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Okay, so I was trying to avoid this topic..I really was!
But after reading the newspapers, watching the news on TV, and hearing people spout their opinions like there's no tomorrow I finally had enough.
So here are my general thoughts of September 11th, 2001 and what has happened since.
Of course, the attacks which took place on 9/11 were a terrible tragedy not just to the United States, but to civilization as a whole.
The thing that is really tragic is that these attacks were preventable.
Better intelligence, better airline security, taking out Bin Laden and his terrorist network years ago when they first declared a war against the USA...any of those things could have prevented what happened.
Unfortunately hindsight is always 20/20 and there's nothing to be done about that now.
What we can do something about, however, is preserving our way of life.
I think NYC and this country as a whole did an excellent job of coping with the attacks immediately following the aftermath of 9/11...and then things started falling downward.
The government of this nation is slowly but surely erasing any right we ever had to privacy, and we're letting them.
Do I want the intelligence organizations to be able to do a better job in catching terrorists before they strike?
Of course I do.
Does that mean, however, that I'm content to let them search whatever they like, eavesdrop on whatever phone calls or e-mails or chat logs they like?
Hell no!
There must be probable cause, and to prove that there must be a court to issue a warrant for such methods of intelligence gathering.
Tom Ridge doesn't seem to agree with me on this, but I'm right and the constitution says so.
Now we've got troops in Afghanistan and who knows where else, and I can't argue with that decision.
I agree that Bin Laden and the Al Quaida must be stopped permanantly.
I do not, however, think that President George W. Bush is a genious for doing so.
I think that every decision the president has made thus far has been a complete no brainer, and so you'll have to excuse me if I wait to proclaim him King George.
The mayor of NYC did a good job of helping the city recoup, I thought.
But what was with those of you wanting to change the term-limit laws to let him run again?
If Rudy wants to stay in politics he can run for Governor or Senator or President..for anything but mayor.
That's why we have term-laws, people, and it's a good thing.
What next, if we don't kill off Bin Laden by the time Bush finishes 8 years should we let him run again?
Once again we come back to King George...gimme a break!
And now we have a lot of families of victims of the WTC attacks holding out their hands.
How many of you have given donations to the American Red Cross to help those families?
I know I have.
Apparently that was for nothing, have you seen how much money the Govt's preparing to give the families?
Our tax dollars are going to make every one of them millionaires!
Look, I'm very truly sorry if you lost a loved one in the attacks of Sept 11th.
Now let me ask you, didn't he or she have life insurance?
Did you not manage to save any of the money he or she made?
And we all know how much people working at the WTC made...
It would be a tragedy to my brother and I if our mother died tomorrow.
It would be sudden and unexpected, and the Govt wouldn't give me shit.
As a matter of fact, they would TAKE money out of our inheritance in taxes!
That's the way it is.
There are only two absolutes in life, death and taxes right?
I believe the Govt should help the families of the victims.
But I believe that help should be limited to a year or two, just long enough to get a job and get back on their feet.
Anything more than that is simply unreasonable.
I quote one wife of a victim as saying "the Government has to take care of us, none of us should ever have to worry about money again."
I'm sorry, but that's fucking greed... pure and simple.
If you're offended by my point of view on these subjects then I suggest you get over it.
Until I feel like ranting again, that's all folks.

Jon