Possibility of Attacks in the USA- Page 2

[Millie42]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 10:57am

I am just going to have to stop reading this board for a bit b/c this is just a bit more than I can take.

Pride? It is unfair to imply I am feeling cocky about this. I feel a conviction to serve the American people through the government and through work in international relations. Some people respond to tragedy with tears and desperation. Some respond with passion and dedication. I am the latter type of person.

You are free to post what you like. I certainly do not protest that. I know what I meant by my post and I believe others do, as well.

[RobbO]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 11:12am

"Hey, terrif. If my post can inspire some members here to stop and think before they put up another post that somehow makes what happened to the victims of the London bombings be ALL ABOUT THEM, then I'll be happy."

hello, pot? this is kettle. you're black.

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 11:13am

I was about to say, Namo, you might want to re-read that. You are being a spectacular hypocrite.

[Millie42]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 11:17am

I think people reflect back upon themselves in the case of tragedy because if you are not worrying about a particular person (and luckily, most of my friends in London came home within the last week), then you tend to reflect back on yourself. "What would I feel like?" "How should I respond?" (And we know all too well what this type of thing feels like).
I am sorry it came across as being self-centered because it was not meant as such.

In the past several years as I have been hit with bad things I have been helpless to stop, I have picked up a mentality of "I am going to do something so this doesn't happen again." I have become proactive. This is my emotional reaction to the uncontrollable actions of others.

Sorry I was not clear about the London-DC connection. I am happy to be in DC right now because I feel like I can take a more active role in the coming government attempts to aid the UK. I think the worst feeling in the world is helplessness and I am glad to be in a place where I can most directly assist. I hope that helps, Namo. I also hope that was slightly articulate. I am having a horrible day at work.

Sorry to post again, I don't want to take away from this event.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 11:18am

This "God Bless the USA" attitude is a bit confusing to me. It really makes me wonder if people feel that as long as we are attacking someone...ANYONE...we are doing something to make our Country safer...letting the world know that the good old USA won't sit back and take this lightly.
Millie, what is it you are supporting our government in? Iraq? Stepping on the civil rights of Homosexuals? Shoving the tube back into Terri Schiavo's stomach?
Why does the boming in LONDON make you prouder to be an American today than you were yesterday?

[thirdrowcenter]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 11:20am

I hope you didn't chastise your sister for trying to make some sense out of her friend's death from cancer. You have to do whatever you need to, to cope and deal with the death of a loved one. Stop being so self righteous.
Updated On: 7/7/05 at 11:20 AM

[Millie42]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 11:22am

"Why does the boming in LONDON make you prouder to be an American today than you were yesterday? "

It doesn't make me prouder than before.... It just reminds me of why I want to make a change in the world and why I am commited to helping/serving others. I *am* proud, though, to live in a country where I can actively work in the government to make changes.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 11:24am

Millie--why didn't our government go after Osama and AlQaeda instead of going after Saddam and Iraq?

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 11:27am

No, I didn't chastize my sister. I waited until she asked, "What am I supposed to learn from ______'s death?" for the dozenth time and I calmly explained that trying to impose some orderly logic onto the random events of the universe is a natural impulse, but that the death from cancer was about cancer killing somebody, not about teaching my sister a lesson.

And yes, Millie, that was very very articulate. I think sometimes when we condense what we are trying to say, the salient points get lost and the more familiar lingo of personal determination floats to the surface.

RobbO and 44, please show me when I have ever written that somebody else's tragedy is about me, and I will happily concede your point. And RobbO, you just KEEP doing that Friends line about the pot and the kettle and it's old and it's tired and wasn't even particularly funny when Phoebe said it. Try to work up some new material, then your routine may get better.

You know, people can write all the cliches that they want in response to tragedy, but it's just so much emptiness. For me, it was worth it just to get to Millie's latest post, which struck me as real and not about the typical stuff.

That's the kind of communication I'm interested in.

Updated On: 7/7/05 at 11:27 AM

[Millie42]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 11:27am

I think you would have to ask the people that made the military decisions, PalJoey.

I am still finishing my degree so I'm not exactly cabinet-rank over here---I just hope to be someday.

[thirdrowcenter]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 11:29am

Millie, you are someone to admire

[Dollypop]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 11:49am

A very dear friend of mine lives in London--fairly close to Russell Square where the bus exploded. I've been trying to get in touch without success.

[Millie42]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 11:52am

DP, British or American? I know the Dept of State/American Embassy has set up a line for families/friends looking to find information on loved ones.

I'm sorry.

[MrMidwest]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 11:53am

I'm not really worried about terrorist attacks. I think people are pretty adept now at looking out for suspicious things. Also, if the government is doing it's job then there should be even less of a chance. If they're not, then that's on them. I'm not going to spend the rest of my life worried about attacks.

Posted: 7/7/05 at 11:54am

Without making any comment on the current situation, I'd just like to commend Millie for posting from their heart, and being convicted enough to respond with clarity and continued openness to responses that may or may not be interpreted as appropriate.

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 11:55am

I'm sorry to hear that, Dollypop. I hope all is well.

I agree, DGrant.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 11:56am

You mean by other people. Not Millie. Obviously, she saw what I was getting at and clarified. In my opinion, dialogue and clarification is a great thing. Makes all the empty platitudes and virtual ::hugz:: pale by comparison. No wonder RobbO and 44 tried to make me a bad guy during the dialogue.

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 11:58am

Check your PMs, Namo, for a clarification of my point.

[OnTheAisle]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 12:09pm

well said, DG - that was an incredibly open and level-headed exchange between ALL parties!

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 12:14pm

Hey, that's what I thought too. And though I am conversing with 44 in PMs for clarity, I guess we'll just write off RobbO as being part of his knee-jerk reactions to me rather than anything of substance about the thread.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 12:36pm

Millie--I just wonder what would have happened if we had spent the $300 billion we've spent in Iraq going after Al Qaeda instead.

Maybe today's attacks in London attacks wouldn't have happened.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 12:40pm

Everyone stay safe, be alert, and go about your business.

And to our West End visitors - very sorry about your loses and this entire mess. Can't imagine what it's like there - it's a very different attack. Can't imagine the traffic situations now that the transit infrstucture is shut down.

[RobbO]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 12:48pm

"That's the kind of communication I'm interested in."

maybe we should give namo his own board with his own guidelines and rules so that he ALWAYS can be the center of attention and judge everyone else instead of, i don't know, making a point.

Updated On: 7/7/05 at 12:48 PM

[etoile]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 12:49pm

"...people are pretty adept now at looking out for suspicious things."

Really? And what exactly is suspicious? A 20 year old with a packback boarding a bus? We in this country are still conditioned to focus on the unattended bags, packages, vehicles and not on the young suicide bombers.

"Also, if the government is doing it's job then there should be even less of a chance. If they're not, then that's on them."

Honey, if they're not doing their job then accountabilty may be on them, but the ramifications and tragedy fall on all of us. And I'm reminded that the government is only as successful as the eyes and ears and input from its citizens. I know I'm not phrasing things well...but we all play a part in this.

[MrMidwest]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 1:58pm

>>"...people are pretty adept now at looking out for suspicious things." Really? And what exactly is suspicious? A 20 year old with a packback boarding a bus? We in this country are still conditioned to focus on the unattended bags, packages, vehicles and not on the young suicide bombers.

You know what, honey, whether we are or we aren't adept, terrorism is going to happen. I just hope that most people keep their eyes peeled for anything that might look suspicious or odd that could be related to terrorism.

>>"Also, if the government is doing it's job then there should be even less of a chance. If they're not, then that's on them."

>Honey, if they're not doing their job then accountabilty may be on them, but the ramifications and tragedy fall on all of us. And I'm reminded that the government is only as successful as the eyes and ears and input from its citizens. I know I'm not phrasing things well...but we all play a part in this.

We do, but our borders are not being protected properly, nuclear power plants are not being protected as well as they should be, and a lot of airport security doesn't even make sense. Is it wrong for me to blame the government for those things? I'm not saying everything is their fault. It's their job to protect us on a large scale and the job of citizens to help protect things on a smaller scale.