Return-Path: <nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id g8BKhOX24461; Wed, 11 Sep 2002 16:43:24 -0400 (EDT) Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2002 16:43:24 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <006c01c259ec$6b99f140$e0255544@ewndsr01.nj.comcast.net> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: Ujwala Samant <usamant@comcast.net> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-POVRACELIT:896] Re: 9/11 Message from Neil Calman X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.00.2615.200 Status: O Content-Length: 3674 Lines: 71 Dear Gail, I try and keep my political opinions to myself since September 11th for obvious reasons. But your article, especially the following paragraphs made me sit up and wonder when nations will really learn the true meaning of compassion, from what has happened to them. All we hear is the rhetoric of revenge, of "How dare they do this to us!" rather than wondering what it means to be born in nations where people live in civil war their entire lives and forcing the government to take a different tack, or actually wondering what past policies have done to the reputation of a nation once so admired for it's caring. When will reflection and accountability be demanded of the elected (or selected as the case may be) officials? >>But the underlying story is not about buildings and planes, nor even about the 2801 people who died as a result of the tragedy of 9-11, but a story about bigotry and the hatred that people around the world breed into their children, and pass from generation to generation. I pray that today, in our remembrances of this tragic day, that we will dedicate ourselves to examining our own prejudices and renew our commitment to teaching our children and friends that in the entire history of the planet, nothing good has ever come from a war over religious, economic or racial biases which divide us.<< The Chileans remember this date as the date of the coup when Allende was assassinated. Does anyone remember the 2nd of December when the Bhopal industrial accident happened and that the CEO of this company remains golfing in sunny Florida? Does anybody remember the bloody birth of Bangladesh? Robert Fisk's article in today's Independent cites a number of dates in September where bloodbaths have happened. And we have all forgotten or never even known of them. I am so weary of dates being remembered and memorials being built, with no action being taken to show a real sense of change or compassion, or a genuine expression of concern that the world needs to be different for our children and grandchildren. We see this insidious hatred everywhere we look: India, America, France, Pakistan, Israel, Palestine, Afghanistan, East Timor, Iraq, Australia..... to remember and not change for peace is not a viable option any more. My son asked me after Sept 11th, if it was bad to be an Arab. I asked him why he wanted to know that. He told me he had been asked if he was Arab, and not in a nice way. He has not yet told me who asked him that, just that he was told it was bad to be one. >>We seem to be on the verge of initiating a new war - one against Iran - not the land and buildings of that country, but the people of that country. As health care providers it is particularly tragic to imagine our country inflicting injury and death on thousands of Iranians while we come to work here, doing school physicals and check-ups on New Yorkers. The message is clear. We value the lives of New Yorkers more than we value the life of an Iranian family we may bomb.<< I assume the gentleman means Iraq, although Iran is also on Washington's laundry list, and once again, with very little evidence. Fergal Keane writes a good article in The Independent on how we need more America in the wars that matter: against AIDS, the energy struggle, against poverty. As far as the lives of New Yorkers being more valuable, we just have to look at the reimbursements made to the Indians who died in Bhopal, to know how that equation works out. Bush was asked by an Indian journalist, after September 11th, whether he felt that an American life was more valuable than an Indian one, and he chose not to answer that. regards Ujwala Samant
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