I feel the shock and outrage many of You are voicing right now. What we have suffered as a nation in the last hours is ... indescribable. I sense many of us feel compelled to somehow fight back by at least showing a united front.

So I'm enraged at the idea of 'Big Oil' privateering!!!! And while we may not be able individually to grab a gun and a plane to go stomp the crap out of the parties responsible for today, we CAN stomp on Big Oil! I made a point of noting gas prices coming from work at 12:30 am. If our prices go up even a dime, I 'll be WALKING to work carrying Ol' Glory and wearing a sign on my back with the slashed circle over gas terrorists(NO gas terrorists).

If we can't fight the enemy with-out, we can certainly take care of the one with-in!! If enough people protest such greed and non-Patriotism, maybe those jerks will get the message. If anyone wants to use the same idea for protesting, DO IT!!!! (Most think we homesteaders are a bit different anyway!)

Randle (Chillicothe OH)

-- Randle Gay (rangay@hotmail.com), September 12, 2001

Answers

Randle, I am with you, I can't believe that they will just take advantage of us in a time like this, There is no reason for the price of gas to go up, yet we were told at the pumps last night that it would go up to 3 dollors a gallon today. It had already gone up 20 cents yesterday. Unbelievable!

-- trendle ellwood (trendlespin@msn.com), September 12, 2001.

IMHO, gas prices should be the last thing on our minds right now!

-- Ardie from WI (ardie54965@hotmail.com), September 12, 2001.

Thousands may have died but most of us still have to drive to get to work, back home and to the grocery store which means that we still have to pay for gas. Outrageous profiteering as has been reported in some areas should not be tolerated. If anyone tries to charge you a significantly higher price for gas than they were charging on Monday get a receipt and contact your local state attorney general office. I think every state has some sort of law about this sort of price hijacking. The tragedy in NYC and Washington is no reason to be charging $4 and $5 a gallon for gasoline.

={(Oak)-

-- Live Oak (oneliveoak@yahoo.com), September 12, 2001.

According to NBC news it is not Big Oil that is raising the prices, but rather the individual operators of the gas stations. In fact Exxon has requested that anyone who raised their prices should move them back to right where they were before the devastation started. It was also stated that there is no shortage of gas unless people begin to hoard it, which apparently is what happened in some areas.

This may not change the mind of someone who thinks big business is to blame for all the problems in this world, but it is the truth.

-- Bob in WI (bjwick@hotmail.com), September 12, 2001.

We heard the same rumors here (Southeast Kansas) and all the gas stations had long lines, prices were raised 20 cents while some were still in line. Today prices dropped 40 cents. Go figure.

-- Patricia Smith (psmith@terraworld.net), September 12, 2001.

Perhaps we should think about where the crude oil comes from that is used to make our gas, and what else is made from that imported crude oil.

Gas: is used to get us to work and back. By some it is just used for pleasure (many seem to be just driving around celebrating the high prices here lately).

Like Randle, I have been paying attention I live in the same area too. Tuesday evening I found it necessary to travel through the town of Wellston Ohio (pop. 6,000 or so). At about 8:00 P.M. there were over 1,000 cars in line to get gas (my estimate). That of course is the American way. Hog it up, get all you can get before the price goes up. We do the same thing with all commodities.

Fuel: for the trucking industry is made from the same crude oil that allows us so much pleasure. This brings all the commodities to us. Things like food, and the other essentials of life like beer and pizza. Not to mention all the entertainment stuff that we desperately need and so well deserve.

Cosmetics: are also made from the same gallon of imported crude oil. Heaven help us if we had to look at each other as we really are.

The problem is all about money, not oil. Few of us, probably myself included; have what it takes to stop living without money.

Is it just a coincidence that the recent attack in N.Y. was directed at the WORLD financial center (not the U.S.). Now the building is in the united states, and the Pentigon was also hit. Note that the U.S. military is really, and mostly; an enforcement agency for the World financial community. So the attack was against the world financial community, and it's policing agency.

Is it not interesting that 24 hours after the attack that the FBI already knows the names of all the pilots and where they learned to fly? Possibly they had a little prior knowledge of this...

It is not politically correct to want to hurt someone (depending on your definition of the word "IS") BUT: suppose that one person on each flight crew had $3 worth of pepper spray? Possibly thousands of lives could have been spared. What if: one person on the flight crew had a 36 inch ball bat, to use against a 4 inch box cutter? Thousands would be alive today.

The enemy that you mention Randle, is easy to locate. It is us, and this thing is not about freedom, or comfort or political correctness. It is ALL ABOUT MONEY (thiers) and financial slavery. All consumers are financial slaves. Most of us do not have what it takes to stop it, heck most of us can not even identify it.

-- Ed Copp (OH) (edcopp@yahoo.com), September 13, 2001.

Dear Bob in Wisconsin,

Normally this stuff just slides with me, but some things require a response.

I'm usually extremely careful when offering an opinion and/or response to a situation, or in answering a question. When I DO take that step, the answer / opinion / response is based on first hand knowledge, experience, or relatively in-depth study. You all have much better uses for Your time than being subjected to my pounding for some personal prejudice. It would be counter-productive and fairly childish on my part, frankly.

I neither insinuated nor blamed 'Big Business' for the ills of the world. Your information is incorrect when applied as You have regarding gas pricing. And that IS based on first-hand KNOWLEDGE. I resent the characterization You made.

Further, most of us living the homesteading philosophy should be keenly attuned to the inter-relationship of all things. It's called 'seeing the big picture', even while we're dealing with the most minute in Life! Using the perception of possible gas shortages to grossly inflate prices would segue nicely to exerting severe pressure on this Congress to open preserved wilderness areas to Big Oil. My post was just a way of Knighting thier Rook.

Peace,

Randle

-- Randle Gay (RANGAY@HOTMAIL.COM), September 14, 2001.