day 4

Best plan I've seen so far:

How To Defeat Bin Laden

Fencing class did go on last night. It was nice to see people that I hadn't seen all summer because I could ask them about what the did over the past 3 months, not just the past 3 days, though it did come back around to that.

Fencing was also very cathartic - getting out there with the blade and jumping around. My practices with N. over the summer seem to have helped some.

WTF??????

my commentary in italics below

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release

September 13, 2001

NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER AND REMEMBRANCE FOR THE VICTIMS

OF THE TERRORIST ATTACKS ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2001

- - - - - - -

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

On Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001, terrorists attacked America in a
series of despicable acts of war. They hijacked four passenger jets,
crashed two of them into the World Trade Center's twin towers, a third into
the Headquarters of the U.S. Department of Defense at the Pentagon, causing
great loss of life and tremendous damage. The fourth plane crashed in the
Pennsylvania countryside, killing all on board but falling well short of its
intended target apparently because of the heroic efforts of passengers on
board. This carnage, which caused the collapse of both Trade Center towers
and the destruction of part of the Pentagon, killed more than 250 airplane
passengers and thousands more on the ground.

Civilized people around the world denounce the evildoers who devised and
executed these terrible attacks. Justice demands that those who helped or
harbored the terrorists be punished -- and punished severely. The enormity
of their evil demands it. We will use all the resources of the United
States and our cooperating friends and allies to pursue those responsible
for this evil, until justice is done. (no arguments so far)

We mourn with those who have suffered great and disastrous loss. All our
hearts have been seared by the sudden and sense-less taking of innocent
lives. We pray for healing and for the strength to serve and encourage one
another in hope and faith.

Scripture says: "Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted." (now is NOT the time to be quoting scripture.)
I call on every American family and the family of America to observe a
National Day of Prayer and Remembrance, honoring the memory of the thousands
of victims of these brutal attacks and comforting those who lost loved ones. (national day of remembrance and mourning, ok. But it is tasteless at best to ask for a national day of "prayer".)
We will persevere through this national tragedy and personal loss. In time,
we will find healing and recovery; and, in the face of all this evil, we
remain strong and united, "one Nation under God." (What nation under "god"? I'm not under god. I guess I'm not part of the nation then....)

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim Friday, September 14, 2001, as
a National Day of Prayer and Remembrance for the Victims of the Terrorist
Attacks on September 11, 2001. (Wrong, Mr. Bush. You have no authority to proclaim a national day of prayer. Of remembrance, yes, but not prayer). I ask that the people of the United States
and places of worship mark this National Day of Prayer and Remembrance with
noontime memorial services, the ringing of bells at that hour, and evening
candlelight remembrance vigils. I encourage employers to permit their
workers time off during the lunch hour to attend the noontime services to
pray for our land. (Great! Give them the time off to do what they need to do, I'm all for that. But don't set up makeshift chapels in gov't buildings, like they're doing here at my office right now!) I invite the people of the world who share our grief to
join us in these solemn observances.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirteenth day of
September, in the year of our Lord two thousand one, and of the Independence
of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-sixth. (that's "year of the Common Era", moron)

GEORGE W. BUSH

-----------------

Before you get all up in my face about this, I have a right to be upset. All this discussion of god and how we should go to church - to me this sends a subtle message that Americans not going to church on this day of "Prayer and Remembrance" are somehow not as patriotic, not as good, as Americans of a religious ilk. Or that people who aren't religious aren't as upset and sick and sad at the terrorist attacks as are good, God-fearing folks. Makes me sick.

Makes me sicker that some rooms in my office building are being offered as places "for a few quiet moments on this national day of remembrance and prayer". Let folks off during lunch to go do what they have to do, ok, but don't offer government facilities for this purpose.

And what makes me sickest is that it appears Bush & Co. are using this tragedy to push the whole "God and Church" thing.

combat fatigue

"Combat fatigue" is all I can come up with to describe my exhaustion with the news. CNN is currently showing the activities of mourning and remembrance around the world. Which it should do, and which I am glad they are showing - its nice to see that the whole world is sympathetic. But there's this little teaser at the bottom of the screen that says an arrest has been made, and that's what I really want to know about - to know that something is being done.

Stopped off at the grocery after work. There were people clamoring for the "special issues" of magazines like Time with the photos of the WTC towers on fire. That same image, everywhere. It is profound and disturbing.

The constant regurgitation makes things even more distressing and surreal than they already are. I just can't take it anymore. If I see anything, I want to see new developments, not rehashes.