While many moan and sigh and feel sorry for themselves over the WTC disaster, and others gang up and take out frustrations on me for posting something that represented my opinion, take note of greater issues. Mainly, that the vicious, Marxist, multiculturalist American Universities are still busy with treason against America. This Morning Call in Allentown, PA carried a story that in Bethlehem, PA, Lehigh University's vice provost of student affairs, John Smeaton, ordered all American flags removed from campus busses in order not to make Lehigh's many foreign students "feel uncomfortable". Multiculturalist treason against America has erupted right in the middle of the war. Thank goodness several American students and bus drivers were so angered over this outrage that Lehigh was forced to rescind this treasonous order within hours. We must clean American universities of treason at the same time we clean out the terrorist nests in the middle east.
In this country, which we will call America, you are allotted certain Constitutional Rights. One being Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Expression! In Light of the current events, we are still Americans bound by this document. If we infringe on the rights of others, then how are we a democracy of free states!! The actions of this administrator although inappropriate had a genuine good purpose. However, his purpose of unity and solidarity for not only Americans but of world peace, out shadowed his patriotic duties. Does this equate to treason? I would say no! His intentions were good, but his actions were not of societies views at the time. As a political science major and the president of the UT-El Paso ACLU, if we continue to separate ourselves from others, then we will be, no better than those who we oppose. My professor, who has some far right views, insulted our country and our military during class today. As a citizen and a soldier, I did not agree with his comments, however, he is entitled to his opinions. This is what makes our country so great. Proud to be an American!!!!!!
That is exactly right. And what these terrorists want to do is polarize our country into factions. We cannot allow that. We must turn our anger into something else, not against each other, or we will be playing right into their hands. We are all Americans. We can disagree, and express our disagreements, but we must all allow each other the same freedom. Reshod, those professors live in a world of theories, not the real world, LOL. Although I think I would probably have gotten up and walked out, the way I feel right now.
I have a feeling this event will unify our country, and make us much stronger as a whole, as well as individuals. Today, I cried when I was watching TV when I saw the family members asking if anyone had seen their missing person. I don't know any of those people, and still I cried. I care about my country, and I feel the pain that everyone does. It was a terrible tragedy. Despite the pain and suffering, we will hold together as one. I am going to, and I hope everyone else here does too. We can get through this, and the only way to do that is to do it together.
I really just want to work on my credit, but since you won't take this to the proper forum.... Lizardking is right. You make yourself look like an a$$. Friends, a terrible tragedy has occurred. And we all know the perpetrators have to pay dearly. In blood. But now here come the superpatriots--so much more red, white and blue than the rest of us. They demand that we make this country what it NEVER was. A country without freedoms. A country where even the APPEARANCE of disagreement with THEIR party line is treason. A country where being flat-out wrong (as in the case of our university offical) is synonymous with being a traitor. In short, a country just like all of the other countries we thank our lucky stars (and stripes) that we are not living in. All of this talk about petty acts being treason and the need for "cleansing" our universities of "multiculturalism"--may I assume the best way to do that is to cleanse ourselves of all of those multicultural people? I thought so. See, I've heard it all before. Perhaps you can take comfort in the fact that Osama bin Laden agrees with you. It's funny how the people who wave our flag the most seem to care about the ideals that the flag stands for the least. All I can say is thank heaven for the Constitution (by the way, that's the document you're wiping your emotional little feet on). But don't worry, I'm sure there are plenty of countries that would welcome someone having your patriotic values with open arms. Just not here. Try China, Iraq, or Afghanistan. God Bless America!
"Each of you, for himself, by himself and on his own responsibility, must speak. And it is a solemn and weighty responsibility, and not lightly to be flung aside at the bullying of pulpit, press, government, or the empty catchphrases of politicians. Each must for himself alone decide what is right and what is wrong, and which course is patriotic and which isn't. You cannot shirk this and be a man. To decide against your convictions is to be an unqualified and inexcusable traitor, both to yourself and to your country, let man label you as they may. If you alone of all the nation shall decide one way, and that way be the right way according to your convictions of the right, you have done your duty by yourself and by your country- hold up your head! You have nothing to be ashamed of." -- Mark Twain
From my history lessons, I recall others who wanted to cleanse the world of multiculturalism. One, in particular comes to mind this morning. I'm sure you've heard of him... His name was Hitler. Be mindful of what you're preaching. It has been the undoing of whole nations.
Exactly, Hope. Multiculturalism and pluralism in a society evidence humane tolerance. Societies that have stood against multiculturalism have practically always been those which advocated cultural homogeneity (commonly known as "ethic purity," "ethnic cleansing," or "genocide"). Felice, after reading your two major posts during the past couple of days, it's clear to me that you are a very angry woman, which is certainly understandable given the week's events. Doc
I am all for freedom of speech. Americans and people living in America have a choice. If you do not like our way of living, you can leave. There can be no excuse for anyone stopping someone from flying our flag. If foreigners are insulted by that act, the should not be here. People should not be celebrating our loss in Paterson, N.J., it is OK to celebrate if you are a PLO or whatever as long as you do not do it in my backyard and in front of me. Maybe treason is a little extreme a term, but to hell with anyone who does not have sympathy for the victims and families of the victims. USA, USA, USA www.creditsense.com
Creditwork, I completely agree with what you have to say. And all I would say is that I know that we are all grieving and angry. But we cannot abandon reason and common sense and American ideals because of that. Celebrating our loss? And IN America?!--the thought makes me furious! Point me at 'em! But I live in Chicago and I 've heard half a dozen stories already about people seeing "Arab-loking" people appearing to be "celebrating" i.e. speaking a funny language, laughing, smiling, and/or just generally not looking guilty enough. Despite all that has happened, the vast majority of Americans have still experienced something to laugh or smile about in between bouts of stunned pain or silence. Why ASSUME every joke is at our expense? Hope is right--our enemies win when we abandon what has made us who we are.
You maybe right about the misunderstanding. I did not see it first hand. I am far from a racist. I have been the victim of prejudice, so I refuse to do it. I am not going to accuse people just for being arab or different looking or because they speak a different language. www.creditsense.com
As a professor at an American multiculturalist university (and one who studies and teaches both intercultural communication and the first amendment), I will vigorously defend your right to express your views. However, the vast majority of my collegues at two universities were urging two things to each of our students: to contribute in whatever way possible to the rescue efforts (donate blood, cash, blankets, etc.) and to do whatever they could do help build and maintain a sense of safe community for ALL citizens and residents. We released students from classes to attend vigils, prayer services and counseling sessions. We allowed them to miss class to donate blood. I speciifcally spent time asking them how they could apply the theory they were learning into practice for increasing intercultural communication and understanding. And I urged them to remember that irrational prejudice against any person because of ethnicity, religion, gender, class, political persuasion or sexual orientaion (should have included occupation) is the hallmark of a person who does not think. Think about this: One of the first things that many totalitarian regimes do is to silence the teachers.
In my experience, it has been students that have been more vocal than any other occupation, at least in the 2 countries that I have lived, given that I can agree that teachers would be a close second. Noone silences Americans. That is what makes this the GREAT country that it is. www.creditsense.com
You folks can just keep on with tears over the tragedy and the loss of lives and/or the actions of others either here or abroad to your hearts content. You can wave all the flags you want to your hearts content and you can argue over what our future actions should or should not be until the internet falls down with the weight of all your words, wise, foolish, whatever. I do not wish to demean anyone or make light of them for their words nor their actions no matter how wise or how stupid they may be. I will not pass judgement on any of that, but rather leave such judgements to another more qualified than I. What I would like to direct your attention to is something that I personally consider to be far more critical. What is going to happen on Monday? Will our world as we know it today survive and what can we do if it does not? Is it possible that our economy can fall as surely as did the twin towers? I submit that it is entirely possible and might even be likely. One sure indicator of what is to come will be the opening of the stock market on Monday if it does in fact open on Monday. Consider that rumor has it that just 10 minutes prior to the closing of the stock market on that fatal tuesday, 13 trillion dollars in sell short orders were executed. Is this nothing more than ramk rumor or is it the truth? If truth, was it because someone somewhere knew exactly what was going to happen just minutes later? I don't have the answers, but I would tend to think that even if it were raw, rife, rank rumor, then coupled with the recent facts, it might just send the markets down limit maybe even before the first minutes are done. And that could continue for several days until the fear is over and the bears have had their say. Will Greenspan immediately move to lower the prime rate maybe another 50 points or so in order to bolster a failing economy? His doing so would be clear signal that we are indeed in deep trouble economically which we were anyway before this last Black Tuesday. To add to the basket of woe, this closure of airlines and air freight has hurt our economy and our factories desperately. Our air traffic system may never be back to normal, most certainly air travel won't ever be the same again. Our airlines have taken a huge financial blow indeed and an enormous transfusion of cash may be necessary to salvage them at all. Hordes of past customers may be entirely too frightened to ever want to fly again. We don't have any idea yet to what extent public opinion and confidence may have been eroded by this event. We could lose a lot more than we already have and we should be planning for such other catastrophies as might occur in the future. If they do come our way, it's going to be financial. Loss of jobs, inability to pay off debt, lots of things we believe won't happen. Let us hope that this won't be more than just a temporary blot upon our nations history, but let us at least be mentally prepared for other things to come that could be worse yet. Problem is, that we can't really do much about what we cannot forsee with certainty any more than we could prevent what happened last Tuesday.
RE: STOCKMARKET...it will be up and down all MONDAY... RE: GREENSPAN...if he does 100 POINTS DOWN would that hurt???
economic meltdown?? Are we running scared yet? I just found this message in my inbox after I posted my first message. What else will come up quickly? Personally, I think we'd better get to worrying about what comes next.
Re: economic meltdown?? IF the STOCK MARKET TAKES A DUMP...many people will BUY...BUY...BUY...making it go back up.
The larger question is not what 100 or even a thousand point shave might or might not do. It is whether even if they reduced the prime to absolute zero would that be sufficient to salvage the economy or has the damage been to great? I doubt anyone has the answer to these questions. Only more speculation
