Hi everyone:

I would like to share with you what our Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien has said about terrorism.

His comments were published by the CBC yesterday (9/11/02). The interview took place in July, but the CBC decided to air the comments (inapropriately, I feel) on the anniversary of the US terror attacks. Jean Chrétien has taken much criticism over the past 2 days because of these words (mainly because people believe he made this announcement on 9/11 which he did not).

Exerpt from the Toronto Star 9/12/02:
<<The trouble began when Chrétien told CBC, in an interview taped in July for use on Sept 11, that one of the lessons of the terrorist attacks was that western countries - including the U.S. - should take care not to misuse their power and wealth.

"You cannot exercise your powers to the point of humiliation for the others," Chrétien said in the interview.

"And that is what the western world - not only the Americans, the western world - has to realize. Because they are human beings, too."

"There are long-term consequences if you don't look hard at the reality in 10 or 20 or 30 years from now. And I do think that the western world is getting too rich in relation to the poor world," Chrétien said.

"And necessarily, we're looked upon as being arrogant, self-satisfied, greedy and with no limits. And the 11th of September is an occasion for me to realize it even more." >>

for the full article visit www.thestar.com and see the first article

I have not heard a leader of a country say this yet. I personally believe that we need to spend less time killing eachother and more time fixing the underlying issues such as foreign policy. Perhaps this will prevent even more bloodshed. To me, the life of an American or Canadian is no less valuable than the life of a Saudi Arabian or Palestinian. We're all humans on one earth that we SHARE.

I certainly hope this post does not offend anyone. That's not my intent!!!!!
What are your thoughts, guys??

Hear hear for Msr. Chretien. He speaks honestly and I resent he will not run again. I hope we won't have Stockwell Day in Ottawa in a couple of years. You know, Kelly, I have read alot of hate online, heard alot of hate in conversations, etc in response to what we should do, how we should feel.
Hate is not the answer. Hate got us Sept. 11 and killed 3,000 people including 3 dear freinds of mine. You, like Msr. Chretien, speak plainly and honestly and I value it.

[Nancy]

<< killed 3,000 people including 3 dear freinds of mine >>

Oh, I'm sorry, Frederic. Can you tell us about your friends?

The first loss I found out the awful week following the attack was Jackie's. Six years ago I had lost my job, and walked into the eatery she owned and ordered my usual cappacino and related the story to her. Just like that, she gave me a job. Later, when we got much closer, she told me it was because of my clean cut looks that I got the job Typical of a nice, sweet, decent person that she was. I never met a more lively, fun honest person. Unfortunately, I lost contact with her the last year of her life. I miss her badly and regret the lost year.
The next loss was connecteed to Jackie too.
Joseph Zaccoli used to come in early to catch the train to work at Cantor Fitzgerald and while he noshed, chatted with me about baseball or football. He died amoung the 700 emplyees of CF. He did not seem ever to project an arrogant or grouchy attitude, as was common with many of our stockbroker costumers. My goodness, its getting harder to type this.
Finally, the person I knew the least and hence, found out about last, Janice Marie. We had mutual freinds, and I found out about her passing from one of them. Lets just say, she could outdo alot of my freinds in some sports activities. I was embarassed by her a few times
Well, thats the short list. Martyrs for freedom, I call them. Did you lose anyone close, Nancy?
If so, my feelings go out to you.

[Nancy]

<< Unfortunately, I lost contact with her the last year of her life. I miss her
badly and regret the lost year. >>

We all have that kind of regret in one way or another. I feel sad about
your friends and I do understand your pain. Thank you for sharing with
us.

To answer your question, no, I suffered no personal losses, except for
the lonely emptiness in my heart for all who perished in that horror. What
a frightening way to go. I still can't really believe it in my heart of hearts.

We did have some very anxious hours waiting to hear from my daughter
A.J. because she sometimes takes the train from Hoboken to the World Trade
Center. It was very scary for all of us until she was able to make contact on
her cell phone. She had gone to Port Authority and not WTC that morning, thank
God.

The pain the families of the victims must have is beyond comprehension. How do
they cope with the images. I just don't know.

[voice1]

175 of my colleagues perished in the WTC. I worked with 19 of them very regularly and was a frequent (5 times a month) visitor to our offices there. I still have my WTC ID and will keep it in a place of honor.

As recently as last Friday, we buried what little remains we had for one of our guys.

"The pain, doesn't go away".

Oh my lord. Voice 1, what can I offer but my respects. That, is truly devastating.

Nancy, what a relief this must have been. A blessing she was alright. I worried for my freind Officer Christopher Abramowski of the N.Y.P.D. He was stationed as Mayor's detail located at City Hall, and would have been one of the first to respond to the emergency. Luckily for him, he was ordered to stand guard at City Hall. He has now joined the P.A. Police and is protecting our airports. Laguardia now, at the moment.

[Gerald]

It was a day like any other day. The weather was beautiful. People were going to work, kissing their loved ones and anxious to arrive home at night to be in the warmth of their house with their families. Nobody would ever imagine what would happen that day. People of many countries worked in the World Trade Center, including many Brazilians. There was no advice. The horror caught everybody from a moment to another. On that day I was in Porto Alegre, south of Brazil, visiting a friend that was ill. My friend could be in New York and on the September 11, 2001, and I could be betweeen the victims of the monstrous and coward attack to the World Trade Center. Anyone of us could be a victim. We must think about this. We will forever cry for the victims and the heroes from the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and the fourth plane, which the very courageous passengers avoided another tragedy by giving their lifes. In so many houses the dinner was ready, children was waiting to play at night with their parents, wifes were waiting for their husbands, husbands were waiting for their wifes who never came back again. So many words of love were unspoken forever. Dear Friend Nancy, we are all relived that the guardian angel from your daughter A. J. was with her that day. Dear Friends Frederic and Voice 1 we all lament heartfully the lost of your friends. We, people from the Whole World, must stand always together that terrible things like that never happen again. We, people from the whole world, cry for all the Families and Loved ones who will never see their loved ones again.

Gerald ~ I'm not sure what you consider to be your primary language, but I would call it "compassion". If only I could be so fluent.

[voice1]

Having it hit home like it did was gutwrenching.

The most afraid I've ever been in my life is when I got home that day, 2 F16's flew over my house to stand guard over a nuclear power plant 30 miles away. They shook the raftors of our home. That's when it hit me that the world, our world, had changed forever.

It was days later that the loss of my colleagues really started to sink in.

We stay in touch with the families who are slowly and painfully moving on with their lives. My company has been extremely generous financially to the survivors. I am proud of my company and my country.


Rick

Voice 1: How very sad for you..... I can't imagine losing that many collegues....I can't imagine losing ...well, it doesn't bear thinking about does it. Pure devastation. So very sad.

Frederic: Thanks for sharing....eventhough it was difficult for you. Keep hold of the wonderful memories you have with these friends of yours. It is my belief that they are still with you.

Yes it's so easy to say let's look at the root cause and deal with a cool head but one wants to say --let's fight fire with fire-- we've all wanted to say this from time to time. This is all so scary and sad. Makes my heart ache to think of the parentless children and the widows.... so young. It is so painful.

My to you all who have been affected...sincerely.

Rick and Frederick,

I'm sorry for your losses.

Regarding Chretien: he's really wet.

Eugene

It's tough...I totally see your point as well.

I think what Chretien is trying to say is let's not act hastily with more violence...It makes more sense to solve the underlying problem. This tends to be more along the lines of my philosophy, but then I did not suffer any losses. And while I am deeply affected by the tragedies which occured across the United States and I weep for the victims, I am not an American and I am not mourning anyone I know personally so my grief is different. Eventhough my views are different from yours, I just want to say that I respect what you must feel and what you have to say on the subject.

...but still....love is stronger than hate! How close to perfect the world would be if we could all remember that 100% of the time

<<...but still....love is stronger than hate! How close to perfect the world would be if we could all remember that 100% of the time >>

Absolutely true and wonderful of you to say, Kelly.

I nominate Kelly as the envoy to the Middle East to get those Isreali and Palestinian numbskulls to make peace And take Gerald along as well!

When you're at war, love is not stronger than hate. If we show love to Osama and his ilk, you can bet we'll be wearing bed sheets and speaking arabic. Kelly, you are sweet, but I will never understand your way of thinking when it comes to these things.

Eugene

I'm an Arab.
Kelly and I were referring to overall spreading love between races.
So. I am of Bin Laden's ilk?
I wear no sheets but Italian suits and silk pajamas.
No sheets here.

I don't know if you genuinely misunderstood me or if you're trying to pick another fight. I suspect it's the latter. If you look at my last post, I never said you were of Bin Laden's ilk. In fact, your name didn't come up at all. The only time I addressed you on this thread was when I expressed my sympathy for your losses on 9-11. It's funny how you chose not to respond to that, preferring, instead, to incite another argument. Oh well. You try to be a gentleman and this is what you get.

Eugene

<<you can bet we'll be wearing bed sheets and speaking arabic. >>
I find this part offensive. Like speaking arabic or wearing the Dishdasha, the arab robe, is something horrid, something part of an evil scheme by Bin Laden.

You are deliberately misinterpreting the tenor of my post. Speaking arabic and wearing the Dishdasha (I didn't know the correct term) is not "horrid," unless the terrorists take over America and force them on us. That is what I was trying to convey. I didn't even know you were Arabic.

Eugene