[Randy Van Vliet]

--- Jeff McLean <jeffmof@replicant.apana.org.au>
wrote:
> however, please - and i beg all of us to do this -
> please look at what
> our troops are now doing.
> 
Interesting that you should bring this up.  I also
sent this to my family and we have been having some
very interesting discussions about the nature of the
US response.  My Sister is VERY much against this or
any other war.  My Dad is very much for supporting
pursuing Justice for whoever planned the Sept 11
attack.  The rest of us are sort of in the middle. 
Wanting to believe that, in the end, what ever version
you have of God be it Christian, Muslim, Jewish,
Buddist or whatever (I could go on and on) will have
the final judgement (and being willing to let Him/Her
have that judgement) and realizing that our world
isn't perfect and if you "turn the other cheek" that
it's likely going to get slapped also.  So it's a very
conflicting period.  As an american (and I'm really
trying to not sound like an asshole here) this is the
first time in my 39 years that I have had to face my
feelings about war.  I was too young for Viet Nam. 
Bosnia and Kosovo were too far away to effect me (I
know, I should have felt bad but I never got woirked
up about it) and the gulf war was so blatantly about
protecting our (US) commercial interests that it never
caught my attention.  But this is different.  It
affects me and my family directly and so I have to
face it.  Do I beat my sword into a plowhsare or do I
demand justice?  There are parts of me that want to do
both.  I guess this is how it should be.  Deciding to
support a war should not be an easy thing.  And one
more thing, I wish the US media would stop with the
"America Strikes Back" shit.  I have no desire to
strike back at anyone.  I feel disgust and pity for
the terrorists but not necessarily anger and I am
completly horrified by what my government is doing to
the people of Afghanistan.  Whatever they want to do
to stop terrorism but STOP THAT!  As if living in dirt
poor squalor under an oppressive (maybe repressive)
government isn't bad enough, now here comes the mighty
U S of A to bomb them back to the stone age.  It makes
me sick.  Ok, enough rambling for now.  

Randy




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