The more you hate such enemies, the more you resemble them. Hate begets willful ignorance, and vice versa.
(added) I think it's much better to laugh at such behaviour than it is to condemn it.
-- And yes, I also mean laugh in the face of terrorism, itself. Which did us more actual harm... the 9/11 incident or our reaction to it? Don't get me wrong; those who died in the attack and their families deserve our sympathy. However, the event was not so significant that it should change our country to the degree that it has. A few security countermeasures: OK. A few bombs thrown at known al-kaida training sights: Fine. Two expensive wars, corroded privacy rights, an overgrown intelligence behemoth operating within our own borders, an increase in racial/ethnic tensions, and a portion of debt that we most likely will never recover from (right after the first non-deficit year in recent history, I might add)? NO. We are attacked by terrorists and our response is to destroy ourselves from within. Rather unfortunate, I think.
Oh, and did I forget to mention that our country seemed to think that torture was OK for a time? When did we become such freaking wimps that a petty, pointless display of beligerance can change our culture to the degree that it has? It's well past time to get over it. We have done more damage to ourselves than Al Quida ever dreamed of doing.
(added again) And yes, I know this thread wasn't about our recent wars, but it all ties together. Such acts as these (the book burning) are not exactly a show of strength... they are a sign of fear. It's pathetic. Almost 10 years after the event, without any significant later disasters, some in our populace are still reeling in panic due to 9/11. When do we get to stop obsessing about it?
And yes, I think some of this trend applies and has partially caused our recent financial situation, as well. In the immortal words President Roosevelt pertaining to the Great Depression: "The only thing to fear is fear itself." We've become paralyzed by a lack of confidence... its really that simple at this point. Perhaps it didn't start that way... immoral and untenable mortgage lending is what started the whole mess to a degree, but the fallout has gone farther than what that should have ever taken us.
Again, when did this country's culture become made of glass? -- to be so easily broken by a small group of terrorists and some ill-advised predatory lenders? I assume we WILL recover, but it's taking far too long in both cases.
