RE: Worlds... But not Hearts... apart (3 of 4)

--------------- (written 7:00am, today 09/14/01:)

Perhaps, Phil, you and others who share your views should read my post
"Worlds...  But not Hearts... apart".  Or maybe you did, and your comments
are in reaction to the, what I view inescapable, conclusion it presents:
You identify Good by it's actions; not race, religion, nationality, or many
of the other ways that have been used in the past.



The weblog I get (http://www.scripting.com/) is a lot of junk, IMO, with a
few golden gems.  Again IMO, among this mornings gems:

>From Dave Winer, author of the weblog, "People don't sacrifice themselves
for no reason. Let's find out what it is."

>From one Steve Duin "Our ingenuity is being tested. And the reward for our
resourcefulness isn't the head of Osama bin Laden, or any other terrorist,
but limiting the possibility of another incinerated city."

>From the Jerusalem Post: "Sephardi Chief Rabbi Eliyahu Bakshi-Doron today
called on the Islamic clerics who have published fatwas (religious rulings)
ordering suicide-bombings and declaring the bombers shahid (martyrs), 'to
rescind the order and to call on the world to preserve the sanctity of of
life, and to forbid large-scale attacks on innocent civilians.'"

>From the Tehran Times: "Iranian President Mohammad Khatami condemned the
kamikaze 'terrorist' attacks in the United States and expressed his deep
sorrow and sympathy with the American nation."

I would assume by your views, Phil, that you would automatically conclude
the Iranian President is a liar.  My view is that NOW is the time to put the
Iranian government to the test.  Do their actions back up these words...

I think it's one thing to talk about profiliing in airports, but quite
another to talk about using the same profiling methods to identify who are
America's, and American's, friends and who are foes.  Since the foes,
apparently, are going to have to perish, I think you should be extremely
careful how you identify them.



I took yesterday evening off, and watched some of the coverage.  I heard
talk that Congress was going to allocate some $40B.  In my view, this is
short-sited.  This could very well be the start of World War III.  In my
view, to keep this war as short as possible, Congress should allocate $100B,
and announce to the world "Any of this allocated money that remains, after
the war is over, will be distributed to those who help us stamp out the
enemy, which is Evil."  And if that means giving money to the President of
Iran, or to the Palestinians, so much the better.  Use some of the money to
stamp out hunger, poverty and ignorance in this country.

If you think this suggestion is ludicrous, consider that Bill Gates and his
cronies could pony up that kind of money (emphasis on "could").  An amount
$100B should be considered a minimal investment, and may not be enough, but
it should be compared against the Good (as well as economic prosperity) that
would come of it.



I have been told several times, in my career as a coder, analyst, manager,
and "consultant" that I have a way of explaining things simply... without
over-simplifying.  I go back to my analogy of killing the cancer cells,
without killing the patient.  The patient is the world.

America is apparently going to war.  To keep this war as short as possible,
all that's necessary is keeping it a battle of Good against Evil.  Both
sides of the war will see their side as the side of Good, so it comes down
to who actually DOES correctly identify Good vs. Evil.  The way to win this
war quickly is to accept, as allies, countries that have traditionally been
enemies of America... some for generations.  Get them on board, to help
stamp out Evil.  Reward those that do...  Neutralize those that don't.

Some things are that simple.


JMHO

jt

--------------- (written 10:15am, today 09/14/01:)

Columbus, OH, USA
iNation Citizen


Perhaps some people can understand what I saying, and perhaps some can hear
what I'm saying and change.  Perhaps some never will.

The important point is that you can correctly identify both Good and Evil by
their actions, not words.  This is what we, here in America, were taught as
kids:  actions speak louder than words.  I'm starting to think that people
the world over have probably been taught this same thing.

A corollary to this is that many, many Good people must act, if Evil is to
be overcome.  My wife and I had earmarked some money for the AAG and Don &
Bob Cancilla's iSeries Nation, Inc.  We were waiting for them to get set up
as a 501(c).  AFAIK, they never did but, either way, we have instead
contributed this money to the United Way of NYC and the American Red Cross.
It is a small thing, but helps us more than others, because it allows us to
mute the feelings of being so helpless.

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Any opinions expressed are my own and not necessarily those of anybody else.