>
>In Australia for the last few days events in the
United States have
>dominated our media - not a president caught with
his pants down or the
>great mud slinging performance of an American style
election campaign -
>but a human tragedy of massive proportions. Many
thousands lost their
>lives, and for the multitude who lost a family
member or friend, life will
>be changed forever. What do we do? Airline security
around the world will
>be examined in minute detail; already many people
cry out for blood, for a
>vengeance of unsurpassed savagery, to strike out
against a race, a country
>or a religion.
>What of those who did this, they were not soulless
demons, but human. They
>had families, even children - people they loved,
and who loved them. We
>cannot comprehend what would drive someone to such
acts, or can we? Anger
>and hate, vengeance; the heritage not of one
country or religion but of
>humanity; the blame cannot be escaped: we did this.
Those who cry out for
>vengeance are the spiritual brothers the
terrorists. What then do we do to
>avenge the fallen? Self defence can sometimes be
necessary, vengeance,
>never. Fight the cause; a moment of silent
contemplation - not once on
>some arbitrary date, but instead of a word or
action made in anger. Let us
>build a lasting memorial for the fallen in the
blossoming of peace and not
>the fires of war.
>
>Clive Brettingham-Moore
>Tasmania, Australia