Forwarded post from a friend of mine

[Amanda]

Words of eloquence from a friend, that I thought to pass on.

--Amanda

FW: My thoughts on this horror

As most of you know, I am a blacksmith by hobby, and this is a copy 
of the post I put on our forum on the internet...  In light of recent 
e-mails, I though that I would share it with you as well. I have 
annotated the postings where some explanation might be needed in 
brackets. 

September 11, 2001 

Accidents,Terrorism, Retribution and Reflection 

I was working as a sheet metal worker when the Challenger exploded. 

The office of the small shop I worked was silent in shock, amazement 
and sorrow. The postman sat stunned in the chair by the front door of 
our office, letters in hand, mouth open. Silent. An accident. 

I was working as a Trade Show Designer/Builder/Installer... when The 
Federal Building was destroyed by a truck carrying a homemade bomb. 
The offices where I worked were shocked and outraged by the assault. 
Even more so when it was discovered that the cowardice was domestic. 
An Outrage. A Tragedy. 

Now I work as a truck traffic manager, shipping beer. What a job!, 
until this morning when I am greeted by Stephanie, (a pretty young 
woman, new to our office) as I wait for the elevator. She is 
noticeably upset. I ask her what is wrong. I do not believe what she 
tells me. That's only in movies or Tom Clancy novels... 

Then I go to the office of our operations department, and see several 
people staring at a small TV set. Suddenly I am back in the sheet 
metal shop. But this is no accident. 

I am a large man. 305 lbs, 6'2. Usually it is not easy for me let 
other see me cry. I didn't care if anyone saw this time though. I 
could only see people dying in real time. The realization that up to 
50,000 people may be dead or dying took precedence over my ego. No 
Accident. An Outrage. 

I live (born and raised) in San Antonio, TX. We have a little town 
just 30 miles north of us called New Braunfels. The entire town is 
only 37,000. I tell this to my coworkers and the scope hits harder. 

Two hours or so have passed since I first heard the news. Anger wells 
up in me in its full testosterone glory. My teeth clench as I think 
of what has happened. I embrace my desire for revenge, even though I 
personally have lost no one. Outrage. No Accident. 

I call my mother. She is in her late seventies. She tells me she has 
never experienced anything like this in her long life. I remind her 
that she was 15 when Pearl Harbor was attacked. She assures me that 
this is far worse. She tells me she loves me, and I reply in kind. 
Only this time, not quite so mechanically as I may have before. 

I calm myself, and decide to read the postings here, [on the 
Blacksmith's web Forum] if only to distract myself for a moment. I 
cry again, this time though a bit more self-consciously. I read that 
John has lead his class in prayer for the victims. Thomas has called 
for us to ring anvils in remembrance of the fallen. I shall ring it 
loudly tonight, and let myself grieve for those I will never have the 
chance to know. 

I am troubled by the backlash that this will no doubt cause. If (and
frankly- I firmly believe this to be so) Ben Ladin and his followers 
are responsible, then may they fear the dark. But I fear that all who 
follow Islam will be blamed. This would as mentioned above make us as 
evil as those who have struck today.[A posting to the forum before 
this one cautioned us not to become the enemy by hating all of one 
race/religion] I fear that those who are as filled with as much 
sorrow and rage as I will condemn all of one sect.

[An earlier post before this one stated that those responsible should 
be confined until death..] Solitary confinement with no human 
contact, as Tony mentioned, is still too gentle a punishment. May 
those responsible be confined with the stench of victim's blood, the 
taste of dust and smoke on their lips, and the knowledge that 
their "sacrifice" and "cause" was fruitless. May they die each day in 
pain and horror, only to be awakened from their dreams to know that 
they are still alive and afraid. 

As a Christian I am supposed to forgive. But not yet. Please know - 
all that are reading this- that my anger is aimed only at those that 
call the cowardly destruction of innocents "jihad," or 
even "patriotism." 

I pray that God(Yeshua, Yahweh,Allah,Vishnu,) keeps you safe. 

Michael Seminara