I'm deeply shocked...

Yes, the United States will never be the same again. One change that

I will welcome, and which now, more than ever, is obviously needed, is

better airport security. That FOUR commercial jets could be hijacked

in the same morning, in the same nation, is a sign of serious security

problems. You posters from other countries may not know it, if you've

never travelled in the U.S., but our airport security is a joke

compared to all of the other nations I have visited (Europe,

Australia, etc.). Perhaps now we will professionalize our airport

security forces, as many other nations have done.

<P>I called my mother this morning, shortly after I saw the first

news report. She didn't answer ... she lives just north of NYC in

the

suburbs. I wasn't worried for her.</P>

<P>A friend of mine works in DC for the State Department. He's

in the

State building and in the Pentagon all the time. I dreaded

callling.

He sent an email around noon, he is safe.</P>

<P>My cousin and his family live in the apartments just west and

south of the New York WTC site, about 3 blocks away. Many

friends

live or work in the neighborhood there. I have no news from any

of

them.</P>

<P>My mother called me back this afternoon. She'd just seen

the news

and was crying. "I'm so tired. I've already been through four wars,

do I have to suffer another?"</P>

<P>I can think of no answer to that plaintive cry.</P>

<P>Godfrey</P>

<BLOCKQUOTE><H4>The Balance</H4>

<P>"Do you see, children, how an act is not, as young men

think,

like a rock that one picks up and throws, and it hits or misses,

and that's the end of it? When the rock is lifted, the earth is

lighter; the hand that bears it heavier. When it is thrown the

circuits of the stars respond, and where it strikes or fails the

universe is changed. On every act the balance of the whole

depends. The winds and the seas, the powers of water and

earth and

light, all that these do, and all that the beasts and green things

do, is well done, and rightly done. All these act within the

Equilibrium. From the hurricane and the great whale's

sounding to

the fall of a dry leaf and the gnat's flight, all they do is done

within the balance of the whole. But we, insofar as we have the

power over the world and over one another, we must learn to

do

what the leaf and the whale and the wise do of their own

nature.

We must learn to keep the balance. Having intelligence, we

must

not act in ignorance. Having choice, we must not act without

responsibility.</P>

<P><I>&emdash; Ursula K. LeGuin</I></P></BLOCKQUOTE>

Neather security or inteligence, neather power or violence, neather

in the name of revange, makes us unvulnerable; something reality has

insist in putting in my head today.

My heart is filled with sadness as I realize the evil that exists in

our world today. I believe the human race is capable of peace, but

many wish for peace and still, it is not here.

I haven't cried for a long time but I did last nite.

Not that I was there, not that I am in the USA, not that my friends

or family members were lost, but just from knowing the pain

that was suffered, still being suffered and that may never heal.

<p>

These are pics that I wouldn't take. Pure misery.

To our neighbours in the USA, our thoughts & prayers are with you

this evening. I spent the afternoon with our Emergency Measures

Group, preparing for flights redirected and to ensure that people

arriving on cruise ship from States arriving in our harbour would be

met by people trained to assist in such grief. This evening my family

attended church and offered our prayers to the families affected by

such horrible events. All peoples are affected by such terrible

events. We must strive to make the world better for our children.

To all our international users of this list so shocked by these acts,

I ask this serious question. Considering the magnitude of the attack,

the kinetic and chemical expended by the crashing aircraft and the

kinetic energy expended as the towers collapsed, would you be shocked

if the us government decided that this act had crossed the nuclear

threshold. Will you be equally shocked with the dead women and

children seen on international television after a US retaliatory

attack or will you say that it's terrible but they deserved it. We

are all shocked with terrorism and loss of life. Does your shock

extend to the point where you will see massive retalliation as

justified.

Thank you for the sentiments.

<p>

I grew up in New Jersey, in sight of New York City, and watched the

World Trade Center complex go up over a few years. Today I watched

it come down in a matter of seconds.

<p>

-Nick

I was shaken as I watched the events unfold this morning and have no

other words to explain this. May God be with all the families

involved and may He give your government leaders the patience and

forthought to do what is right in a timely fashion. I have two small

children and I can't shake the thought of how many children in New

York don't have a mother or father coming home tonight. How

absolutely cowardly can humans get? My prayers are with you in the

USA.

What a horrible day this has been for all humanity! Thanks for the

concern expressed here by all. Let's keep the faith!!!

Thank you Lutz, Roberto, Robin, et. al. I can't talk any Leica talk

today. Somehow I knew we would exchange thoughts on today's

tragedy. I'm too shocked to collect my thoughts. I haven't been a

very good counselor today. I could use some myself.

<p>

Stan Tamarkin is close to the target area. I think I'll try to check

if they're OK.

"Will you be equally shocked with the dead women and children seen on

international television after a US retaliatory attack or will you say

that it's terrible but they deserved it... Does your shock extend to

the point where you will see massive retalliation as justified."

<p>

I see "massive retaliation" as justified if it is targeted at those

who have committed this act and those who aided and abetted them. But

violence is rarely precise, there is often "collateral damage" (to

borrow a military term), and I believe that revenge, prevention,

justice -- whatever you wish to call it -- is not worth the sacrifice

of innocent lives. So yes, I would be shocked, and disappointed, at

pictures of "dead women and children" and any other innocents, for

that matter, and I believe many other Americans feel the same way. To

bad it is not a universal sentiment.

I wish to thank all of the international contributers for thier

sympathy and compasion for the victims of this tragic event. Words

cannot describe the emotions I have experianced today. So much

horror, grief and anguish caused for so many innocent people, and for

what? It is encouriging to see people pulling together in this time

of need, but I can't for the life of me see anything good coming out

of this. No cause will be advanced, and certainly more destruction is

on the way.

God help us all in the upcoming weeks.

<p>

Steve

Oh God let our sorrow wash with tears the blood and the dust, and

when calm help us find the ligth tomorrow, sorrow, so deeply sorrow.

<p>

I´ll go to bed now and just pray for tomorrow to be a new day.

A new day has broken. It's still quiet in the house and quiet outside -

quieter than on other days, it seems. I'm sitting in front of the

screen, reading your posts with tears in my eyes. When I looked into my

teenage daughters bedroom to wake her, she was lying awake, hadn't

slept after the news we have been watching yesterday. I wish I could

make this world more liveable for her and for those to come.

Lutz,

<p>

Thank you.

<p>

Though I am far away in Singapore, I had a niece and a sister-in-law

in the next building over who are safe, as are other immediate family

in NYC. Those were long hours yesterday.

<p>

My deepest sympathies to all affected in any way, or who bear any

loss...

I share your feeling of pain, friends. My family and friends here in

Russia and Ukraine are shocked and commiserate to the act of

terrorism.

Well what can anybody say, I feel what every sane compassionate

person feels in such a situation, but lack of true comprehension and

lack of words disable me. It makes everything I am passionate about

seem so trivial.

Me too. I don't even know how to put it. I am at a loss for words. I

am so sorry for anybody/everybody involved. For them and their

families and friends.

From New Zealand too my heartfelt prayers to all Americans and to all

peace and freedom-loving people throughout the world who have been so

deeply shocked by this unspeakable tragedy. I remember standing on the

top of the World Trade Center in March with my wife and my cousin, who

lives in New Jersey. How we admired the view and waited until the sun

went down to watch and photograph this magic city sparkling at night.

The utter horror of what has happened is almost unbelievable. It puts

so many other trivial things into perspective. Let us just pray that

the forces of goodness and peace triumph. God bless!

I also am far away, a Brit/Aussie living in Indonesia. I had no

access to TV news last night so the first I heard of the tragedy was

this morning. My feelings were, firstly, disbelief, then shock, then

sympathy for the innocent, then anger toward the guilty and, right

now, disgust at the futility of it all. For all those who have

undergone a most terrible experience, through no fault of their own,

victims and their loved ones, I feel very sad.

<p>

There is bound to be a strong response to these terrorist actions,

though it will be difficult to focus on the real enemy, who hides

behind a cowardly cloak of anonymity. In any event, I believe the

people of the USA will rise to the occasion, as always, with

nobility, dignity and honour.

I'm from Italy. We now have seen the horror, but We must continue to

believe in life and freedom. Un fraterno saluto a tutti voi.

My colleagues, friends and I wish to convey our deepest sympathies to

the families and friends of all those killed and injured in

yesterdays horrific acts of terrorism.

<p>

Those who planned and perpetrated these barbaric acts are truly

insane.

Mixed emotions and scrambled thoughts here in London. Its senseless

and so waistful. Human kind may be the most developed and

supposedly 'intelligent' species on this planet. But I really wonder

sometimes.

I feel deep compassion for those that lost their lives completely

innocent of this act. To all fellow Leica users in the US my thoughts

are with you and I know you will spring back, sometime, when you are

ready.

At our church in England this morning we prayed for America and the

victims and relatives and friends of all those affected by this

indescribable disaster. Words simply cannot rise to the occasion,

but I just want to express sympathy, solidarity and support to all

Americans - our loved and respected allies in so many difficulties

and dangers. You will come through all this.

<p>

God Bless America!