You say this thread is sick Doug?

How about this bit of spam that I just got in my email:

New George Bush 2001
Memorial Bill 9-11-01
Dedidcated To Those Who Lost Their Lives

LIMITED EDITION!
These Collectors Items Will Stop Being Made Very Soon !!!

Real Color, Size & Feel of American Paper Currency

The front shows our proud President, George W Bush. The back is dedicated to the memory of those lost on the day of infamy:

FDNY, Flight 11, Flight 93, NYPD, Flight 77, Flight 175, The Pentagon & World Trade Center

Everyone in America should own one of these. They make great gifts for all occasions and are a great conversation starter.

NOTE: This is not to be used as real currency this is meant only to be a collectible.

We've shead our tears, but Commander Bush has spoken! "You're either with us or with the terrorists!" Show your support for our country and the people of New York by carrying one of these commerorative bills!   

1 George Bush Bill $1.50 Plus $3.00 Shipping and Handling
10 George Bush Bills $12.50 ($1.25 each) Plus $3.00 Shipping and Handling
20 George Bush Bills $20.00 ($1.00 each) Plus $3.00 Shipping and Handling

Order Now!!!

Now, taking this as genuine, it is sick.

And *day-liah* - I agree that building up hate and fear is a bad thing, and I think that turning your mind to thoughts of love and peace are a good thing. (Hatred just rots the soul and confuses the mind, and gets in the way of any kind of effective action.)

But I also don't see any contrast between that and what Donuel did whern he started this thread. I see this kind of thing as a way of dispersing the hate and fear rather than anything; and I see the value of turning your mind to thoughts of love and peace largely lies in this helping get the spirit geared up to help us stand up against the madness that seems to be taking over.

In the States, at any rate, it sounds as if doing that might take a lot of courage, one way and another - witness that crass quote from Bush in that sick email I posted just here - "You're either with us or with the terrorists!" (Over here we might get pulled into it, but there's no groundswell of backing for it at all, so far as I can see.)