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UPDATED Thursday, September 13, 2001
4:00 PM Cairo time
 Your letters
(Letters to the editor)
Our readers' comments on cairolive's coverage of the devastating terror attack on the US
Post your own comment here
READ MORE LETTERS HERE
Dear Cairolive:
I believe that God is probably extremely disappointed in the way humans are destroying His precious creations(People, animals, and this beautiful earth). I just have to believe that He was hoping for better results. What are we doing to ourselves? We all have to live together, so lets make it up to God and take care of the gifts He has given to us.
I hope good things come to everyone,
Kim
South Carolina, U.S.A
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Sir:
In recent months, I have become more aware of the events in your part of
the world. I did not, until recently, understand exactly why there was
conflict, but I never will understand why there are those who sacrifice their
lives to bring terror to others. Only one month ago, I thought of how
difficult it must be to enjoy life, when you live day to day with the
possibility of not seeing the next, or losing a loved one. Why does violence
seem to be the answer for some? Now, I have the same fear living in my
country.
I am an African American female, and my ancestors were brought to this
country as slaves. African Americans did not use violence to achieve the
liberties & freedoms I & others benefit from today. We as a race practiced
non-violent protest, we did not kill.
It chills me to know that a group of people harbor such a tremendous hate for
all Americans.
I pray and hope that one day soon, we all can live peacefully and enjoy the
good things life & this earth have to offer.
Delanie
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Hi,
I am an American teenager and I remember watching the TV in my classrooms while the New York terror attack was being held. I remember being scared about what else they would hit and why they hit us. I don't believe that it is the fault of all Arabs even though everyone is saying that. I don't like war. In fact I hate it, but then who doesn't? America is in shock. We have always been a country that has been peaceful until we are forced to become mean. We try to make peace, not create chaos. I remember reading about the war in the Middle East and praying for it to end. America has tried to create peace and sometimes that means taking a hand that may not be that soft on others. Please do not be angry at my nation. We are just shocked that we are being attacked. I am all for peace and I am not for revenge, Just justice for American people who were unjustly killed. Many have died....already a total of 188 at the pentagon, 226 in those 4 planes and already 180 confirmed dead and over 5,000 missing.
I ask for your forgiveness if America has done any wrong to you...but just what has it done?
All my Love and Peace for all,
Jessica K.
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Hello:
As a grad student living in the deep South, married to an Egyptian woman, and living in a community with several Egyptian friends, I am especially sensitive to any signs of backlash toward either Arab-Americans or Muslims.
From a national perspective, the heads of government--including the president, the FBI director, the secretary of state, and the leaders of Congress -- have gone to great and obvious lengths in order to remind the American public that hate crimes will be vigorously prosecuted (see today's home page of the FBI). First and foremost, the nation's leaders have stressed that Arab-Americans and Muslims (regardless of ethnicity) are Americans. The White House press secretary today reminded the public that America is an immigrant nation, and that all its citizens are valued and protected. This type of sentiment has even been echoed by fundamentalist Protestant ministers, a breed not usually known for spreading the gospel of tolerance. In short, the official word has been pro-actively positive. "We are all Americans and stand united." Actions have also supported this maxim. The national prayer service at Washington Cathedral on Friday included the Bishop of Washington, a leading rabbi, and the chief Islamic cleric from the Washington area. Just today, the president visited an Islamic cultural center in D. C., where he stressed his commitment to uphold the liberties and ensure the safety of Muslims across the country.
Unfortunately, the reports of violence and hate that your story (link) related are true. The press has diligently reported such incidents. However, I believe that the scope of these acts is neither widespread nor pervasive. Of course, all thinking and feeling people shudder to hear that such attacks -- physical or verbal -- could be taking place in America. Every society has its miscreants who either talk before thinking, talk without thinking, or just plain don't think. Old-fashioned ignorance is always culpable. But I challenge Cairenes to place themselves in American shoes for a moment. Suppose that the hijacked planes belonged to Egypt and had left from Cairo and Alexandria. Imagine that they had found their targets in Heliopolis, Tahrir Square, the Cairo Tower, the Citadel, or perhaps El-Azhar. Thousands of innocent countrymen killed, and mass confusion reigns in the streets of a peaceful city. Do we believe that a certain segment of the population would utter unfounded -- perhaps irrational -- incriminations about who might be responsible? Human nature guarantees such a response: no matter how accepting we may believe ourselves to be, we all have biases -- cultural, ideological, racial, etc -- that are especially susceptible to crisis and stress. Please understand, I am neither condoning irrational hatred nor attempting to be an apologist for ignorance. However, the actions which resulted in death and destruction at the World Trade Center and at the Pentagon are truly unprecedented. The scope of the tragedy is incomprehensible! Yet, it appears through opinions expressed by members of the Egyptian press that the enormity of these acts have been disregarded. Meanwhile, the emphasis has shifted -- almost indignantly -- to the preservation of civil liberties. Americans shall be vigilant about any suppression of our liberties, but we will do so based on our own determination; Americans do not need to be told by members of societies that have not fashioned greater liberties for themselves that the U.S. Constitution needs a foreign watchdog! With all due respect to Egyptians citizens (many of whom I count among my immediate family), have you guaranteed full civil rights for all of your citizens? Again, for the sake of maintaining proper perspective, remember the absolute horror of the attacks! This is what should be angering all of mankind.
On a more positive note, my friend Y. Osman, another Cairene living in this Southern city, has been able to speak to three civic groups -- at their request -- as well as a large group of school children. He has presented himself as a typical Egyptian-American and Muslim who lives, works, and raises his family with the same intent as everyone in the community -- to live peacefully and without malice. The reception given him has been warm and generous. The experience, painful as it has been, has engendered growth both in Y. and in those to whom he has spoken. I believe that this type of experience was been repeated many times in America last week. As an aside, I might mention that Y. feels some distortion has occurred in the Egyptian press regarding backlash in the U.S. He told me that old friends and acquaintances--some of whom he had not heard from in decades -- have been making frantic calls asking about his safety. Rest assured, we are taking care of our brothers and sisters here in the United States. May all of our dear friends in Egypt be assured of our compassion, until we see them again, insha'allah.
Mark & Shahira
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Sirs:
I am an American who is becoming more and more terrified for all of humanity in this world. It IS a true tragedy that many more innocent lives will be lost is this attempt to rid the world of this cancer known as 'terrorism'. When a cancer is removed, much healthy tissue is also injured and sometimes removed to be sure that ALL of the cancer is gone. Since when did human beings become a cancer? Even 'terrorists' are human.
I do implore all human beings in this world to take this to heart:
Religion. Long ago certain religions had many Gods because there were so many things that humans could not understand so they explained it all with religion. Here in the 21st century, most all humans realize that a comet that passes by our planet does not mean that any God is going to wreak havoc upon us all. Back then that IS the way it was perceived. How many millions of people throughout the eons have died in the name of religion? Does ANYBODY know the answer to this?
The God that I revere tells us that enlightenment and freedom from bias and hatred are Holy. My God does not encourage me to hold dominion over ANYTHING. My God encourages me to love all peoples and to revel in their differences. Ah, the differences. I have seen many differences in the peoples of this world. Europeans, Asians, Africans, and many, oh so many more. They don't all agree on things amongst themselves, let alone with other cultures. But there is one great thing that I have identified: The surviving religions of the world are for the most part Monotheistic. One GOD. Call this God Allah if you like, call this God Jehovah if you like. Whatever name you choose does not matter as much as the message does. Live in peace with each other. But as there are opposites to everything, there is also evil in this world. I am unfamiliar with the Koran (please do not condemn me if my ignorance does not get all of the spelling correct), but I am familiar with the Holy Bible. It tells of evil in the world. Lucifer the Angel of Light that turned away from God, and has since become the destroyer of all things good. Does not the Islamic faith have an equivalent counterpart?
Organized Religion. The Dark Ages is why there is a separation of church and state in the US. You may ask where I stand and I will tell you this, I am a believer in God and all things good but I am not religious because organized religion is the breeding place of zealots and fanatics. We have had our own here in the US. The leaders lead their followers into mass suicides. People still dying in the name of religion. I'm sickened by it all.
It is time for all of humanity to get un-stuck by their so called religions and realize that we ARE in this together. We all want to live in peace, don't we?
Governments. Whew! Where to begin. Most of humanity knows the different stories, wars and accomplishments of various governments. I don't trust in any of them myself, not even my own entirely. This is because of various issues such as the plight of the Israelites for a homeland, the plight of the Palestinians to get their homeland back or to even have one at all. But my government pulls strings in the Middle East and other areas of the world that I think should be left alone. Please do not be offended by this but just as I have the freedom to take a person's life here in the US and spend the rest of my days incarcerated, so do Israelites and Arabs have the right to exterminate each other until there are no more people or governments to wage war with. I think we should keep our nose out of your issues with each other until there are not enough left to populate any of those lands. My government has done many things that I do not agree with over the years but it does protect me here in my homeland. This is where my fears come in. My homeland has been invaded by the evils of terrorism.
The US has waged war upon international terrorism as other nations seem to be doing also. The US waged war upon a nation that attacked military installations in 1941. The entire nation came together and became a steamroller in an all-out war that encompassed every continent except the Antarctic and Australia. Look at what the Allied and Axis forces did to each other. Look at all of the destruction that was caused in the world. Well, the steamroller has started its engine again, the nation is United with one like mind: rid the world of terrorism once and for all. Once the entire world has been decimated by this new war, if the US still survives intact, the efforts will be most likely turned inward to rid our streets of our own terrorists.
I see that thousands, maybe millions of my fellow human beings will cease to exist in this crusade and I am saddened. Yes, I used the word 'crusade' intentionally because I feel that it will become blinded to its own doctrines just as the Christian crusades did many years ago and for that I am greatly saddened. But now is the time that ALL peoples of the world will need to take sides either for or against this evil and either ride the 'steamroller' or be flattened by it. We are the USA and we are angry. Not all of us care about humanity the way I do.
Joseph
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READ MORE LETTERS HERE
Previous stories:
Unimaginable terror:
Who will be hit next?
Cairenes -- like the rest of the world -- remain glued to their television screens early Wednesday morning, shocked by the events unfolding before the world's eyes.
Confusion on the second day:
The devastating terror attack on the US: New developments from Cairo, New York, Washington, Afghanistan and around the world
Praying for patience and moderation
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