[openbeos] Re: binary middle ground

Please don't go here, Richard.  Given that we are a very diverse group 
of individuals who without doubt have an equally diverse set of 
impressions and thoughts on today's events -- some of which will 
certainly clash badly -- it seems unwise to me to discuss the issue 
here, if only to avoid inadvertantly offending people.  I have certainly 
been less than impressed, to put it diplomatically, by some of the 
things already said.  To agree that the matter is outside the purview of 
the list is not to deny the human tragedy, but to allow each person's 
experience of the events without judgement or censure.  Besides, the 
last thing anybody wants, yourself included, I'm sure, is for the list 
to become an emotionally-charged political free-for-all.  I'm quite 
certain that preventing this is all Michael was trying to do.

What happened today is tragic beyond description; no matter how many 
days the news anchors natter on about it, they'll never truly express 
the horror of what we've seen.  This forum, however, is not the place to 
discuss it -- and that has nothing to do with whether "software is more 
important than human life."  You'd have to be a Ted Bundy to not be 
emotionally effected.  As I'm sure is the case for most people on this 
list, I spent the entire day inundated with images and reports and 
discussions and theories and just the sheer surreality that something 
like this could ever be perpetrated in any place by anybody -- what if 
it had been Japan, or Zimbabwe, or who knows where else?  My own 
participation in the list today has been a brief, and very welcome, 
respite from the emotional shock -- there's only so much I can take 
before I have to step away for a bit, lest I get completely overwhelmed. 
 I'm sure there are other folks who feel the same way.  If participating 
today (or for however long) is just not helpful for you, then by all 
means take a break.  But do come back when you feel up for it.

e

>Sorry you feel that way. If software is more imortant than human life 
to
>this group, I won't be a part of it.
>
>Please remove me from the openbeos list and from the testing group.
>
>Thank you.
>
>Richard S. Lewine
>
>Michael Phipps wrote:
>> 
>> OK. Enough.
>> As a US citizen and a native of New York state, I, too, have my 
opinions
>> about this situation. And politics. But this is not the place for 
that. Sorry,
>> but the list can not be everything to everyone, or it will be nothing 
to anyone.
>> That is why Be had list moderators. Trust me - it is a tough job.
>> 
>> Thanks.
>> 
>> >Agreed.  Its a tragic day to see civilians killed, and as a
>> >Serbian-Australian I even visited the two buildings in May last 
year.  I
>> >feel sorry for the civilians in the Pentagon, but not the military 
personal
>> >in the Pentagon.  In my home country (Yugoslavia), US cruise 
missiles
>> >slammed into a civilian TV station and killed friends I went to 
university
>> >with, and even wounded one of my best friends.  Again, US and UK 
citizens
>> >must ask themselves why nobody bombs Canada, Switzerland, Australia 
and
>> >similar countries but always targets the States and UK.
>> >
>> >Having said that, I am deeply sympathetic for the civilians in the 4 
planes,
>> >and all New Yorkers, and mourn the civilians working at the 
Pentagon.
>> >A day of silence for mourning.
>> >
>> >
>> >> -----Original Message-----
>> >> From:        Richard S. Lewine 
[SMTP:rslewine@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
>> >> Sent:        Wednesday, September 12, 2001 10:23 AM
>> >> To:  openbeos@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> >> Subject:     [openbeos] Re: binary middle ground
>> >>
>> >> To all members of open BeOS:
>> >>
>> >> Today, The United states was brutally, barbarically and 
horrendouly
>> >> attacked by sick, animalistic madmen. I suggest that we 
acknowledge the
>> >> incredible magnitude of these four horrific events with at least a 
half
>> >> day of non-BeOS messages. We need to let the world know that we 
care.
>> >>
>> >> Please send some meaningful message, expressing your concern to 
everyone
>> >> in your e-mail address book.
>> >>
>> >> Richard S. Lewine

Data is not information, and information is not knowledge: knowledge is 
not understanding, and understanding is not wisdom.
        - Philip Adams

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