the good, the bad, the ugly and the weird

by wasasister 67 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  VeniceIT

  I think this thread reflects what Wassa was trying to say. I'm not taking sides I'm just surprised at how petty everyone was in this thread.

  It shows that we're all still very edgy and trying to deal in our own way. I also don't like the idea of pulling quotes our of context, because that's not fair. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but why be soo nitpicky. I felt kinda like I walked on the playgroud at recess, I know we're all upset. I still would like to see everyone try to get along and not be so touchy! Lifes hard enough, I've been sad at all the fighting going on over the past month, some have even left. I've been rather out of touch (till I took over Princesses comp), and don't really know what happend. But I can still feel a lot of anger and disunity. I'm very sad for that.

  It's at times like this we should try to stick together, not bicker. I hope you dont flame me for this, I'm not trying to scold or counsel just sharing what I feel. I'm angry too, I got a bit out of line in the JW room on Yahoo the otherday oooppps (but they were complete morons and deserved it I SWEAR!!! haha )

  Luv ya all,

  Ven
  nap time

  "WE will make NO distinction between those who commit the act of Pedophilia and those who harbor them!!!"
• 

  Englishman

  Mr Moe,

  I thought that you had left this forum. Last week I read a goodbye post from you, now here you are again.

  Are you an UmpetyJump?

  Englishman.

  ..... fanaticism masquerading beneath a cloak of reasoned logic.
• 

  DannyBear

  COMF,

  Once you finally expressed your feelings about the subject, your comments heretofore made sense. Thanks for giving us your take. Iam now convinced more than ever, one liner snipits are the cause of so much of the misunderstandings generated on this board.

  How anyone could take exception to your overall premise, is pretty hard for me to imagine.

  I feel the pain of those innocent brown skins you describe. In fact we all remember, I will assert, that sickeing feeling we had when asked to sit during the 'national anthem' while thousands stood. I remember that sickening feeling of be targeted, when not saluting the flag in school, having the principal walk down the aisle in an assembly in high school, pull me out in front of hundreds of my peers, because I would not stand or salute. Most of us understand, probably better than your average non-jw.

  All of that said and done, it does not change the situation as regards this enemy, we now face.

  How do you with precision, as some are now calling for, respond to this threat. We (USA) don't have alot of options this time. There are no landmarks, significant military installations, buildings or targets of inanimate nature. It is a philosophy, a religion that has fostered and sheltered this enemy. How do you, without the atrocities of collateral damage,fight them? Be nice to have a surgical laser that could identify the 'bad guys', we tried that against Sadam, it didn't work. So just what do we do, nothing? Let this cancer keep growing? Or now with all our might, go after these fanatics, yes even where they live. If the brown skinned Americans are harboring or supporting even a fond thought, toward these 'animals' who drive airplanes full of innocents into oblivion, they should know and expect to be questioned and investigated. Just like we would if the tables were turned.

  Anyway it is one thing to say your ready to kill, when it is personal, another thing to give support to those who will soon be called upon to make, the very decisions you find hard to make. Thats the my whole point COMF. The military/government personnel now face a great challenge. I for one will try and give them all the support I can. I never had a chance to do the right thing in years past, now is the time to give them a cheer.

  I hope as you do, that innocents anywhere in the world are preserved, but my reality sense says that probably wont be the case. Many will suffer, but in the end, if the cancer of this type of insanity is removed, what a better place this world will be.

  Danny
• 

  Princess

  larc, you misunderstood my post. Sorry you took offense.

  I have lost two close family members in the last three weeks. I am still in shock over my own family members let alone the thousands who were killed on Tuesday. Your petty fights are absolutely ridiculous and really surprised me. It seems like this should be a place of comfort, but it is just a place to bicker. The millions of never-been-dubs are more united in this country today than the people of this board, with the exception of those who are not from the US. We do feel your love and support here, and I am most grateful.

  Princess

  edited so as not to cause even more offense, as if..
• 

  waiting

  Well, howdy y'all!

  Lord, can't we get into it fast! But then, I would think right now, anyplace in the usa - people can get into it fast. We've been hurt, we're angry, and full of sorrow. And that's just the people who haven't lost loved one, jobs, homes. I would imagine they're devastated, filled with the same anger and sorrow - only twenty fold.

  Hmmmmmm made some good points that I agree with. I personally identify with this one:

  (Oh gawwwd, why am I doing this to myself?)

  Perhaps everyone's still edgy? I would assume most of us have spoken with survivors of one thing or another during their angry stage. It is a valid stage of grieving, and can be visited more than once. I know, we travel well together.

  But to make fun of another's anger, to belittle it, to quote scripture at it, accomplishes little - except to make the person angrier. Accept it, try to turn it with softness if possible, let it vent, and the anger usually steams over. Better the anger vent here than at our actual neighbor because of his garb.

  Take care y'all.

  waiting

  Hey Danny

  "Kill or be killed" was used by some of the soldiers who fought in VietNam - at least in the midwest usa. I remember them saying it - usually with a tired shrug of their shoulders. It's an old saying, almost universal during wartime.

  I'm glad you and Comf came to a mutual understanding.
• 

  DannyBear

  Princess,

  Do I need to point out that Larc was not involved in what you described as 'petty fights'. I was surprised at your comments, in view of the subject nature of what we were discussing.

  I've seen truly petty fights on this board, I have never seen you object to any of those. I feel for you and your family right now, but your comments regarding the dicussion between Wasa, Comf, Ginny, and I, were not in any way calming. If you did not agree with what was being said, I would like to have heard your comments.

  Heated but by no means 'petty' in my opinion.

  Danny
• 

  Hmmm

  (Why, why, why am I doing this?)

  COMF said:

  Yes. I don't want people... our people here, especially, who should know better... to become part of what's going on outside. You know what's going on outside, Danny? Brown-skinned Americans who wear head coverings, veils and little ornaments between their eyes, are huddling together in fear. Fear of being beaten, being mobbed, being killed for their looks and their speech.

  
  I think you're exaggerating a bit here. I've seen tons of national news coverage; yesterday seemed especially to focus on this subject of Arab-Americans and their situation. Arab-American leaders have been quick to decry this act of terrorism, and have tried to let the US know that they--and Islam itself--condemns these actions. Did they do this because they were genuinely outraged? Of course. Did they do it because they were afraid of unreasoning revenge? Most definitely. But "nervous" is the word that I've heard most often. I work with a few Arab-Americans, and they do have some worry that they'll be targetted for harrassment, but they don't quake with terror, don't "huddle together in fear" of mobs and death.

  There have been a few shops vandalized, windows broken nationally, and that was wrong. I like to think that if I were there at the time, I would have stood up and tried to reason with the people who did these things. But I'm actually kind of proud of the fact that the backlash has been very minor--much less than I would have though it would be. Then again, maybe we're not seeing the same news reports.

  But so far I've heard of no actual violence against Arab-Americans. Locally, we have a very large Arab community. The worst that's been done so far has been a car full of teens driving around an arab neighborhood waving an American flag. A newscaster asked them about their motives and made them look pretty stupid. They interviewed an arab woman who still takes her little girls to soccer practice. She's a bit nervous, but so far it's not bad enough to alter her life. I hope it never does get bad enough.

  And with good reason. There is no honorable purpose driving the cry for blood that is rising from this land. It's adrenalin-fueled, and the adrenalin is surging because of fear.

  
  I think there's good reason for nervousness and caution, but not terror. I think 99% of Americans are calling for level-headedness, and 99% of the ones crying for blood are blowhards just letting off steam. Does that leave a small percentage of people capable of some senseless act of violence against others because of their skin color? Yes, but the US also has pretty strict hate crime laws. An attack that would be treated as a minor scuffle otherwise, becomes a federal offense if racially motivated, here. Adrenalin is powerful, but rather short-lived.

  For myself: I know what NOT to do--attack innocent people; nuke entire countries. Behave with just as selfish a motive and as calloused an indifference to innocent parties as my enemies have.

  
  Amen

  I don't have to kill my neighbor.

  
  Realistically how many people on this board or elsewhere have called for the indiscriminate killing of any arab we see, in this country or any other? The most extreme thoughts I've seen (I admit I really haven't been reading this board much lately) have been a willingness to accept "collateral damage"--accepting the deaths of innocents in other countries if it's necessary to "take out" those responsible for the attacks. Even those, I think, were spoken emotionally, out of anger, and not serious. It's easy to call for nukes when you're not the one pushing the button.

  I think our biggest problem is that we (myself included) often feel that we must break everything down into black and white terms. That's what causes such schisms on this db: Atheist vs theist; black vs white; cussers vs tender-ears. What's next, boxers vs briefs?

  Hmmm
  (boxers)
• 

  VeniceIT

  boxers vs briefs?

  That would be none of your business!!!

  Ven

  "WE will make NO distinction between those who commit the act of Pedophilia and those who harbor them!!!"
• 

  DannyBear

  Hmmmm,

  The more I read your stuff, the more I respect your openness. May I suggest that you have established yourself here on jw.com, there really is no reason (anymore) for anyone to preempt their thoughts and feelings with the caviat: (why? why? am I doing this?)

  I have seen this board take a turn for the better, as respects allowing you and I, to speak our minds, without some self ordained monitor telling us we are stupid or asinine for doing so.

  I for one, want to hear what you Hmmmm has to say. Please do not hold back, the more the merrier!

  Danny
• 

  wasasister

  Danny: thank you for expressing your thoughts.

  I've had a good night's sleep and would like to offer a final comment to all of you who responded to my post.

  I sincerely hope Danny was not referring to me as a "self-ordained monitor" of people expressing their views. I certainly implied no such thing, nor did I EVER at any point offer blanket "hugs" to those who want peace. (where did that idea come from?)

  In truth, I respect both positions. What I was ashamed of was the blatant hatred and anger expressed towards each other. The examples I used (admittedly out of context) were those I thought representative of the varying reactions of people. I saw some extremes which frightened me. "Glass Parking Lot", "Execution" are terms that should cause us all to take a deep breath and think about what is behind such words. Yelling "Shut Up!, Shut Your Mouth!" to people we disagree with isn't helpful either, and I think you'll notice I did nothing of the sort.

  Moe keeps saying she has a right to her opinion. Well, guys, so do I. I don't happen to agree with those who are in a rush to go to war, but I certainly understand that sentiment better than those whose violent nature cannot even wait for state-sanctioned action. Today, in my city, a cab driver wearing a turban was choked.

  For the record, I am not a pacifist. If my way of life is being threatened, I'm willing to fight for it. If innocent lives of people other than Americans are being threatened, I'm for getting involved there, too.

  I stand by my original idea that shouting hateful words is ugly. But then, beauty is always in the eye of the beholder.