I agree, it was a terrible act- I feel for the people of America. They did not deserve this- butwhy did they have to suffer this- I also feel that the US carved itself a death sentence when they have killed half a million children in Iraq- that is the answer- why innocent people in the US died yesterday- I dipise who did this act yesterday- I also dispise half a million dead in Iraq- I only ask why- I peace no possible

America you are a bunch of unbelievable hypocrites and I'm glad at least one political faction in the world is prepared to try and take the fight up against you.

Compared to the butchering of innocents globally due to american foreign policy since WWII (I won't go into specifics as this is already very well documented) this is a piss in the Ocean, now you can take your medicine and fucking like it OK?

As a fellow human I am sorry for all people who have lost family members or friends in any conflict, but on a political level I feel at last the US got what they deserved. Keep crying. Hopefully someday soon someone will develop a nuke powerful enough to rid the world of your disgusting society.

PS I read a great article on Osama Bin Laden, apparently if the US take him out there are more than enough people who want to take his place.

DEATH TO ALL FANATICS (??!!) You fucking bunch of jokers...

the USA and the government twats of the west, have been encouragin middle east dictators and fanatics for years, fundin and financin the taliban in afganistan in their war against the russians, taliban terrorists in afganistan were trained by black ops, now the monster the west created is runnin amok, the west and thatchers government even sold arms to saddam and propped the bastard up to torture and gas kurdish peoples. for too long now the west has turned a blind eye to the exploits of the taliban in afganistan who are enslavin wimin and butcherin infidels, is it any wonder they think nuffing of flattenin a coupla towerblocks, now their neonazi fanatic monster has come home to roost. and im personally sick of fossilised cia fbi gargolyes being wheeled out wif their corny cliched crocodile tears, they obviously dont give a fuk about the ordinary public or they wudnt hav funded the taliban in the first place.

"We must be diligent in our efforts to preserve freedom and to continue to press our elected officials to support initiatives that fight terrorism, fundamentalism and extremism of any kind."

Essentially this is a call for repression (who decides what is "extremism") and for military action. Which really makes your goal not different from those who so successfully retaliated against the U.S. - surgical strikes and selective targeting are the technical terms. Perhaps atrocities which are not paraded on C.N.N. do not enter your view of reality, but what you are calling for, and what the U.S. will undoubtedly embark on is a mass slaughter. Of course this then will produce a reaction, which is most likely exactly what the persons responsbile for the attacks in the U.S. want. Then you will be attacked again.
You have a peculiar definition of "freedom" as it seems not to include freedom of belief, i.e. the freedom to be an "extremist" or to follow a "fundamentalism" (and your current government in the U.S. was elected with the help of "fundamentalism").

"those of us who strive to change society by peaceful means - through printed words, expressed ideas and marches in the streets."
If you do, I have bad news for you, it is likely that if these terrible events are used as a pretext for repression in the U.S. that you are just the sort of "extremist" your government will come after. Remember Martin Luther King.
I would also like to know why you claim to be into "peaceful means" when the "initiatives" of your government are likely to be very violent. Furthermore belief in "peaceful means" must mean opposistion to the State, as States are founded on violence and are the number one practioners of violence.

"Other than scale, there is no difference between a pro-environmental bombing of a timber mill and an anti-capitalist destruction of a major world financial center."

What "anti-capitalist destruction of a major world fininacial center"? the Bin Laden organisation does not even claim to be anti-capitalist and it's leader is a capitalist muti-millionaire supported by a capitalist government. What "pro-environmental bombing of a timber mill"? Could it have been one which a) didn't kill any one and b) had as it's goal protection of the environment not the establishment of religous fundamentalist governments in the Middle East.
A very big difference I would say.
"Extremism" is a totally meaningless term as is "terrorism". This incident perfectly illustrates this.
If you can remember the 1980's these self same mudjahedeen, when they restricted themselves to slaughtering Russians, were described by American politicans and press as freedom fighters.

"it is the same organization that saved the world from the last Fanatic."
Who was this last Fanatic? Am I seeing a Osama Bin Laden = Hitler analogy (just like all the other = Hitler analogies used to justify U.S. violence). It wouldn't suprise me if this is what you are saying as all of your post revealed a worring lack of understanding of how the world works.
News Flash! The Second World War was won in the East and happened to involve quite a few more governments than that of Germany and the U.S.!
News Flash! Since then much of the world has been looking for someone to protect them from the victors.
News Flash! Many, many of Hitler's followers ended up working for the Pentagon.

If you are serious about working to change society I think one day you will be forced to revise your views.







None. Belief, faith and cause are the foundations of terrorism, fundamentalism and extremism - all of which should be avoided by those who truly embrace freedom.

The Lady does have a very black eye from her battle with the Fanatic on Manhattan Island, but the victorious Fanatic walked away with a death sentence carved heavy upon his brow.

i think it is not only americans who can be labeled hypocritical. look at yourself before you point wide, splashy fingers at a nation built by british colonists on the back of the british slave trade. i realize that my perspective on this issue has been affected by the culture in which i am immersed, but there is no way for me to truly avoid it. if you consider the history that i have inherited as a white middle class american, with no choice of my own, you will maybe understand why i am frustrated, poised between numbing my mind with popular culture and exploding in all directions. somewhere there lies a path i can take, but in every step my resentment against my country grows, as well as the temptation to simply forget all about it. i, and others i know, are caught rejoicing and mourning simultaneously in every moment. imagine yourself to be living in "America" right now...

Your comments reveal that you have made a lot of incorrect assumptions concerning my essay. The article deals with the further loss of civil liberties in an effort to deal with "fundamentalism, terrorism and extremism." Also, you wrongly assume that The Fanatic is Osama Bin Laden. The Lady and The Fanatic are archetypes used to symbolize the dichotmy of freedom and oppression. In the case of the World Trade Center, the Fanatic symbolizes WHOEVER did the attack. Also, the Fanatic can symbolize a Police State that arises from this attack. - Storm Bear Williams

Fair enough maybe I did misinterpret what you are saying (actually I hope I did as it is bad enough with people supporting the attacks on Indymedia without other people calling for more). In that case could you kindly explain to me what you mean by the following:

"We must be diligent in our efforts to preserve freedom and to continue to press our elected officials to support initiatives that fight terrorism, fundamentalism and extremism of any kind. Other than scale, there is no difference between a pro-environmental bombing of a timber mill and an anti-capitalist destruction of a major world financial center."

Exactly what "initiatives" do you have in mind?
What is "terrorism"?
What is "extremism"?
What is "fundamentalism"?
And why are you confusing the issue by refering to "anti-capitalist destruction" and linking the recent murderous attacks to the "pro-enviromental bombing of a timber mill"?

I want to thank you for your comments. Terrorism is the shear act of creating terror in a populace. Disturbing "domestic tranquility" of a people or nation. Extremism are acts that are seen as righteous by the few but insane by mass society. Fundamentalism is taking a belief or value system so far, that it destroy civil liberties. The attack against WTC was an act of terrorism. The mass suicide of the Heaven's Gate Cult was an act of extremism. And the Taliban is an example of a fundamentalist regime.

For a pre-attack collection of news articles on the Taliban, click HERE.

As for initiatives, I think stopping the US funding of the Taliban would help, we have given 100's of milliions to that regime over the past few years. Most recently has been in the first quarter of this year. Also, the US government MUST stop propping other dictators across the country, regardless of how much it costs the corporate elite. By not taking a non-violent stand 10 years ago, over a hundred THOUSAND people have lost their jobs. Countless retirement funds have dwindled to zero AND now Americans and just about every other citizen of the planet will lose civil liberties.

I don't mean to confuse the issue concerning a timber mill and a large scale attack. I will say I should have noted that other than scale AND loss of life, there is no difference. I do however feel that this was an anit-capitalist attack by terrorists. They knew such mass destruction would lead to a severe drop in the economy.