ok a new post for polotics so that we dont over inhabit the happy news post...
9/11 is a sad subject and it seems to me that bush the war munger is in it to win it. i saw on a current afair last night that the secutary took notes on what bush said on the day and it wasnt pretty...alot of swearing actually.

Okay,
Cassie-- good point! I think what happened to America was dreadful and the amount of people lost and suffering is horrific, though I think the Media are picking it to shreds over the airwaves now, and it is enough. In buddhism, they study the facts of moving on with life, take what comes and accept the bad, through thinking with a positive mind. If everyone used something along the lines of this- we would all be a very peaceful bunch! Has anyone read any novels writen by the Dalai Lama by chance? If so, you would understand where I'm coming from. We all need to keep positive- not race off and look for war! And far enough- what happened is none of America's fault, though lives will be lost in the battle for World Peace- something no one will ever be able to bring to the world!!

Accept the bad, but move on.. otherwise we'll be making everything much worse!!

Kerrie.

good point kerrie i honestly could not agree with you more! i wrote a poem about 9/11 caus i thought i should write something that i could look back at in ten years time its my first decent attempt at a poem so all critcism is appreciated...(im not being sarcastic)
9/11
The twin towers were once never noticed,
then the terrorists charged forth their protests.
few men can kill thousands with out gilt,
these men were cowards using a plane full of people as sword and hilt.
they think theyre martars saving the world,
no one gave thekn the wisdom in a pearl.
they broke the power deemed unbrakeable,
titanic was sunk and yet it was unsinkable.
i see the two sides of the pain,
both believe they are right and are to stubborn to join together and seek gain.
we all hurt some more than others,
but iun these times we find the power of brothers.
it is important to stand by,
to be a shoulder to lean on and let them ask you why?
but it irritates me that i can offend people if i give my point of view,
i cant say i understand both sides or i will be shot down in the room.
the attack revealed our weaknesses, our fears and vunerability to all,
but i believe it is our own decision to decide weather we let ourselfs fall.

When a stranger sticks his nose into your business and tells you the way you are doing things are wrong, then you would get pissed off and if you are not given a chance to fix things the way you wish to do it and are told the only way to do it is this way and no options are left then you are going to take the only course available to let your anger known. I am not agreeing or condoning what the terrorists did but to a certain degree it can be understood.

Cassie, that poem was lovely, and so insightful.  Don't change a word of it.  The talk of war is confusing and I get irritated with myself when I get caught up in the politics of it all.  Anonymous is right - it isn't fair that people aren't allowed to talk about both sides of the argument without being labelled as a terrorist sympathiser.  There are always two sides to an argument, and if there's one thing I remember vividly from my childhood (which I repeat to my own children) it's that "Two wrongs don't make a right."

Kerrie's advice is very sound.  We should take our cue from the Dali Lama (spelling) and look at the positives.  People were brought together because of this tragedy, and we all realised that no matter how much money we had or how powerful we were, we could die just as easily as the person standing next to us in the lift.  The people whose lives are now under threat in Iraq are people just like us. Babies, mothers, daughters, sons, fathers, grandparents.  They don't deserve to die either.

On Sept 11 my children's school changed the message on their street sign to "Give Peace a Chance".  I thought that was beautiful. 

im glad you liked my poem louise and im glad you understand both perspectives -anonymous(crap spelling i know!)
any way im the type of person who loves to get ointo heated discusions over polotices(my friend think im crazy!) and it really gets on my nerves that i cant happily give my opinion...9/11 it still so tuochy for people and if at times you dont say what they want to hear then you get your head bitten of so i quiet crankily keep my mouth shut in general. i have to say that i think that bush is far to eager for war and howard is like a little puppy tumbling along behind him doing everything that bush says!

The best thing for business is a war, it just keeps on churning out the profits. What I can't understand is Tony Blair and his reasons for getting invovled. (I have missed some news pieces, somewhere along the line) The only reason that I can think of, off hand is that he wants to push Britain's standing in the global perspective. Britain is no longer a 'super power' since World War 2 and he is riding on Bush's coattails. Suddam has backed down about letting weapons inspectors in but Bush is going to the world 'Whoa, hold your horses, this don't mean diddley squat' I can just imagine his government sitting in a dark corner somewhere rubbing their hands together and thinking PROFITS and POWER.

could not agree with you more.

I'm agreeing with all of this.  But I don't agree with people who say that war is inevitable.  Instead, we should "Think about what we want, not what we don't want."

So next time a discussion of the situation comes up, instead of getting all incensed (as I often do), I'm going to think about peace, because that's what I want.  I've written my email to the Prime Minister and told him I want peace, so short of attending peace rallies, which I hope I'll get the opportunity to do, I'm planning to simply imagine a world where peace exists and people act with respect and love towards each other.  That isn't the reality at the moment, but I'm a firm believer in the power of one.  If a whole lot of people imagine peace, and speak and act from that imagining, war will be a whole lot more difficult to enact.

anonymous i totaly agree with what your saying.
i view the whole situation as quiet sad actually, people are fighting over wepons of 'mass destruction'and are more than prepared to heartlessy kill thousands of people ... a wedding was bombed in afganistan and all bush said was opps.... this is like little kids playing armies and fighting over toys and it is trully pathetic! i cannot understand how both British and Australian priministers managed to become rapped around bushes little finger but it makes me disturbed and worried that the war munger has sooooo much power... he is one of those poeple who the minute he gets power becomes obbsessed with it and want more!

I agree with Louise, in that a person creates their own reality and war is not inevitable. You manifest what you truly want and if enough people will it will happen. This war or about to happen war is about power, greed and dominence. How many more bright shining lights must be killed before the leaders of the U.S. realise that the way they do things is not the right way. Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf all were acts of futility and didn't fix a thing. Nothing was improved or made "better"
War...Bah humbug!!

well i dont know of any way to get bush to back of...personaly i think all the presidents and primeministares are as bad as eachother. i just wish people had voted for kim beasly not howard!

Guys, i was just reading this thread. Is there to be no further political debate, it was just getting interesting!!! I know I should but I don't have a huge interest in politics. It is wonderful to know that there can be debate with no one taking offense.
Any ways must toddle.
Love and laughter
Kylie

It is nice, Kylie, isn't it?  But I'm afraid I'm all debated out.  I've moved past that into Think about what you want, not what you don't want, so whenever the thought of war enters my head, instead of becoming anxious and visualising what I don't want to happen, I start singing John Lennon's "Give Peace a Chance" and sending happy, peaceful thoughts out into the world, imagining that people are caring and compassionate towards each other and that common sense and decency prevails. 

If it's true that we create what we think about, I'd rather dwell on peace than war.

well i could go on for hours about recent events but ... not too many people seem intrested which is fair enough:)

I am mad, real mad about what happened in Bali and me being mad shows that I am afraid...I am wishing with all my heart and sending lots of love and energy to the victims of the terriosts attack but I am still afraid. I hope that Johnny howard doesn't agree to to send troops to Iraq, my husband would be going over otherwise. I know that it is his job but it doesn't make it any easier.
anyway,
love and laughter
Kylie

Kylie, please keep us up to date with you hubby. My thoughts will be with all of you with family in the army.

I too hope Johnny Howard could create a thought of his own rather than mimicking those of a man who said when asked why would he want to go after Saddam Hussein said (AND I QOUTE!!!)

"Well, he did try to kill my Dad."

Hmmmm...

I hate john howard i wish beasly had become prime minister he has experiance in these problems he was the defence minister after all. yeah what happened in bali is prety tough i feel sorry for you kylie and i hope things go all right:) john howard basicaly begged the terrorists to come to australia ...sadam husane never knew about us untill reporters said what about australia!

Cassie, just because Beasley was Defence minister doesn't make him any more qualified than John Howard.
I have to admit that even tho I am worried, my hubby is champing at the bit to go over...in some things i just do not understand him. I don't think that it is because he wants to kill people but more to do with the fact that he is lifer been in for about 20 years and has not had a chance to use the skills that he has been taught. He missed out on Timor which he was pretty bitter about. I am sending postive and healing energy to all our world leaders and imagine them shaking hands and declearing peace.
Love and laughter,
Kylie

That must be scary for you Kylie, and I imagine Deb (whose husband is in the army too) is probably feeling much the same thing.  I find it hard when I've never wanted to fight myself, to understand how people in the armed forced feel and think about this sort of conflict.  No doubt their protective urges are strong.

However events transpire, I'll be with you, thinking about peace and goodwill to all of humankind, and sending thoughts of compassion and tranquility to the world leaders involved.

"All we are saying..."