We are in fact the only nation to have ever used a nuclear weapon.
I would note that we did it only as a last resort, after many
entreaties for peace, after a cowardly and unprovoked military
attack, and in order to prevent other types of carnage which would
have occured in a longer but conventional military campaign.
After dropping the bomb, we did not crush out the civilization that
we defeated. We did not demand reparations for the war they started
against us. We did not leave them to deal with the aftermath of our
actions entirely alone.
If we were the xenophobic, bigoted people you seem to believe us to
be, why is Japan today an economic world power? In the national
memorial ceremony held last week in Washington and attended by the
President, many religions were represented. There were speakers who
were Jewish, Protestant, Catholic, Islamic, and perhaps more.
Just yesterday, President Bush visited the Islamic Center in
Washington, DC. Here is just part of what he said:
"When we think of Islam we think of a faith that brings comfort to
a billion people around the world. Billions of people find comfort
and solace and peace. And that's made brothers and sisters out of
every race -- out of every race.
"America counts millions of Muslims amongst our citizens, and
Muslims make an incredibly valuable contribution to our country.
Muslims are doctors, lawyers, law professors, members of the
military, entrepreneurs, shopkeepers, moms and dads. And they need
to be treated with respect. In our anger and emotion, our fellow
Americans must treat each other with respect.
" Women who cover their heads in this country must feel comfortable
going outside their homes. Moms who wear cover must be not
intimidated in America. That's not the America I know. That's not
the America I value."
You can find his full remarks at his website here:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/09/20010917-11.html
In my own community, a vicious, false rumor was sent around by
e-mail that a local shop owner of Arabic descent was seen
celebrating on Tuesday. At first, there were threats directed
against this man and the restaurant he owns. But then calmer heads
prevailed and our local television station reported the truth, that
the man is an American citizen and that there was no justification
for the rumor at all. The next day, his restaurant was overflowing
with people. Our entire community went out to support him, to show
to ourselves and to our others that we as Americans are not
creatures of hate but of love.
We are not perfect. We are often, as many European posters have
noted, arrogant in our belief of our own superiority. We do not
learn as much about other cultures as perhaps we should. But we are
not a cruel and vicious people. You have no more evidence that we
are likely to "nuke" Cairo than we have that Egypt and all Islamic
peoples hate us.
I do hope that you will apologize a year from now when Cairo is
still standing and you realize that the U.S. has not and will not
try to eradicate entire nations who have done us no harm.
Patrick Martin
I dont think lhsmith is overreacting. After hearing Bush's words to
"give muslims and arab americans the respect THEY DESERVE" ( they
natrurally dont deserve anything now, DO THEY ??), and after
reading the word CRUSADE, every body in the middle east is
preparing for war, we are expecting a nuclear attack, even on Egypt
who is a strong ally of the United states, we all expect Cairo To
be nuked by the US, after all you have done it Before.
Hatem Tawfik
Cairo Egypt
Dave N
So the Electoral College "elects" Bush for us.
O.K., that's our system, ...we'll go with it.
And now we will certainly support the nation's president as we deal
with this crisis.(...more significantly, support those who we send
to DO the actual "Dealing").
But I sure wish Bush wouldn't say anything unless his speech
writer's clear it first (some of THEM are quite good with words).
Now he has added(yesterday on tv) the word "crusade" to his war-talk.
Maybe he has seen too many old movies, and not enough history books.
The crusades were the Christian version of bin Laden's infata.
Slaughter with "God" on "our" side. The original source of the
Rambo-esque "Kill them all, and let God sort them out!" quote
(uttered by one of the "crusaders" in the middle of a massacre of
Muslim men, women, and children).
So now, when we need the cooperation of the peaceful muslims, to
deal with the terrorists that are blackening the name of their
religion, Bush, in a transparent attempt to pander to his
somewhat-alienated fudamentalist supporters, decides (FOR us) that
we're on a "crusade". (Is that "Onward Christian Soldiers" I hear
playing in the background?)
Bush, I for one will support a punitive
retaliation/annihilation(wish it were possible) of the terrorists
who have attacked us (and others).
I won't support a "religious" war. Don't confuse the issue by
turning this into one.
For what its worth, the symbolism isn't that flattering, when one
remembers that the "crusaders" ended-up getting their butts kicked
by Saladin.
I'll close with an endorsement of the sentiment already expressed
by another poster to this site:
"Spare me from religous fanatics" (theirs OR ours)!
Larry
