X-Message-Number: 20035
From: 
Date: Thu, 12 Sep 2002 13:46:20 EDT
Subject: "Enough" day, sectarianism, response to Natasha

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In a message dated 9/12/02 5:00:54 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
 writes:
Natasha More wrote,

> 
> I'm declaring September 11 "International Enough Day." Enough flag-waving, 
> enough violence, enough nationalism. Enough already. September 11 was not 
> an American tragedy, it was a human tragedy. It was a tragedy not just for 
> the people in the US who died, but for every innocent person killed as a 
> result of the US reaction to the attacks as well. It was a tragedy for the 
> human spirit, regardless of nationality, religion, and anything else.
> 
> 
Rudi writes:

The posting today by Natasha was OUTSTANDING!  And a refreshing change from 
most of the response getting air time regarding the tragic and vicious acts 
of 9/11.

Where is the outcry against IGNORANCE, SUPERSTITION, REGIONALISM, and 
FUNDAMENTALIST RELIGION that is at the heart of the 9/11/01 attacks?

Virtually nowhere!  Instead, we get MORE "patriotism" and superstition of a 
western flavor, with GOD allegedly on our side once again.  

The Christians against the Muslims.  Welcome back to the Crusades, my 
friends.  Perhaps we just *thought* we made progress in the last 1200 years.  


The invokers of "our" GOD seem to have no idea that they sound very similar 
to Bin Ladin invoking Allah.  The rantings of our fundamentalist mullahs like 
Falwell, Roberts, and Robertson are somewhat subdued in tone compared to Bin 
Ladin, but similar in content.  They all are based on superstitious, 
anti-science and anti scientific process nonsense.  Rantings from religious 
kooks,  sharing a flawed epistemology.  But appealing to huge numbers of 
people. 

But these religious and sectarian rants demonstrably *can and *do move people 
to action.  Much more effectively than any verbiage the secular, rationalist, 
humanist folks, including myself, have come up with.  

And US government and elected leaders all pander to the inherent religiosity 
of the masses, endemic in most societies, including the United States. 

I agree with Natasha.  What we need (we as a planetary culture, we as a race 
of humans rising above tribal and animal instincts) is not a "PATRIOT day."

We need a "Rationality Day," to celebrate REASON and Humanity.  Or a "World 
Peace and Justice Day".  

Not a "Patriot Day" to celebrate nationality, narrowness, violence, and 
militancy. 

Just my opinion.  

Best wishes to all...actually, best wishes to most.  Fundamentalists and 
demagogues of all stripes do NOT have my best wishes.  

Rudi Hoffman

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