A couple of thoughts regarding recent developments:

First, on the matter of Anthrax. I could not think of a lesser issue right now. I mean, *call me* when they break out small pox or successfully poison our water supply. Maybe I'm callous, but the Anthrax situation is no more threatening than a bad strain of the flu. Yet, because the media has been targeted, I am subjected to more airtime detailing this non-issue.

Second, Congress. What a bunch of pussies. An anthrax scare and they shut down WARTIME sessions for 4 days??? You've got to be fucking KIDDING me? And I voted for these people to represent me and protect my freedom? I am DISGUSTED. What a bunch of pansy-assed, soft mostly-white men. Did Patrick Henry RUN, men, in the face of conflict? NO! He stood up and demanded liberty or offered his LIFE. Now, 225 or so years later, we have a bunch of lawmakers leaving their obligations and running for the hills because of the equivalent of the flu. Need I remind you that you ran for PUBLIC SERVICE? If you cannot fulfill that responsibility then let us know, because I, as a thinking, educated American citizen would be happy to go to work in Capital Hill in your place. You didn't see NBC shut down. They didn't go black because of Anthrax. If you can't deal, then convene in a remote location. Shut down mail service. Don't fail on the obligation that you were elected and sworn to uphold. The current American Congress is the biggest disappointment of my life.

Third, the American Public. I realize that times are hard. People are grieving, they are living in fear and they are financially strapped. It's tough all around, I hear that. Don't buy into this picture of doom and gloom media are painting. We all need to be strong. We need to carry on. Giving in to panic and financial woes gives terrorists a successful mission. In times of great crisis, all our people have are: our faith, our national pride and each other. You need to support each other, not panic each other. desparation leads to weakness and weakness results in defeat.

I refuse to be defeated and I will fight in my way to keep us all winning. That means I will not be scared of tall buildings or planes or dark-skinned people or suspicious mail. I will work each day and contribute via my tax dollars to the federal coiffers. I will eat out in restuarants and get my hair styled in salons. I will buy new toiletries. And maybe that seems small and meaningless, but these things were big enough before 9/11 to keep our economy flourishing and present a threat big enough to lure messengers of Satan to give their lives to take those of nearly 6,000 people. And in the same small way I did before, I will continue to threaten the way of life for these religious fanatics. I will not back down.

Fourth, the people who question their meaning in life. Now is not the time to make life-altering decisions. Attacks and death have left all of us feeling vulnerable and that means that our emotions can cloud our perception. What we need in time of crisis are what we know, routines. Do not abandon those routines right now, because they are your stability in this otherwise rapidly changing situation. In six months, make desicions. But remember that what you were doing was okay enough before the attacks and you should not internally belittle these things now.

Fifth, the fatalists. For those feeling like they have nothing to live for, fearing the norm will bring untimely death. We are all going to die. I wish I could tell everyone that you would live to see future generations and make great discoveries to advance mankind, but frankly, that wasn't the case before 9/11. So what now? Will you hide? Will you retreat? Will you live in fear and desparation? How is that helping? How will that prolong your time on earth and more importantly, is it worth it to stockpile days that can't be qualified as living? To live a great life, in my opinion, is to love and be loved, it's sharing a fine wine or a cold beer. It's throwing peanuts at your friends from across the bar. It's meeting a stranger with similiar musical tastes at a jukebox. It's seeing smiles and sharing joyous news. It's helping someone grieve. It's teaching a child to count to ten. It's making a child laugh. It's visiting an art museum and seeing with your own eyes, beautiful works of art that were created by people who also lived in crazy, war-torn times hundreds or thousands of years before you and seeing their stories and using them to enrich your own life experience.

In this grand scheme of world history, the United States is a teenager. In my experience, teenagers are snotty, belligerent, self-absorbed, conflict-driven people who think they are immortal.

I want to see America start to act it's age, dammnit.

previous next