Stu Cohen, I disagree with most of your post. The problem is, we do not pay attention and remember 9/11 often enough.
There is a reason 9/11 is much more important (not only to the US, but to the world) than a tsunami ravaging Southeast Asia, even though 100 times more people were killed there.
9/11 was a deliberate rip in the fabric of society. We better pay attention to it and talk about it every day.
And not all of us look over our shoulder every day, or feel that we have to succumb to daily anal rape for tax purposes. Most people don't feel that way. Even if I do feel that my taxes are being levied at a confiscatory rate, I still believe we can influence that through the electoral process, although the current state of government is making me re-evaluate that.
I wasn't talking about natural disasters, but intentional murders, of which, statistically, there were 20 more today. Probably one happened while you were typing.
9/11 was a deliberate rip in the fabric of society. We better pay attention to it and talk about it every day.
Then what are he 35,000 yearly murders (7,000 by foreigners)? Aren't those societal rips? Should we talk about them less?
And not all of us look over our shoulder every day, or feel that we have to succumb to daily anal rape for tax purposes. Most people don't feel that way.
Yes, and I guess the women in Islamic countries who don't want to get stoned to death can simply make sure they don't show their ankle in accordance with the law. Probably most of them are fine with it. Not sure I agree with the civility of it, though.
Even if I do feel that my taxes are being levied at a confiscatory rate, I still believe we can influence that through the electoral process, although the current state of government is making me re-evaluate that.
Indeed. If you wanted the borders closed, who would you have voted for in 2004? If you wanted the IRS abolished, who would you have voted for? If you wanted an end to the War on Drugs, who would you have voted for?
The only change you effect when voting is who gets to take the bribes by the true lawmakers (the lobbyists).
It's a bribeocracy. Voting is just a "feel good" endeavor designed to make us think we have control over something. If you want influence, you need to make enough money to grease some palms.