Mike-- I think that Zonder has trivialized 9/11. I cannot think of any comparable catastrophic attack on innocents. It was of major magnitude, and I share your anger and outrage.
Given that, her arguments are intelligent, altho, obviously, she and I differ.
I have an obsession, however, that all black and white arguments are indefensible. I have written articles and a book about that in psychology-- where I attack psychiatric diagnostic categories. But think-- where is the difference between such obvious categories as life and death. There is huge dispute about when life begins and when it ends. When I was in PS 47 (elementary school), we learned that bacteria were plants. Now they are animals. If there is dispute about those categories, be aware that all categories are human constructions which are an attempt to give order to a confusing world. Can we even comprehend the possibility that there may be infinite universes? In fact, how can we comprehend the concept of infinity itself? It is beyond our limitations.
In the political arena, I am in complete agreement with Zonder that it is naive to divide the world into good guys and bad guys. That includes Bush and Gore. However, and I've stated this several times before, that I think it is absolutely evil to gratuitously cause harm. My interpretation of 9/11 is that it is evil and must be eliminated. I think it is despicable that people give political or economic rationales to the slaughter of innocents.
More than that. You have strong opinions and you are required to either defend them or to abandon them--- not the thread because people disagree with you.
fred |
