The outpouring of volunteers in New York has been astonishing. The facilities housing the fireman, policeman, etc have asked people to stop donating food and clothing as they have more than enough. The tales of heroism and of people coming together in time of tragedy will be told for generations.

I was having a discussion with a neighbor tonight, as we stood at the end of my block and looked at the smoke drifting northward over Manhaten, at the hole in the sky that used to be WTC, and she said she wished there was more she could do. Spontaneously this is what I said:

"It is interesting that we are now all getting to know our neighbors, the strangers we routinely pass without a hello, without a smile, as we busily run to our bus in the morning, or to our dinner table at night. What we can all do in light of this terrible event is treat one another with more kindness, to treat one another with respect, to ask one another how they are doing; get to know one another better and offer our help with other things.

There are many social institutions desperate for volunteers. Senior Citizens, the young who need a big brother or big sister, the homeless who need to be taught to read, and so manu other things. If we were to band together and start a whole new movement of volunteerism, then we can all do our small part to make the world a better place.

We may not be able to go over to Manhatten and do anything we do, but a revolution of kindness and generosity can spread across the country, bringing all of us closer together."

I know it was highly idealistic, but it was a spontaneous outpouring of what was on my heart. It is a call I must heed, and I ask all of you to heed the same call.

We proved with Bok's Grok's last year that it only takes a small group of people to have a wide impact. Listen to your soul as this is a wake up call.

Let us never again take each other for granted.

-- FutureShock (gray@matter.think), September 13, 2001

Answers

Would love to think attention to this tragedy would do what you hope. Reality suggests that this will be old news (Gary Condit who?) within a month. The American public will only go so long w/o Oprah.

-- Carlos (riffraff@cybertime.net), September 13, 2001.

Right on FS! I haven't agreed with you in some time, but:

it was a spontaneous outpouring of neutrons and helium from the hell-hot core of a hydrogen bomb. It is a call I must heed, and I ask all of you to heed the same call.

Really touched me. I agree with you, let's nuke every single city in Afghanistan, and let the surrounding countries divide up the land. Let the name "afghanistan" be erased from the book of the world.

That's a Saturn in Pluto's garage kind of thing if there ever was one.

-- shithead (NukeAll@the.rag.heads.now), September 13, 2001.

You Americans are so naive. Just "be nice" and everyone will be nice to you. Sorry, we detest you. Our divine mission is to level your entire country and all your whining, bleating, debauched citizenry.

Oh you will shoot a few cruise missiles. You may even air-attack some of our Liberation camps. You will see satisfying destruction on TV and rejoice smugly congratulate yourselves. We will lay low. You will return to your pornography, your narcotics and your Monday night football.

You will grow bored with vigilence. Again we will infiltrate you. We will bribe your corrupt officials. We will prepare our next assault. We will strike without warning. We will bring you to your whimpering gutless knees.

Our next assault will far exceed the WTC. It will be nuclear, chemical, biological and cybernetic.

You do not understand who we are. This is not a conventional war. We are not after your wealth or property. We are after your corrupt essence. You are a blight on Allah. Your "values" insult the divine face of Allah. You must be destroyed. You will be destroyed. You are weak and you believe in nothing. You cannot withstand our righteous wrath.

-- (cell927@boston.MA), September 13, 2001.

Best said 927. Suspect the destruction of western civilization might turn out to be a pretty tough chaw. Suit yourself and just keep thinking about those 70 virgins in paradise.

-- Carlos (riffraff@cybertime.net), September 13, 2001.

a bunch of truth there 927,too bad you got the wrong GOD. but there is much truth in what you say!!!

most americans will be partying while rome[d.c] burns.the god of america,is pleasure,entertainment'money-perversion. we got a wake up call,just like Israel of old,when they disobeyed GOD,he let there enemies punish them. but remember 927--your time of judgment will also come. unless you turn too JESUS & repent. the evil in HIGH places---will soon be exposed. and satans seat of power is'where the most $$$$$$is.

-- al-d. (dogs@zianet.com), September 13, 2001.

Where is the passion in our leaders? Where is the fist shaking and finger wagging? Where is the leader who will look these people in the eyes and say "We will hunt you down like a dog and punish you for this?"

I have seen nothing but monotone speeches and politically correct statements about capturing and bringing to justice those responsible. Oh really? What about Afghanistan, Libya, Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Syria, Lebanon, known havens for terrorists?

Harry S. Truman would get those responsible and have them executed in the field. Then he would bomb those sons'a bitches that fed and clothed them and harbored them back to the Stone Age. Then he would tell the world that under no terms would we tolerate terrorism on our soil or on the soil of our allies.

Arresting those responsible will not stop this. Weak leaders won't either.

As you were

-- George S Patton (JustKickin@ss.org), September 13, 2001.

You think that you will ever get the chance to do this to us again? Enjoy the rest of your short fuckin life you godless prick. You just don't understand American resolve and our ABILITY to destroy. Mark my words. We are a peaceful nation but you came here and killed innocent people and the anger of America has been aroused. Woe unto anyone who gets in our way on our way to stamp you and your kind from existance! Fuckin terrorists!

-- Tony Baloney (Fuck the@terrorists.com), September 13, 2001.

You are dead wrong, 927.

Your mission is not "divine" as you stated. The road of all religions ultimately lead to love. Only fanaticism leads to hate. Your self- hatred is caving in on you.

Regarding porn: Baywatch is the most popular show in your country. It is human nature (all humans) to appreciate the beautiful form of the opposite sex. There's nothing wrong with that. YOU seem to have a love-hate relationship with your feelings. You love sex one minute and you hate it the next. Would you let us know when you make up your mind so we don't offend you anymore? Now, let me tell you what I find offensive about you. You can't be happy with one normal woman. You dream of 70 virgins! What is more offensive, is that you so you want to remove the clits of your women. YOU are the evil rot on this earth: not us. Please..take a moment and look in the mirror. Our lives depend on this.

Regarding narcotics: 927 I went to college with you. Kouroush, did you think I'd forget you smoke dope? Look in the mirror: our lives depend on it.

Regarding Monday night football: We value power, brute-force, the ability to break our bones, swallow our own blood and still get up and fight.

You'd better think about what you're doing: our lives depend on it.

-- Betsy Ross (A Proud@ .American), September 13, 2001.

Before we get into anymore thread drift:

Here is a volunteer site- www.volunteermtach.org

-- FutureShock (gray@matter.think), September 13, 2001.

FutureShock, I'm not sure they can hear you.

-- helen (fanatacism@is.universal), September 13, 2001.

Isn't it great to be home FutureShock? LOL

-- Debra (Thisis@it.com), September 13, 2001.

For those of you who live within range of an Albertson's grocery, the ones in our area are matching dollar for dollar every donation dropped into a can at the checkout counter for the Red Cross Relief Fund. In addition [at least here in Texas] refrigerated trucks are being filled with items for the rescue workers in NY. Albertson also has boxes that one may use to toss in food, water, gloves, bandaids, or anything else that the volunteer rescue workers said they lacked. These will be loaded onto the convoy [10 huge trucks at minimum] that will leave Texas in the next few days.

-- Anita (Anita_S3@hotmail.com), September 14, 2001.

Today, local news reports with interviews of rescue workers carry the same message: they have more than enough cold food, water, dog food (for K9 units). The problem is where to warehouse all the donations. The generosity of our people has been tremendous. No, that's not nearly adequate to describe it. Magnificent. Beyond words.

The workers need welder's-style gloves (leather, cover up to mid- forearm), simple tools such as sledge hammers, shovels and the like, men's clothes, hot food and hot beverages.

Crowds of onlookers continue to cheer on the rescue workers. It's awe- inspiring. Workers coming off shift in Jersey City, offloading from ferries, receive ovations & hugs. Amazing.

-- Rich (living_in_interesting_times@hotmail.com), September 14, 2001.

Debra:

The comfort of one, big, totally dysfunctional family was too meuch temptation to stay away forever.

-- FutureShock (gray@matter.think), September 17, 2001.