I am like many of you I'm sure in shock. I haven't posted for many months, but thank you all for being here for me yesterday. I left North America for the first time in my life on Thursday, Sept 6 and I don't feel I'll be returning to the same United States I left.

I am in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, and I can tell you that the reaction here has been one of total support for both myself on a personal level and the American people in general. The people here that I've talked to seem to understand and support the USA's need to punish those responible in the strongest possible way.

My "quiet enduring anger" (Dubya finally got one right) grows as I consider the consequences of yesterdays cowardly actions. I fear that yesterday will be used as an excuse to curtail our freedoms in the USA. People, perhaps a few, perhaps many, will die for what happened yesterday. I stand firmly against the death penalty in times of peace, but we are now at war. How big the war becomes remains to be seen. It may be as small as the execution of a few individuals. It may require the blood of more patriots and the invasion of some place complicit in these actions.

Patriotism, which two days ago seemed such a quaint concept, swells in my heart, yet I am stuck 4500 miles away with no way to talk to my daughters, family and country. I could not call the USA as the phone lines were jammed all yesterday. I am stuck with no way to help little Henrietta and Claire understand the evil that beset their homeland. I cannot give blood (well they wouldn't take mine anyway but, I could do something.) Hell I cannot even get to my Paypal account (lousy proxy) My problems are so small though.

To those who were killed, be at peace. To their family's, you have my love and sympathy. Avenge is an ugly word, but I must use it. To my friends who were killed, you will be avenged to silence the anger. I'm sorry that I am stronger, but I must have revenge. Many people have quoted Franklin's "liberty and security" line, but I am reminded of Jefferson. "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Yesterday the patriots gave blood. Soon it will be the tyrants turn.


Thank you Heyoka.
Calmness... the sacred Om.

Peace.


No I cannot do it -- yet at least. I must vent this rage. I am not of course advocating the massive destruction of innocents, but any country that harbors those responsible for these heinous acts must also pay the price. To quote Jefferson again "But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government"" Any people that will not throw off such evil as a Government that will not turn over war criminals and traitors of humanity such as those that attacked yesterday must pay the price for their inaction. Notice that it is not just a right of the people, but it is their duty. It is their duty to protect the rest of mankind from evils such as yesterday.


A word to my Muslim brothers at Infogenic. I fear we are in for a bumpy ride. The US media is painting with such a broad brush. Arab this and Arab that, I am very sorry for that. Rest assured that those of us with a grain of intelligence know that Arabs are from Saudi Arabia, Palestinians are from Palestine (which should have a free and sovreign state), Syrians are from Syria (and are Persians in the old way of thinking anyhow), and Afghani's are from Afghanistan. We must not rush to judgement; however, we must act with speed. As my basketball coach used to say, "Be quick, but do not hurry." But we must bring the hammer of vegenance down soon on those responsible. Things are different. We are at war. Let us be as efficient at war as we are at business and execute the parties responsible for this quickly.
In rereading this and editing I've decided that I do not believe what I have just written, but I am leaving it as my memorial to the yesterday's events and as a warning to myself to remain human -- unlike those that did this.