h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

This post has been removed.

America, is a prosperous, powerful, proud country should be the envy of the whole of the Middle East! After all, it is a
'real' country with 'real' people with a steady economy - it has much to be desired. Let's face it, extremist lunatics
populate most of the Middle East with no respect for human life. I seriously believe the heat in the region has fried the
brains of the majority of the Middle East population, and they are of no use to anyone. Justice will prevail - let the USA
and other 'real' countries such as Britain unleash all their might and flatten all middle east countries - let's face it, they
won't be missed - it's not as if they're real countries with real people or anything. Bit extremist you think? ...not really,
just the opinion of many 'real people!' Let's see how the cowards would fare against the might of the USA.

Yes, America as a state is responsible for a great deal of evil and a great deal of death. The people who are suffering in New York are not the american state, they are ordinary people. You can point out all you like that the US state is guilty of this and that and why people hate it but don't go saying that it is a good thing that the attack has happened. Please leave cold-blooded idiologies at home and think about the human angle or your no better than Bin-Laden or, for that matter, Henry Kissinger.

Can I just comment that you are called a "researcher" for a reason. H2G2 isn't *just* a message board. I'm sick of all these hatred messages being posted just to stir up more hatred. This is a community where people respect each other and don't automatically think that others are "racist". If you just want to stir people up why don't you do it on the other boards where this type of thing is prevalent, like Yahoo or Excite or something? Please, people are hurting.

Do you really think it appropriate to be making such, quite frankly, heartless statements? I consider myself a intelligent, well educated and reasoned person and i can appreciate the politics you speak of. Many of us are all too aware of the giant flaws in american policy and realise that the underlying rhyme and reason is extremely complex. Yet, people have died and i find myself just going with gut instincts; hoping and praying that loved ones are found safe. Hoping that death came swiftly to those it came to but knowing the true horror. Antipodean is right, you may well have strong views as i'm sure we all do but now is the time to respect that people are hurting!

I have for the most part kept quiet about all of this, but I will not stand by any more and listen to this. I have been on this site for a year now and have many friends here. I would like to know where you get off comming in and saying we deserved it. you are acting no better then whoever commited these acts. America has done its fair share of commiting horrible acts but we are not alone in these acts. every country has done it's fair share. you are hiding behide a number and don't know anything. there is enough problems going on right now with out you coming and and preaching about all the injustices and how arrogant the US is. i agree completely with magrat go to another board.

I feel you should be allowed to make your point, any point you wish.
I would agree that America can be heavy handed and the symbol of global capitalism crashing down is going some distance to shedding light on the great chasm between the oppressors (american foreign policy) and the oppressed (narmada dam india, iraqi civilians, vietnam, third world economies in general).

HOWEVER, for humanity this behaviour cannot be condoned. The tragic loss of life which has come about from this disaster is horrific and abhorent.

Hopefully this tragedy will promote debate about why anyone (cept for scapegoat religeous reasons) hates the US and it's form of capitalism. Maybe then the International monetary fund, The world trade organisation and countless other western capitalist schemes will also, as you should, think about the HUMAN aspects of it's policy rather than the fatcats and shareholders.

For example the IMF is making Ghana privitise it's water to cope with it's international debt. The citizens of ghana will now have to pay for their water, the water which runs in rivers, streams, comes from the sky. Needless to say, many poorer families will not even be able to afford to drink and many people will die, just because of global capitalism.

After consideration of a veritable plethora of other IMF schemes which similarly cripple real humans, CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY for a few extra dollars in the shareholders pockets we can empathise a little more with those people who want the symbol of american economic power to colapse.

This post has been removed.

Let me just say this: 1) Not one of those people deserved to die. 2) All governments in the world are hated for some reason. Does that mean that the back bone of their way of life should be shattered? NO 3) Just wait until you and your country men need military assistants. You will love the Americans then. 4) I think it is safe to say, YOU ARE GOING TO HELL!
Have a good one!

Due to the events on Tuesday I was drawn to the BBC for news at work, as the overload of activity here brought domestic news sites to a halt. The BBCs coverage was exceptional. As an American living in Upstate NY the past few days have been of reflection, emptyness, sorrow, and anger. There is not ONE person that I know that has not been directly affected by the monsterous acts commited Tuesday. Whether it was a cousin who's last contact was with his wife, telling her that he could not breathe due to the smoke and that he loved her and their children. Or a friend who you know was working there, who has not come in contact with relatives. It has affected everyone. The subject of this reply is disheartening "It's about time". For what? 20,000 innocent human beings to lose their lives???? This hatred in the world towards America is understandable - to an extent. What happened Tuesday will undoubtably fuel a fire within the American psyche. We will see hatred towards people of Islamic faith, and much worse towards Arabic peoples. I don't condone it, but what do you tell people in NYC who are pulling thousands of arms and legs burnt beyond recognition out of the rubble. The significance of this event is great, make no mistake about it. I am fearful that the events that follow will be much worse. What happened here was the greatest human loss cause due to an outside adversary since the Revolutionary War. The repercussions will be felt globally. I pray for the world.

you're right, it does sound maniacle - you are a maniac.

i agree with many of you: you should leave abstract politics aside and think as humans.
nothing justifies terrorism, and nothing justifies blind revenge.

unfortunatly it seems that for the majority of people, the initial cause of violent actions are forgotten. Consideration of what may have been if atomic weaponry hadn't been dropped on the japanese or what might have been if soldiers were not sent into the Gulf is incomprehensable to most people. The arabs issues with the Americans stem from funnelled and censored media reports on the side of the Iraqi media. This hopefully is something we avoid being in a democratic part of the world, we do hear all sides of the story. Consider that saddam had taken kuwait, he would have had the world at its knees using oil prices to cripple every industry that uses it as fuel. We invaded, our economy survived. Hitler tried to take over the world, attempted to wipe out entire races, we fought back, we stayed free - alot of people died, but the point is that people can continue to make decisions for themselves as opposed to being driven like sheep.
The American reaction may always seem to be harsher than the initial act of violence but they never start anything, they help underdogs, and give them a chance in a fight they deter bullies, but never start wars. We tend to forget this when retaliation seems to outweigh the initial act. never start wars. We tend to forget this when retaliation seems to outweigh the initial act.

The United States is not used to starting global conflicts. On the contrary they used to ending them.

First of all I would like to thank the original poster for speaking what they felt. It takes courage to post a viewpoint that is so differing then the majority. The only way a open debate forum works is if differing opinions are voiced.

I can understand why people in other nations look at the United States with anger and disbelief. The U.S. Government gives millions of dollars in aid to Israel every year, and they turn around and kill thousands of Palestinians every year. The U.S. Government picks and chooses who it will support in different conflicts based on its own interests rather then right and wrong, and has in the past supported both sides of a conflict. However while the U.S. Government is "of the people, by the people, and for the people." It is not "the" people.

Ultimately though this tragedy is about people. People who live their lives day in and out trying to just live. I doubt very much that any of the people in that building had any direct influence on decisions that are made by the government. Just as the 17 Palestinians that were killed by the Israeli airplane in an apartment complex a month ago, also had no influence.

The people are not the Government, neighbors. Every country's people have varying abilities to influence the workings of their respective country's governments, but ultimately those people are stuck with whatever decisions that those in power make. Therein lies the problem.

I listen to the media daily and morn the deaths that occur on both sides. I get angry at the U.S Government for the aid that it gives to Israel and the ignoring of the devastation that Israel causes the Palestinians.

We all must work in the frameworks that are established. What happened Tuesday was a temper tantrum that NO one person or group should have the right to inflict on any other person or group. Change is slow and good change is hard. But all must come to a common ground and understanding or all the lives that have been lost all over the world have been lost in vain.

And not that it matters, but I am a Christian and a citizen of the United States.