I am having a hard time thinking that the terrorists lived and worked here and hated us all along. Was there never anyone who showed them kindness and love here? Were they really filled with hatred? If so full of hate for Americans how could they work with us, taxi drivers for goodness sake.<BR>Did they not have one American friend? Did they not feel the least bit bad?<BR> My H said it was like being a spy sleeping with the enemy then turning on them. I guess its so, how sad.<BR> Still i wonder if they were living here, if one person could have made a difference to them, made us look human.<BR> Just blabbering, so worried for my childrens future.<BR>

Sad,<BR>They don't give us a chance to be friendly. They are hiding behind a mask of hate. they have built a wall, so no one can touch them emotionally. They are here for a mission, and a mission only. <BR>I think there are other's here in hiding as well. Don't be alarmed, just keep your eyes open. And keep praying. Sherry

It's very difficult to change one's religious, philosophical, political and sports ideas. If you are a Christian it is very difficult to change over to something else no matter how nice the other people are. They just feel they are right and we are wrong. They are fighting a cause and don't necessarily hate everyone. They feel they are fighting on behalf of God to purge and evil society. The Christians did the same thing centuries ago when trying to convert the whole world to Christianity. What the Spanish did in South America is one example. Many Indians were killed. Many native people in all lands got slaughtered. <P>They feel if they fight this cause and die then they will go straight to heaven. <P>It's not easy to change one's whole upbringing and religious convictions. Now we are less violent but once long ago terrible things were done in the name of our Christian God. <p>[This message has been edited by Rodger (edited September 14, 2001).]

I understand their religous belief system, and the history of bad acts under the name of religion.<BR>What Im reeling from is that after coming to our country,living under our system for YEARS eating at restaraunts, going to school.....<BR> They never met one person who changed their mind!!<BR>I have a friend who is islamic, I cant imagine him doing something so horrific.<BR> I am not questioning their religion. I cannot understand how they could live here and function if they hate us so bad. Did they hate their neighbors? their classmates? Did they ever think Gee I would hate it if that one dies.<BR> Its the same feeling I got when I looked at Jeffery Dalmer on TV amazed that he had a normal life and friends and a normal family and a secret rage, how do you hide that kind of hate?<BR>Oh well, not that I expect anyone to answer this question just keep going over it in my head.

SadPrincess - I understand completely (or I guess I understand your not understanding competely cause I don't understand either). It is so hard to figure out why we are hated so much. Why? I was watching the news tonight where they tried to explain but it still didn't make sense. Especially since tonight I travelled behind a motorcade of police motorcycles escorting the trucks transporting bodies from the Pentagon to (I can only assume) Quantico. I had 5 strangers in my car with me (it's a weird commuting thing we do here in DC...organized hitch hiking to take the commuter lanes) and we all voted not to pass the motorcade. (They were only going about 25-30 miles per hour and we were in a 65 mph lane). The woman in my front passenger seat started crying and I about lost it. Thinking about it still sends chills. <P>I guess the response I was apoligizing for last night was over in the in recovery board to the same post that cali posted here. <P>WAT thanks for the email today and sorry I didn't have time to respond. I'm way behind at work.<P>Once again...God Bless America.<P>Deb<BR>

sadprincess,<P>I understand your confusion. I think the whole world is asking the same questions. From the bits and pieces I've picked up on the news I'm beginning to come to my own conclusions about it though.<P>These men who lived here, took all that the US has to offer in terms of freedoms, education and luxuries, seem to have had their own version of religion. Islam teaches that to destroy what Allah has made is evil. These men did not see it this way, to destroy the enemy would send them to paradise. <P>A clear indication that these men did not obey the laws of Islam (as I understand them) are the reports that they were seem in strip bars drinking alcohol and leering over naked women. For me, this means these men took their bitterness and hatred of our prosperity and used it to fuel their ambition to be heroes to the likes of Osama bin Laden and all who cheered on September 11th. <P>They come from a country where poverty is rampant. Even if they are educated there are few prospects. I can't imagine what it must be like for these young men. They see our materialistic, consumer driven world and know that they will never have the opportunities within their own country that we do. <P>Not that they want their countries to be just like America. That may be part of it as well...our culture has been infiltrating the world. From fast food to women demanding more equality, our way of life is far different to thiers and, I would imagine, it is frightening for these men to see their culture slowly eroding from influences in the West. It certainly would make me angry if the shoe were on the other foot. I don't want to have to wear that all over dress thing the women are required to wear! <P>What these men did was unspeakable. Like the rest of us I'm just trying to understand and these are a few of the thoughts I've had about the why's and what for's.<P>God bless you all and keep you safe.<P>

It is some comfort to me to know that these people will not be going to paradise, they will be tortured in hell for all of eternity.

I had some similar observations. They rented very high rent homes with pools. The kids went to American schools, probably had American friends, and went to their birthday parties.<P>I also heard that the night before the attack, a number of them in the strip bar (one poster mentioned this above) where they EACH spent $200-$300 on alcohol and lap-dances. Wonder where that fits into their Islam faith. Hypocrites!<P>Today I went to the bookstore and purchased a book called Teaching Yourself Islam. I thought that myself and my kids (esp. my 15 year old daughter) would do well to find out more about what REAL Islam is about. We all know that this rhetoric these idiots espouse has nothing to do with Islam. It's an excuse to accommodate their evil sickness.<P>

Uh,<BR> I guess if you know you are going to commit suicide tomorrow, kill a couple thousand people,and watch your friends die tomorrow, whats a couple lap dances.<BR>(said with sarcasm)<BR>