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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Guide Weather Subscribe Contact Us November 17, 2004 Four years of a different kind of terror By Anne Stine Ashland As I awoke this morning, the old phrase "by hook or by crook" was running through my mind. I am still somewhat stunned that by hook or crook, probably a bit of both, Bush values are continuing on. I don't honestly believe that most people really knew what they were voting for. The power of fear propaganda, i.e. that what we truly have to secure ourselves against are "gangs" of terrorists outside this country who want to destroy us, and which the war on Iraq justifies, has made us blind and dumb to the true values which this country is now embracing. Webster's dictionary defines terrorism as: the act of using organized violence against a government. There are many of us who know that the act of going to war against Iraq and killing over 100,000 women, men and children (more now since this last figure was announced) is the act of a terrorist government, one which gives itself permission to visit horror after horror on tens of thousands of innocent people and surrounding landscape in order to keep its own people 'safe'. (Can we imagine what this country might have done had another country killed 100,000 Americans over a year and a half?!) No matter how mighty our military, all four hundred billion dollars worth of it, we will never be safe. The values of isolation, greed, violence, hatred, separation, etc., in the name of defending our borders and people, will only propagate more of its own kind. We will never be "safe," until, as a community we cultivate strong and lasting compassion, kindness, tolerance, open-heartedness, patience, generosity and a true and genuine caring for all our family sharing this one world with us. The more we fight and separate and isolate, the less we will have true and lasting security. We have just been conned into another four years of a relentless assault on the things that truly sustain life. The terrorism we must stand up to is also in this country among our own people, the ones who say they are building security even as they continue to take away more and more of what each human needs to feel confidence and stability in their life. There are millions everywhere who know without a doubt that the values and actions that come from this current administration do not reflect what America truly is. We are asking 'what can we do now', what are the next steps. We need to become a true majority of citizens who have the courage to embrace our innate qualities of kindness and compassion and active caring for everyone and all life, to not lash out in hatred, fear, violence, isolation and domination when we are threatened. Above all, we need to learn to listen deeply to each other, especially to the pain that lives inside each of us. We each need to dive beneath what divides us to our common humanity and then we can feel truly secure with each other, no matter what our country, race, religion or belief system. Let us stand up to the mandate to fear, hate, divide and conquer by not participating in these lies, and let's begin with our families, friends, community and beyond. Overcoming terrorism begins at home and in each and every one of us. As Ghandi said "there is no enemy outside of the one inside our own heart." That is the one we must befriend. DailyTidings.com Home Page Archives | Revels | Classifieds | Real Estate Guide | Weather | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2005 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Slippers Isotoner Slippers Dsw Shoes Ceramic Piggy Banks Fanny Mae Eloans Calenders 2005 Calender 2005 Accelerate Weight Loss Programs Citibank Student Loans Acs Loan Matchmaking & Dating Scripts Adventure Travel Conference Calls - $50/Month Security Systems student loan consolidation helzberg diamonds Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams