Hello all,
I'm an American who logged into the BBC website to find out what the European take on our National Tragedy is.
Everyone over here is still very much in a state of shock and the situation hasn't yet progessed out of a state of surreality for many of us.
On Edit:
Having wandered around here for a few days now, and engaged in some dialogue with others, I feel ready to flesh out some of my feelings about this event and where it may lead.
At first I knew I supported retaliation, and I felt that I would probably support war. Having a few days to reflect my feelings are no longer as certain.
One the one hand, I feel that we must retaliate. The attack was too open, too violent, and too directed at civilians. I think that to not retaliate sends the message that 1.) Terrorists can do whatever they like, and 2.) That massive, violent, terrorism can accomplish goals. Neither message I'd like to send.
On the other hand, I wonder what honor we do our dead to start a war that will enquestionably destroy thousands more innocent lives in the middle east.
I do not like, approve of or support the Taliban government (both for the way they treat their women and the destruction of the Bhuddas in Afganistan), but I have no argument with Muslims in general. I also have no desire to kill them or reap vengeance on them for the acts of a relatively small group of madmen.
Also, I am trying to reconcile what I learn more and more about the practices of my government. I do not approve of the actions of Israel in respect to Palestine. Neither do I think that some of the Palestinians have really helped matters with suicide bombers and violence on their end. There are no hero's in that war on either side. I also do not approve of any government of the US abetting such actions on either side.
I feel so helpless to do anything about it though.
I am worried for our native Muslim communities. It isn't easy to be an American Muslim right now. I hear of violence and threats directed towards them and I want to scream with frustrations that people can be so ignorant as to take their grief out of these innocent members of our society.
This week has been dreadful and full of anguish and pain. I wish everyone peace and healing who lost friends and family to this tragedy both here in America and abroad, I've heard that the foreign visitor casualties are high.
That is where my conflicted thoughts are right now...
Charlotte
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Charlotte
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