What about South America and Antarctica?

It has been a lot of fun meeting people (online) from all over the world. There have been some surprises too. I recently purchased a used pair of speaker cables from a gentlemen in Singapore, had them shipped to Germany for retermination, and then sent a check for the retermination to his mother in Nebraska, two states away from me. The Internet has made the world seem much smaller.

Okay, let's all hold hands and sing "Cum-Ba-Ya, my Lord..."

Peace is great and all that, but I'd venture to guess that most of us use LOTS of hydrocarbon-based products (e.g. oil, gasoline, some plastics, etc.). With that in mind, the time has come for GW to turn the middle east into a sheet of glass, after we finish pumping out every last drop of oil.

Don't want war for oil? Then trade in your SUV for a bicycle.

Barfff! You must be joking.

Gthrush1, if you are ready to stand by your convictions, send your automobile, stereo, computer and other energy using non-necessities to me. That way your conscience will be clear.

I haven't forgotten the people in New York, nor has George W.

These were civilians going about their daily lives doing what was expected of them. A preemptive defense response is absolutely called for in my mind, and much preferable to waiting until nuclear and additional bio attacks are brought to our homes.

Jadem6, your idea is right on, most people are decent and loving. Sorry to bring your topic to this point. It was not me that began twisting the subject.

Sorry too that I am still reactive and angry about 9-11 and the biological attacks on the United States.

Wow, that got sour fast!

Please don't joke about what happened on Sept 11th.

I worked on the 95 floor of Building 1 for Marsh. (The one with the antennae). I still really miss my freinds and can not believe the buildings fell.

Jeff Robinson was my best freind, work-mate, high-school acquaintence, and the person who turned me on to AudioGon, Audible Illusions, and Rega. Many of you probably read his posts or had dealings with him.

I had bought speakers he rebuilt only weeks before.

I joke about everything but I can't joke about that day.

The point was and still is that the Internet gives us all the opportunity to realize how small this planet is. If the hate and anger displayed above is the only message you can muster, than God save us all. It's the comments above that will continue the distrust and anger towards America. My reason for the thread was not to discuss politics and how to fight terrorists, it was to share an observation of how we have a common interest with people from all areas of the world. I was also hoping to hear from South America and Antarctica. I also had no intent of a hand holding singing songs type thread. Maybe your anger and hate could be better served over at Audio Asylum.
Jade

It's fitting that the internet makes the world seem so small. It's certainly filled with small people. The nature of mankind is such that no matter what the American people do the rest of the world is going to be angry at, and distrust, us. We have only one choice to make and that is how do we conduct our affairs, through weakness or strength? Enlightened, civilized people have historically overlooked the fact that ruthless, murderous dictators also lie and, as a result, gave us two world wars in the last century. The United States has made many mistakes but the mistakes pale in comparison to the good we have done. World commerce works effectively due to the combined efforts of free trade countries which, sadly, are a minority in the community of nations. Most nations have prospered through these efforts and those that haven't prospered failed through their own volition. These are the nations that hate us the most. These are nervous times and the fine folks that post to these threads may sometimes be at odds with each other. The enlightened and civilized Americans that are uneasy with our potential action in Iraq, blame and distrust the United States because they take the rest of the world at face value. Some of us see them as modern day Neville Chamberlain's. This isn't about hate. It's about fear. Fear of war. Fear of war at a later date. While most of us harmless souls search for the goodness in each other a handful of others work diligently to create chaos.