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UPDATED Thursday, September 27, 2001
7:00 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
AND STILL YET MORE LETTERS HERE
Hello,
I read with interest your news about air marshals appointed by Egypt
Air. In the early 70s, when plane hijacking was a
common practice world-wide among groups who had some demands from
the world, air marshals were deployed by most airlines including
Egypt Air. Two well trained strong men with guns will sit on the
aisle seats in the first row to prevent anyone from reaching the
cockpit. It was a very successful practice that prevented hijacking
for a long time. Somehow, like all security measures, the practice was
terminated. But now history is repeating itself.
Omar
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Sir,
Is the terror we speak about against America or against all the Islamic world leaders as well, I wonder. Do these so-called terrorists respect anyone -- how do their minds operate, and why do they think the way they do?
As a world leader, America is the focus of the world, involved in global relations whether we like it or not. The US is the superpower and is thus seen as both good and bad.
But behind the scenes the US is controlling the Arab world. Countries that support the US are on the road to healthy economies and countries that oppose America are relegated to suffering, pain and starvation, with Europe is doing nothing to balance things out.
I think that's how the terrorists see things. That is why their anger is so obvious: on the one hand they find their own leaders weak; on the other, they see this giant superpower.
For them, religion becomes something to fall back on -- their faith is the only thing they haven't lost. This turns to hate, and that turns to revenge with thinking and philosophy thrown easily out of the window. With the media solidly against them. there becomes only one way to show their message to the rest of the world.
Mustansirbillah Damani
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Dear Sir:
There have been a few threats at some mosques, however, the overwhelming
reaction here has been support and concern. Some mosques have received
gifts of flowers and letters of support - particularly when there has
been a threat. Services for those lost have been solidly inclusive - the one at
the National Cathedral included a Muslim, as did the one at one of our
largest baseball stadiums. A few women here have even worn headscarves as
a sign of solidarity and support for our Muslim friends.
Sharon Stanfill
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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
Dear Joseph:
You've pretty well summed it up in you letter -- we are all in this together!
I'm a Canadian from Vancouver who has also traveled all over the world for years, and I truly believe most people are good. The differences between us all makes the world a far better place in the long run. Let's live and let live. Agree to disagree. Help each other. But in the names of our gods, let us not kill over these issues. We have only one planet.
PS Cairo is my favorite city in the world and I love its people.
wgf
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READ MORE LETTERS HERE
AND STILL YET 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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