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What Next?

First Update
Last Updated : Friday, September 14, 2001

First, an apology.  I broke one of my cardinal rules.  I let vent with feelings and emotions in haste, shock, anger, and fear, without consideration of the effect, or care for the result.  I'm sorry for inflicting that upon all of you who've come here to read my writings.  You deserve better.

Many have written; friends, old friends, new friends, and acquaintances.  I've had mail from at least four continents about this thing.  I'm also extraordinarily fortunate.  To date, I have not lost one close personal friend, relative, or family member.  By the time this is over, few of us will be able to say that.

However, in a very real sense, in a hard, cold way, we've all lost.  I sat with my children, watching the President speak.  I watched the 21st Century equivalent of the Fireside Chat.  I was also able to see, in real time, what had happened.  Something my parents never had the "benefit" of.

I still move back and forth - the grief cycle (DABDA - Denial - Anger - Bargaining - Depression - Acceptance; five stages of grief) isn't going to be over in a little while here for any of us.  And I know that there will be more deaths before this is over.  

So be it.

I'm still sick to my stomach when I watch what's happened.   Over and over and over again.  And I'm aware that bombing some country back beyond the stone age isn't the answer.  Aside from the practical considerations of glassing in an entire region (for that is what we're talking about), we've got other considerations. 

If we blow Lower Outer Slobovia off the map, how many exchange students did they have elsewhere?  How many of our people were in there when it happened?  How many of their people are still overseas and now willing to repeat Tuesday's events to remind us of our irrational response?

An attack in anger and haste will do two things - first, it will prove to everyone else that the terrorists are right, we are agressors, and it will create more martyrs to their cause.  Neither of which will help this fight in the end. 

Practical considerations give way to those matters of family and friends.  People who don't know if all of their loved ones got out.  People who know, sadly, where their loved ones were.  And people who will never, ever be sure.  What can we do for them?

This is a new war.  This is a new way of killing, being killed, and dying.  We're all going to have to give up some antiquated notions of what to do.  I admit, watching a mushroom cloud blossom over some foreign land would be so very, very satisfying right now. 

It would also be stupid. 

We need to conduct this war with the knowledge that "soldiers," and that means yes, even more Americans, will die.  Mothers, Fathers, sisters, brothers, sons, daughters, nieces and nephews - friends or family, they're all part of us. 

People, some probably innocent, will die as well.  This is what happens in War.  This is what happens when the enemy overruns your land.  You get out, or you wait to see what will happen.  The invasion force will assume you are hostile until proven otherwise. 

And before you jump up and down and make speeches, let me point out that most of our soldiers are innocents as well.  Many enlisted for the educational benefits.  Those that will do the fighting and dying in this war are young.  Some not even legally old enough in this country to buy a beer.  I do not subscribe to the theory that a uniform-wearing, M-16 toting Marine is guilty just because of what he's wearing or carrying.  This is war, and innocents, and innocence, will suffer.

But it will not die.

We need to take some time.  Not a lot, but some.  Plan the attacks.  Make sure we've got the right tools for the job.  Make sure we've got enough tools to do the job.  Little point in getting over there only to find out we've got the wrong ammo for the guns.

We need to identify, and then destroy, those that harbor or aid terrorism.  If you had in the past, I'm going to strongly recommend that you either distance yourself from it now and pray, really hard, or get ready. 

If you chortle and celebrate after the events of Tuesday, be prepared.  We might not nuke your country, or your neighborhood.  The police might stop outside your home.  In a tank.  And if you're in another country, please be aware that while it might not seem like it, we here in America do have lots and lots of friends.  And you, Mr. Terrorist, are finding that it's going to be harder and harder to find your friends willing to help.  When the price goes up, and is blood, rather than money and words, there are many who will peel away.

It's true that we can't wipe fundamentalism off the face of the planet.  However, think on this.  As fanatical fundamentalism gets closer and closer to their ultimate goal, people fall away.  Drop out of the group.  Get "turned off".  Fundamentalists call this "the cleansing".  The "unworthy" drop off.  Fanatics are furtive.  Fanatics do their work with lies, words like "do what we tell you and no one will be hurt."  Fanatics couch their acts in screaming, proclaimed, hysterical absolutes.  "We will!"   Fanatics are a small, small, vocal, violent minority.

Freedom, by it's very nature, does it's work best when there are many involved.  Many people, many voices, many opinions, many hearts.  Freedom gains as time goes by.  Fifteen years ago, no one expected the Soviet Bloc to not make the millenium.  Now, many of those peoples are struggling, and some have, joined us in democracy.

Freedom doesn't test you to get in.  Freedom opens the door and says "sure, come on in."  We know that the tests come later.  Freedom does EVERYTHING in the full light of day.  The foibles of people who lead us are broadcast into our homes daily. 

Freedom does not threaten, it commits.  "We will."  No exclamations.  No screaming.  No histrionics.  Simple committment and determination.

Freedom is a majority.

What can we do?

Call the Red Cross.  Ask what they need.  Give money, time, or blood. 

If you're in New York, especially near the scene of the disaster, make up some sandwiches or soup or something.  Get down to the police near the cordon, and offer it to them.  If you're smart, you'll put a post-it note with your name and phone number on it.  Not to brag - but to let those that eat it know that you're willing to stand behind your work and put your name on it - terror does not.

If you're elsewhere in America, get out your flag.  Put it on your house, your flag pole, your balcony, where ever.  If you can put it up at half-mast and make sure it does not touch the ground, great.  Remember if you've got other flags or flag poles with it, the highest flag must be the American flag.  All others also to be dropped to half-mast.

Otherwise?  Do your normal thing.  Go shopping.  Go to a movie.  Go out to eat.  Live.  Certainly, this is a somber time.  But if we huddle in our basements waiting for the end, then we let them, and terror, win.

What will I do? 

I'm going to shut up for a few days.  There's been plenty said, plenty written, and now is time for thinking and support - support of our leaders who have to make the hard decisions.  Support of our troops who will have to do the hard work.  Support of the families and friends who've lost loved ones.  Support of families and friends of the troops we're likely to lose when this thing goes up. 

In the mean time, two things:

When I find myself in times of trouble
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be
And in my hour of darkness
She is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

And when the broken hearted people
Living in the world agree
There will be an answer, let it be
For though they may be parted
There is still a chance that they will see
There will be an answer, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Yeah there will be an answer, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

Let it be, let it be
Ah let it be, yeah let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be
And when the night is cloudy
There is still a light that shines on me
Shine on until tomorrow, let it be
I wake up to the sound of music,
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be
Yeah let it be, let it be
Let it be, yeah let it be
Oh there will be an answer, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Let it be, yeah let it be
Oh there will be an answer, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Ah let it be, yeah let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

Let It Be
(John Lennon, Paul McCartney)
Lead Vocal: Paul McCartney

The other thought - Last night I priced out two computer backup methods.  A DLT Drive and twelve 80 Gb DLT IV tapes came to $4387.  Twelve IEEE1394 (what Apple calls "Firewire") External 80 Gig Maxtor hard drives came to $3120. Why go with tape?  

Be careful, and be well.

Five Thoughts

First - those people criticizing President Bush for not rushing right back to Washington to deal with this crises, please line up for the ass-kicking machine.  Maybe it will dislodge your brains and move them back closer to where they belong.  At the time Air Force One took off, there were still commercial planes in the air.  Clearly, anything in Washington was at risk - the Pentagon plane circled the White House and Capitol before striking the Pentagon.  There's little brain power required to figure out that if Air Force One set down at any airport, it would make a most inviting target.  The very last place I want my President is standing under a big sign that says "Hi, President Here, no protection, no waiting."  Same thing with Cheney moving from a relatively unprotected house to the relative safety of Camp David.  I want my leaders (and their backups) safe, damnit.  You saw it in Independence Day, but you never thought you'd see it in real-life - fighter jets escorting Air Force One.  It's a whole different world out there now, so shut up, would ya?

Second - those idiots, lunatics, and assorted rednecks out there advocating the complete and total eradication of Islam and all Muslims from the planet please line up for the ass-kicking machine, just after the idiots above.  That's right.  You're also a pack of idiots.  That's just about as stupid as you can get.  Then again, given the lack of forks in your family tree, you might not know any better.  Consider - if six square inches of your yard is full of noxious weeds, do you apply a flame-thrower to the entire two acres?  If your broken-down porch is only half-covered in busted washing machines, do you chop off the whole porch?  If you've got a giant steak, and one small edge is burnt, do you throw out the entire plate-covering steak?  If you've got a box of ten thousand marbles, and one's cracked, do you throw out all the marbles?  If you've got a litter of ten pups from a good hunting dog, and only one's a runt, do you shoot the whole litter?  I should think that even indifferent students of history (yes, that another polite way of saying "dumb jackasses") would have learned from our World War II experience that selecting a group of people based on a characteristic or nationality does little good, and in fact plays INTO the fear the terrorists want to create in us.  We were fortunate that those Americans of Japanese descent which we jailed and dispossessed after WWII weren't the fanatical type.  Don't you think that losing everything and starting over would create bitterness?  But they're willing to pursue the matter legally, rather than blowing shit up.  Money's fine.  Money's easy.  Dead people and orphans are NOT what we need here.

Third - We need to realize that this is a new kind of "War".  Sorry, but the folks who've been through Boot Camp aren't going to be the only ones that will need to be ready to fight and die in the days ahead.  If you're an airline passenger, you need to be prepared.  Things like this bring out all sorts of nuts.  Some are copycats, and some, certainly, will be terrorists.  If you're on a plane that's been hijacked, you need to do what they did on Flight 93.  No longer can you, or anyone, assume that "do what I say and no one will get hurt" is an honest and true statement.  Remember, they've already lied to get on the plane.  They've got nothing to lose by lying some more.  They're fanatics.  We're going to have to be prepared to face fanaticism wherever we find it.  Face it, and face it down, or fight it to the death.  That's all there is to it. 

Fourth - I would like nothing more than for the American People to prove the jackass pundits wrong.  Economists and others are saying "this is going to push the US Economy into a full-blown recession."  Consider that the Terrorists WANT to harm America, Americans, and ALL OTHER INFIDELS the same way, the best thing we could do is to say "SCREW YOU" and keep moving forward.  Consider - the number of buildings and companies and people and equipment lost in Manhattan will likely be replaced.  Not immediately, but we can't turn that spot into a memorial like we did in Oklahoma City.  The Best memorial we could offer the dead is to rebuild those towers.  Just a little higher.  Just a little bigger.  Just a little better.  Isn't THAT the American way?  I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm going to go ahead and buy me a damned house - if you're smart you'll go out and keep on keeping on.  We cannot let them knock the wind out of us in any way, or they win. 

Fifth - Much as I'd love to agree with the sentiment of putting heads on pikes circling the White House, let's get real.  It isn't going to happen.  Let's say we catch one of the ring-leaders, behead him, and put his head on a pike outside the White House.  Then we need to get his wife, and especially his kids - unless we want them to grow up and avenge their father.  Then we need to get their aunts and uncles, friends, associates, and acquaintances.  Let's say we gather up 200 people.  Then we need to follow the chain AGAIN for EACH ONE of those 200.  Then do it again, for those 400,000, then again for those 800,000,000, and you begin to see the problem.  We need to draw the line somewhere.  Consider the number of Moslems in the world - if we assume 250,000,000, which I suspect is a conservative figure, and we start with the beheadings for all of them, we'd need a fence around the Capitol that ran about 100 miles from the capital itself.  If we put those pikes eight inches on center, we could get almost 250 MILLION heads in the countryside of Maryland and Virginia.  Lovely sight in the fall, don't you think?  

If you want to behead and desecrate a corpse, go ahead.  Hell, I figure a much better way to piss them off is to just bury the body with a slice of uncooked bacon in it's mouth.  Think about it.  Just remember that every single war death of ours that they can get their hands on will most certainly suffer a similar fate.  I, for one, do not wish to see any serviceman's body being dragged through any streets anywhere in the world.  I don't want any pilot's heads with helmet and flag to be on a pike outside a tent anywhere in the world.  And yes, just because they do it doesn't make it right.  That's the kind of flawed logic that ENCOURAGES the fanaticism.  

I hope those thoughts help you.  They did me.  

Finally (I know, I said five, but this is different).  Once things settle down, in a month or so, write your congressman.  Write your Senator.  Write your governor, and your president.  Tell them you want a national holiday declared for 9-11 each year.  Yes, that's last Tuesday's date.  Tell them you want it to remember emergency workers of all types.  EMTs, Paramedics, police, and especially firemen and women who rush to aid others after such a disaster, knowing full well they could be killed - there's a special kind of courage there that needs to be recognized and honored.  Selecting September 11th for the date of this holiday does two things.  9-11 is an appropriate date to be memorializing emergency workers, and it also tells the terrorists who did this that they cannot and will not own anything in this country through their actions.  

There are still two things that cause me to catch my breath.  The first is sirens.   The second is jet sounds, any evidence of planes.  The first fills me with awe of the courage and strength of the people of this country - my country.  The second fills me with satisfaction that we have not yet allowed them to take from us our ability to move, to have near-normal lives.  Sure, there are restrictions, but they're reasonable.

Let's just stay calm, stay reasonable, and stay the course.  We aren't going to finish this tomorrow, or this weekend, or this month, or this year.  We might not finish it in my lifetime.  My son and daughter might grow up to be soldiers in this battle.  They will be soldiers in this war whether we like it or not.  We all are.

And Finally, I promise...

It's clear that when the terrorists attacked the World Trade Center, they did not get just Americans.  There are over 100 Britons missing, and others from many other countries.  I think I counted eleven different countries, with confirmed people gone.  And that's only going to go up.  This isn't an "America versus Terrorism."  This is World War III, with the target being Terrorists.  That's all there is to it.