be recrimination and accusation, fingers >pointing to determine whose failure allowed this to happen and what can be done to >prevent it from happening again. There will be heightened security, >misguided talk of revoking basic freedoms. >We'll go forward from this moment sobered, chastened, sad. But determined, >too. Unimaginably determined. > >You see, there is steel beneath this velvet. That aspect of our character >is seldom understood by people who don't know us well. On this day, the >family's bickering is put on hold. As Americans we will weep, as Americans we will >mourn, and as Americans, we will rise in defense of all that we cherish. > >Still, I keep wondering what it was you hoped to teach us. It occurs to me >that maybe you just wanted us to know the depths of your hatred. > >If that's the case, consider the message received. And take this message in >exchange: You don't know my people. You don't know what we're about. You >don't know what you just started. > >But you're about to learn. > >Miami Herald columnist Leonard Pitts Jr.'s column usually appears Thursday >on >editorial pages of The Times. His e-mail address is: >leonardpitts@mindspring.com > > > >Copyright © 2001 The Seattle Times Company ------------------ "The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his." -General George Patton (1885-1945) Member of CLAN HADB |
09-14-2001, 03:45 PM | #2 |
Guest
Posts: n/a
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Right on target.
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09-14-2001, 03:50 PM | #3 |
Horus - Egyptian Sky God
Join Date: March 4, 2001
Location: either CA or MO
Age: 42
Posts: 2,674
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09-14-2001, 04:01 PM | #4 |
20th Level Warrior
Join Date: September 6, 2001
Location: The lighter side of life, a.k.a. Newnan, Georgia
Age: 55
Posts: 2,767
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Awesome!!! I'll pass it on to everyone I know.
------------------ "Allright! We'll call it a draw." "I'm INVINCIBLE! ... You're a LOONEY!" Dare to dream. Be bold enough to try. The day we stop learning is the day we start dying!(c) *Newly abducted - er, inducted - member of the HADB clan. Mage extraordinair.* |
09-14-2001, 04:11 PM | #5 |
Account deleted by Request
Join Date: May 17, 2001
Location: .
Age: 38
Posts: 8,802
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I've only got one comment about that article:
I wish there was a clapping smiley. Whoever planned that horrible assault have just doomed themselves, the majority of the rest of the world is unified and ready to fight them, they will not break us, not even by doing something as horrible as what they have done. ------------------ Worshipper of Tiax. Wielder of the ancient Lawyer spells. Member of the HADB clan. Ally of the Fluffy Queen and the Dreaded Red Fluffy [This message has been edited by Neb (edited 09-14-2001).] |
09-14-2001, 04:31 PM | #6 |
Dracolich
Join Date: August 28, 2001
Location: Hurricane Valley
Age: 51
Posts: 3,089
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Thank you,
You target. ------------------ If you dont know where you are going, stop, spin around three times and then your home. Ruby Rouge of the ALSB [This message has been edited by Elif Godson (edited 09-14-2001).] |
09-14-2001, 04:45 PM | #7 |
Iron Throne Cult
Join Date: June 3, 2001
Location: There is no IRL, Only AFK.
Age: 35
Posts: 4,896
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Thats Great! I'll tell my friends!
------------------ I Am... The Bad Dude |
09-14-2001, 05:10 PM | #8 |
Galvatron
Join Date: March 29, 2001
Location: Everywhere I wanna go its already where I am,cause I am already there
Posts: 2,130
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RIght on!!
That artical sooo rocks!! ------------------ So if in the forest look behind you, because that where the ranger is going to be Grand-Jester of Laghing Hyenas Messenger of the Emerald Dragon |
09-15-2001, 10:46 PM | #9 |
Red Wizard of Thay
Join Date: August 17, 2001
Location: Florida
Posts: 874
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Great post!!!!!!!!!!
My sentiments, EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!!! ------------------ Captain of Bouncers, Boogre Bar LH Member And you never did think that it ever would happen again, in America did you? And you never did think that we'd ever get together again, but we damn sure fooled ya. We're walkin' real proud and we're talkin' real loud again, in America. And you never did think that it ever would happen again.... (Charlie Daniels) |
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