More on the WTC Disaster (Updated) [Sep 11, 2001, 9:30 pm ET] – Share – Viewing Comments
Of course this is not game related (we do not expect to be doing any further
game coverage today), but with the legit news sites being almost impossible to
access at times today, we've been getting loads of requests for more information
about what's been going on. Here is the latest as of about 9:00 PM EDT:
- President Bush addressed the nation 8:30 PM EDT. Here's a wire report: WASHINGTON (AP) - A grim-faced President Bush condemned ghastly attacks in Washington and New York on Tuesday and vowed to "find those responsible and bring them to justice." In the second Oval Office address of his presidency, Bush said the United States would retaliate against ``those behind these evil acts,'' and any country that harbors them.
To recap:
- In two separate attacks, hijacked planes struck both main towers of the World Trade Center in Manhattan this morning, and both of the "twin towers" subsequently collapsed.
- A hijacked plane struck the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. and part of it has collapsed as well.
- A hijacked plane crashed in western Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh. Reports indicate the hijackers planned to crash this plane into Camp David in Maryland.
- 47 Story WTC building seven, one of the five (relatively) smaller buildings in the World Trade Center also later collapsed from ancillary damage.
- The White House, the Pentagon, and the Capitol Building were all evacuated, all domestic flights in the US have been grounded through at least noon tomorrow.
- Other closings include most federal offices, the stock markets, the Disney theme parks, and the cancellation of today's Major League Baseball schedule. The President's speech announced that all federal agencies will be open for business tomorrow.
- Broadcasts out of Afghanistan showed evidence of missile attacks and antiaircraft fire, but what connection this has to today's apparent terrorist attacks in the US is not clear at this point. The US has denied involvement in these attacks.
- In the first hints of any sort at the scope of casualties, the New York City Fire Department has estimated that as many as half of the 400 firefighters dispatched to the scene are missing. CNN has said that 78 Police officers are missing. Also, the death toll from those on the four hijacked planes has been placed at 266. The number of dead and injured at the Pentagon has been widely reported as about 100. No estimates of the number of victims from the World Trade Center have been made.
- People throughout the United States have are being urged to donate blood to help offset significant shortages in New York and Washington. The American Red Cross in Greater New York or the American Red Cross are places to contact about donating blood or money, or both.
- Some news sites seem to be back online. Here are some links that have been more reliable: CNN.com; CNET.com; Yahoo; The New York Times; washingtonpost.com; usnews.com; ABCNEWS.com; FOXNews.com; MSNBC; and BBC News Online.
All of our thoughts go out to the victims of these attacks and their families and friends in what must be an incredibly difficult time.
"You know what? Why don't all you peace-loving maggots go sift through the body parts at WTC?"
So you say the pursuit of peace is evil? Interesting...
Why don't YOU sift through the body parts. Then see if you haven't been fed up with violence.
"Ooooo..Hitler is mean! He's mass murdering everyone, but violence is bad."
Stopping Hitler was a very defensive action. It wasn't retaliatory, and it wasn't really offensive in the sense that the Allies did not directly start the conflict.
If this terrorist attack is really a foreshadowing of things that are much worse, then something has to be done. But we must use judgement, not just our hatred and thirst to show the world who's boss, in a situation like this.
If we must strike against someone, it should be against the terrorists themselves. Perhaps by capturing Bin Laden. We should not kill innocent civilians in the process.
If you want to sacrifice yourself for a cause, that's fine, but don't call the act of killing other innocent people a necessary sacrifice, because it's easy for you to say... they might not want to be sacrificed, especially if they're not part of the conflict and do not support the terrorists.
It is important to remember that the life of an innocent American civilian is NOT worth more or less than the innocent civilian of another nationality -- it is equal.
Remember, the most important thing is that we're all humans on this planet. Viciously asserting that you are of a given nationality isn't the right thing to do, because that's just a label devised by mere men.
This is why I'm not a fan of aggressive patriotism to any particular country. You say "we are the greatest nation", but how can you say "we" when chances are, you've played no part in it? If you were switched at birth with a person of a less prosperous nationality, it would make no difference.
People always band together, and I suppose it's fine to be patriotic -- but don't take it too far by slamming other people for being of a different nationality.
In conclusion, if action must be taken, take it wisely. Collateral damage is unacceptable in a situation like this.
I think some terrorists believe their missions are to make an impact first and foremost, and the innocent lives lost are just collateral damage.
So you say the pursuit of peace is evil? Interesting...
Why don't YOU sift through the body parts. Then see if you haven't been fed up with violence.
"Ooooo..Hitler is mean! He's mass murdering everyone, but violence is bad."
Stopping Hitler was a very defensive action. It wasn't retaliatory, and it wasn't really offensive in the sense that the Allies did not directly start the conflict.
If this terrorist attack is really a foreshadowing of things that are much worse, then something has to be done. But we must use judgement, not just our hatred and thirst to show the world who's boss, in a situation like this.
If we must strike against someone, it should be against the terrorists themselves. Perhaps by capturing Bin Laden. We should not kill innocent civilians in the process.
If you want to sacrifice yourself for a cause, that's fine, but don't call the act of killing other innocent people a necessary sacrifice, because it's easy for you to say... they might not want to be sacrificed, especially if they're not part of the conflict and do not support the terrorists.
It is important to remember that the life of an innocent American civilian is NOT worth more or less than the innocent civilian of another nationality -- it is equal.
Remember, the most important thing is that we're all humans on this planet. Viciously asserting that you are of a given nationality isn't the right thing to do, because that's just a label devised by mere men.
This is why I'm not a fan of aggressive patriotism to any particular country. You say "we are the greatest nation", but how can you say "we" when chances are, you've played no part in it? If you were switched at birth with a person of a less prosperous nationality, it would make no difference.
People always band together, and I suppose it's fine to be patriotic -- but don't take it too far by slamming other people for being of a different nationality.
In conclusion, if action must be taken, take it wisely. Collateral damage is unacceptable in a situation like this.
I think some terrorists believe their missions are to make an impact first and foremost, and the innocent lives lost are just collateral damage.
Date
Subject
Author
562.
Sep 14, 2001Sep 14 2001
Re: To All Who Hate Americans Part 2...
anon@134.197
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