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OSG Home > Opensewer 10 > Cleveland |
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Opensewer 10 Cleveland Discussion Summary Wednesday,
August 10, 2001, 7:00 PM at the Fulton
Bar and Grille, Upstairs, 1835 Fulton Rd., Cleveland, OH, 44113. By Chris Oldham This was a different type of Opensewer gathering. We approached the subject knowing even less than usual where it was going to go. Living in uncertain times, things changing every day...every time we turn on the television or radio it seems that there is "breaking news" related to the tragedy of September 11. Three days prior to our meeting, America began its military campaign on Afganistan. The topic was transforming itself right up until the event. The original charge of dealing with "life after September 11" was holding true--life was changing before our eyes. Our lives after September 11 are full of things that we as Americans have not had to feel or ponder ever before in our history. We had an overwhelming sense of interaction and participation among the group. No one drifted in and out of the conversation, and everyone spoke up at one point or another. On the subject of terrorism - This was an attack with side effects that resonated throughout American society. The terrorists were concise, organized, deliberate, methodical and driven. We are used to attributing such atrocities to mentally unstable souls, yet the terrorists were not crazy or irrational. All evidence points toward quite rational, logical, devoted people with a well-thought plan. We can't forgive these people nor can we excuse any part of their actions. One attendee described the events as "beyond [her] comprehension of evil." Many expressed concern that the prevailing sentiment among Americans is that once we "get" Osama Bin Laden, everything will be okay. This may be in fact far from the truth--we must come to the realization that terrorists may have infiltrated all aspects of our nation. This is not a war with a face. On the subject of hate crimes - These are nothing new to American culture, but are every bit as disgusting as ever. The prevalence of racist incidents toward the Muslim community in recent weeks is reminiscent of the crimes against the Japanese-American communities during World War II. We believe that the terrorists knew that this would naturally follow their attack. These actions would tend to unify and strengthen the Muslim community in a common hatred of America--turning ourselves into the enemy. The same racial profiling that helps us figure out who the terrorists are can backfire in the hands of improperly trained or ignorant professionals. On the subject of media - We repeatedly blamed the media for feeding the paranoia. One member of the discussion had been traveling in England at the time, and noted the "distinctly American media practice" that was "branding" this event. The BBC seemed to provide more consistent, level-headed and honest reporting. On the subject of security - We all want to feel a tightening of security. We all would sign away some of our freedoms to prevent an event like this from happening in the future. For instance, one of our members recently visited Canada, and upon reentering the United States encountered a border guard who did not even look up from his paperwork before waving her through the gates. The balance of security and convenience of travel across the border is under scrutiny. The U.S. has become vulnerable because we have become so accustomed to and demanding of convenience. We are an impatient, non-security minded society. We are unwilling to wait in lines, therefore, our borders (as just one example) are loosely guarded so people can pass through quickly and without hassle. At the end of the meeting the group was not panic stricken, but rather felt a real bond. It was the bond of individuals sharing the experiences of an event--an event that changed all of our worlds at the same time. We reached a collective agreement that the September 11 events had such impact that we should include a brief and disciplined follow-up discussion at OS 11.
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