MR... First of all, allow me to state that I understand that you are very emotional about this subject, and I don't fault you for that.And I appreciate all the time you went to with quotes in order to try and explain your position re: both "dragging" me into this, and your feelings about the situation in general. However, just because I can empathize with your feelings doesn't mean I will agree with your conclusions. Allow me to explain... 1) With regards to your quotes and recap, I completely understand why you felt it necessary, for the purposes of your argument and your feelings, to identify what you saw as examples of implications that the US had it coming. My objection is, and I can only speak for myself here, although others seem to be of an equal mind, that you misinterpreted my statements. I DO agree that i implied, hell I'll state for the record that there is resentment about the US, but that wasn't your original accusation. You first stated that I was among those who SAID that the US "had it coming", and then you revised your statement to state that I was an example of those " implying" the US had it coming. I did neither, and while I feel for your anger, I won't allow another person to put words in my mouth without challenging him, especially on an issue about which I , too, feel strongly. 2) About my " history lesson", two points...First, just as you recaped this post and expressed your feelings/opinions as a way of supporting your position, I was recaping historical facts and expressing my feelings/opinions to support my position. Who are you to determine that you are allowed your feelings and the ability to express them, whereas I am not? Have I asked you not to state your position or defend it because it upsets me? Or to sarcastically dismiss my feelings and arguments as Proffessor Jag's history lesson? Second, I feel that history is a great teacher, and right now we need all the help we can get if we're going to resolve this the right way...Please read my post ( about the middle-end of page 3, I think, wherein I tried to summarize your position and respond to it. I really feel strongly about what i said, but your most recent post suggests that you haven't read what i said...Not that I'm saying reading it will alter your position, just the way you phrased a couple of things made me think that you didn't know my position clearly, and i think I explained it pretty well there. About your life alteration, I am affected by the 11th too, and therefore I respect the impact it had on you.I only wish we shared more common ground than this point ( and, one assumes, the Rockets...how quickly our priorities change). To answer your question, I am a graduate student in History and Classics( most specifically w regards to military history and some international relations), but I have worked in the real world for many years before I went back to school, and in fact, have worked several places throughout the world beyond the U.S. and Canada, where I am now at the University of Toronto. I have spent most of my life in North America, but my exposure to other countries has helped shape my view, as have my studies.I will take a little issue with your assumption that I haven't been out in the real world, and I would not have assumed that you were brainwashed just because of your employer and our divergent views.
Jag, I appreciate your thought-out post. I'll admit that I don't do a good job sometimes in thinking things out myself. Last night, my emotions escalated. It is a scary feeling to feel that way. I know that I can have a temper sometimes, but last night was really scary to me when I look back. Please read my thread, "All BBS Members Please Read". I will try everything I can in the future to do a better job of arguing a point with you. If I step over the line then I'll will tell you that I messed up. Peace
MR-- Much appreciated and understood. While suggesting that we'll get past this seems a little trite at this point, I do hope that people of different views will strive to find common ground and understanding with as much progress and respect as do those in this site. I DO hope that we will all get past this crisis without having to fall into opposing camps. If we allow a terrorist effort to divide us so far that we can't even listen to other people's viewpoints, we might as well admit defeat.Your effort at conciliation and understanding, especially given the highly emotional nature of this subject, does you great credit. While I don't necessarily agree with your views, I respect your right to them,and even more I respect your willingness to reveal so much about something obviously very personal to you. Good luck, and I wish you peace as well.
Jag, Thanks for the kind words. I will say this although I don't really agree with some of your views, you do take great, painstaking, efforts to get your message across. For that I respect you because I know that I'm communicating with someone, if you pardon the expression, who has their s*** together. I still feel that I'm right, though.
