rknapp

I still can recall that day to minute detail. It was a sunny autumn morning, and I was in a particularly good mood because of it. This was important because I was otherwise in depressing moods, being the quiet kid in the corner and being fresh on the high school scene. I was playing baseball in gym class exactly when the attacks happened. Since I was outside, I did not learn of the attacks until class ended and all of the gym class students congregated in the cafeteria for morning announcements. I still exactly remember the very first image that was on the television, since all of the televisions on the campus were on the news stations, as opposed to the schools personal channel for the morning announcements. The image was of the hole left in the side of the tower that was struck first. I remember thinking, "Hm, looks like a small plane flew out of control into a sky scraper, probably Chicago." Of course the image then panned out and showed the Twin Towers, one of them smoking like an enormous square cigarette. Class then ended and I went to my next class of the day, Freshman Science. We did not have class, we instead watched the news, and watched in horror as the second aircraft struck the other tower. Class was long enough to show the first collapse. I can't remember what class I was in when the second tower collapsed, all I remember is worrying about the welfare of my father. I ignored the news altogether when we learned that a third plane had struck the Pentagon and a fourth crash landed in Pennsylvania. I can't imagine what anyone who could see the devastation was going through. I lived far enough away that I can't see the City's skyline, but I can see it if I just travel an hour up I-287 N. Despite that considerable distance, I could see the plumes of smoke from my house. As a matter of fact, they were visible from space. All I can say is that no one could have possibly been more afraid than that group of FDNY fire fighters who were trapped on a small section of stairwell as the towers collapsed around them. To this day I don't understand the justification of the attack. We were attacked by an enemy the American public was unaware of. We were attacked by a land we cannot see. We were attacked in the name of a god most of us do not even know of. I find it almost comical that they're angry at us for fighting back. For those who can't quite grasp the severity of the attacks in more than just a sense of an innocent human toll, consider this: This attack is the first campaign on the continental US by an outside force since the war of 1812. This is the first attack on US soil, period, since Pearl Harbor in 1941. In a sense, this attack served to show Americans that their country is not immortal, at least to the generations born after World War II, Korea, and Vietnam, and those too young to understand the Gulf War (such as myself). Let's hope that this realization will be enough to ensure that no one died in vain on September 11th, 2001.

I didn't lose anyone that day, but I thought I did for most of the day. My father was to be returning from a business trip that day, and I couldn't remember if it was from Boston or Baltimore, so I panicked. Since the entire country was grounded, he had to get a rental car from Baltimore and drive home. He only learned of my fears last summer. God bless those devastated by these attacks, and damn those who directly caused it.

You look a lot like someone I know... I just can't place who. BTW you don't look bad at all.

A friend of mine did that in high school AP Chem. He and another kid had the idea of putting some solid K into a beaker of fresh water under the hood in one of the science labs. The other kid was the one who did it, so he got all the blame when the hood was destroyed. I haven't done anything really disruptive. We once drove by a traffic stop and I yelled, "YOU'RE f**kED NOW!" out of my open window (was not driving) since there were two cruisers behind the kid. BOTH cruisers then came after us and pulled us over on the grounds that the driver had crossed over the solid yellow line around the last bend before the apartment complex. We all knew it was bullshit since he saw her put on her blinker and decided right then to throw on the cherry tops. They gave her a written warning for something she did not do and then pulled me out of the car to yell at me. They said I could be taken to jail for such and so forth, and that I was wasting their time. BULLSHIT! They didn't have come after us at all since I was in no way interfering with their work and was in no way breaking the law. The only law I could have broken was the use of profanity in public, of which there is none. They let me go because they had nothing to go on. Another incident occured in my freshman year. I left my room to go drop a deuce when two kids that were on my floor ran into the building and hid in their rooms. A girl from upstairs followed them in, so I stepped out of the bathroom to let her use it (of the three stalls there was one reserved for deucing and one for girls... the same stall). I walked out and waited, when two cops ran in and up the door the kids had dissappeared into. I walked to the lounge and saw a third cop standing at the door. I walked back to the bathroom and continued to wait when one of the first two cops came up to me and started giving me a hard time. They asked if I had been drinking or doing drugs. Of course I wasn't, and I said as much. THEY DID NOT BELIEVE ME! They took my license and called my name in to see if there was anything on me that they could arrest me for! Other kids came out of their rooms to see what the commotion was and were surprised as hell that they were calling MY name in. After all, I was/am the quiet kid that did not bother anyone beyond loud music. Nowadays it seems as though my car is a cop magnet. I was pulled over on several different occasions for no reason at all. I think they're just profiling me since I have 18" aftermarket wheels with five split gunmetal spokes and deep polished lip, which all lend to an aggressive stance when combined with the muscular curvature of the car. Besides that, I have had plenty of cops simply play shadow games with me, getting close enough to get a read on my license plate, but in the end do nothing (they have nothing to go on since I have no warrants and I don't practice illegal driving characteristics... much). It annoys the crap out of me and sometimes makes me want to just sell the wheels and go back to the stock wheels... but I love them too much

At least the cops didn't respond to your disruptiveness

Okay I didn't start this thread to spark a war about Islam. I have no idea as to the accuracy of the e-mail, I just found it interesting that SOMEONE went public (sort of) with something that has been on many peoples' minds in many countries (USA, UK, AUS alike). I started this thread because of the cultural aspect of the e-mail. Graeme, while you're right that Australia is a sort of melting pot of cultures, it's that melting pot that makes it so unique. Take for example the national language. Yes, you speak English, just like the UK and USA, but you have your own unique twist to it with an accent that makes some people weak at the knees. You have your own words that refer to things, such as "Sheela" (I'm sure that term is used only in certain areas, such as surfing destinations). Likewise, there are many differences between UK English and USA English, usually in slang. We call fried potato sticks "French Fries". The UK and the Aussies call them chips. Chips in the states are also fried potatoes, but in thin flat strips, rather than sticks. Just because you have restaurants that specialize in other cultures does not mean that you do not have your own culture. America, GB, France, Germany, South Africa, and so on all have restaurants that specialize in cultures other than their own. This email is targeting neither all immigrants nor all Muslims. It simply is targeting those immigrants and Muslims who refuse to speak the local language, adapt to the local culture, and respect the nation and its people which they chose to live in/with. Such immigrants are a problem here, as evidenced by the hundreds of thousands of illegal Mexican immigrants who vied for civil liberties and amnesty in recent years. They were waving their flag around proudly in protest of the oppressive American government. Why were we oppressive? Because we were forcing our culture on them, and forcing our culture on someone who chose to flee the country they are so proud of to be in our own is wrong, apparently. As for Muslims, they happen to practice the most radical religion I have ever seen. Jamessavik already pointed out some of the extremities in recent years, so I'll just reiterate what was said in the e-mail that the Islamic extremists who refuse to follow the local laws in favor of their own - which do not coincide with local law - were asked to leave. The same can be said of ANYONE who does not wish to the follow the law. If I met someone on the street who said that the law in America to not drive on the left side of the road was not something they agreed with, I would tell them to move to Great Britain, or Australia, or some other country that does drive on the left. The other Muslims, those who DO follow the local law and respect the local culture were very clearly welcomed warmly, as they should.

I was flipping through a group that I belong to on facebook that is essentially patriotic, and I found that someone posted something from an e-mail that he recieved. Here it is: Muslims who want to live under Islamic Sharia law were told on Wednesday to get out of Australia, as the government targeted radicals in a bid to head off potential terror attacks. A day after a group of mainstream Muslim leaders pledged loyalty to Australia and her Queen at a special meeting with Prime Minister John Howard, he and his Ministers made it clear that extremists would face a crackdown. Treasurer Peter Costello, seen as heir apparent to Howard, hinted that some radical clerics could be asked to leave the country if they did not accept that Australia was a secular state, and its laws were made by parliament. "If those are not your values, if you want a country which has Sharia law or a theocratic state, then Australia is not for you", he said on National Television. "I'd be saying to clerics who are teaching that there are two laws governing people in Australia: one the Australian law and another Islamic law that is false. If you can't agree with parliamentary law, independent courts, democracy, and would prefer Sharia law and have the opportunity to go to another country, which practices it, perhaps, then, that's a better option", Costello said. Asked whether he meant radical clerics would be forced to leave, he said those with dual citizenship could possibly be asked to move to the other country. Education Minister Brendan Nelson later told reporters that Muslims who did not want to accept local values should "clear off. Basically people who don't want to be Australians, and who don't want, to live by Australian values and understand them, well then, they can basically clear off", he said. Separately, Howard angered some Australian Muslims on Wednesday by saying he supported spy agencies monitoring the nation's mosques. Quote: "IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT. Take It Or Leave It. I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on Bali, we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of Australians. However, the dust from the attacks had barely settled when the 'politically correct' crowd began complaining about the possibility that our patriotism was offending others. I am not against immigration, nor do I hold a grudge against anyone who is seeking a better life by coming to Australia. However, there are a few things that those who have recently come to our country, and apparently some born here, need to understand. This idea of Australia being a multi-cultural community has served only to dilute our sovereignty and our national identity. And as Australians, we have our own culture, our own society, our own language and our own lifestyle. This culture has been developed over two centuries of struggles, trials and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom. We speak mainly ENGLISH, not Spanish, Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society . Learn the language! Most Australians believe in God. This is not some Christian, right wing, political push, but a fact, because Christian men and women, on Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our culture. We will accept your beliefs, and will not question why. All we ask is that you accept ours, and live in harmony and peaceful enjoyment with us. If the Southern Cross offends you, or you don't like "A Fair Go", then you should seriously consider a move to another part of this planet. We are happy with our culture and have no desire to change, and we really don't care how you did things where you came from. By all means, keep your culture, but do not force it on others. This is OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, and OUR LIFESTYLE, and we will allow you every opportunity to enjoy all this. But once you are done complaining, whining, and griping about Our Flag, Our Pledge, Our Christian beliefs, or Our Way of Life, I highly encourage you take advantage of one other great Australian freedoms, 'THE RIGHT TO LEAVE'. If you aren't happy here then LEAVE. We didn't force you to come here. You asked to be here. So accept the country YOU accepted." This is really something that America needs... too many times have customers come through my line and not spoken a word of English. Multiple times have I cursed at the bastages, only for them to smile at me!

I picked profession, partner, and belief. Profession is important because your career is what takes you through life. If you love your job, then you will be happy. If you hate it, as I do mine, then you will struggle day-to-day and will likely change jobs frequently. This has the effect of changing location, which in some cases is something you have no control over, and is why I did not pick that one. Partner can have a profound affect on a person as well. In a happy/sad sense, a bad partner will lead you to utmost misery. However if your partner is a very good match for you, then you can be infinitesimally happy because your partner can bring you up when other aspects of your life have you down. Belief is important because your beliefs and moral codes are what create an image of you in other peoples' minds. By people, it could be your community, your family, your friends, your co-workers, and potential/current partners. All of which will have a profound effect on you in their own unique way. The choice to accept who you are is difficult at best. I did not choose it because I did not want to choose every single option there, completely defeating the point of choosing the best options. I also did not choose it because, if you're anything like me, then you are too busy with more important things (profession, schooling, etc.) to even think of who you are. Sexually, I am currently nothing because I choose not to have relations with anyone beyond friendship (I have three barking up my tree, I just choose not to toss down the rope ladder). But that's just me. Certainly accepting who you are is a huge part of your life and cannot be taken lightly. If you are really gay and choose to be straight, then not only are your hurting and depriving yourself, you are also hurting the woman you marry and the kids you have with her, as can be immediately seen with the McGreevy family.

Honestly, I think all possibilities are true. I'm sure there are people who claim to be gay just because of the media, but I just hope for their sake that they grow up and discover themselves for real. What do I think? I read an article that scientists studied the brains of deceased HIV victims and found that the sex drive in gay men was similar in size to that of straight women (larger). Likewise the same drive in gay women was similar in size to straight men (smaller). As a scientist of sorts, I tend to believe this theory. Now, exactly how this anomaly occurs is beyond me. It could be a rogue gene within a persons DNA, or it could be a simple mutation cause by any number of things (such as environment). Although logically, if it were genes then we would see many gays in some bloodlines and few in others. Were it environmental then we would find gays more in certain areas than others (this is hard to find since many gays will move to gay friendly areas, thereby destroying any chance of in-depth study).

This situation is also very apparent in the events following former NJ governor Jim McGreevy's coming out speech and subsequent resignation. I read an article the other day that told of how Jimmy is going seminary school to become a minister. He is now Episcopalian, so clearly not all of Christianity condemns gays. The article went on to describe the now lengthy and ugly divorce that he is currently in with his estranged wife, Dina, with whom he has a five-year-old daughter. Despite all this, he has a boyfriend and is therefore following his heart, as opposed to his mind which had been sculpted to believe that a wife and kids is what he wanted, then reshaped to allow his heart and soul to have a say in the matter before he got too far in life (he is currently 50 years old). I applaud Jimmy and wish him well in seminary school, and I also wish him and his family well in the divorce proceedings, namely the daughter who will be hit the hardest. I spit on the ground walked by demons such as Craig and Haggard.

Actually I would use the term "Weak" against the conservative homophobic Christians. On one of my car forums it isn't unheard of for there to be discussions on the topic of homosexuality, and I would say 30% of the forum is very accepting, another 50% doesn't give a rats ass, and 20% calls it evil. In that 20% is a man who once called gays weak because they succumbed in some fashion to the temptations of the devil and became gay. He naturally called homosexuality a choice, and pitied all gays for their weakness. The same can be said for those in the far right. All bible thumpers and just about anyone who uses the Lord God to explain something on a day-to-day basis is weak because they've been brainwashed to believe so. Anyone who believes in Creation Science (now called Intelligent Design, just because it sounds "intelligent") and calls Evolution a lie was clearly brainwashed to believe so and is therefore weak. I wonder if saying as much to someone who tells us that our beliefs are wrong would show them how stupid/cruel they sound... but that might just spark another battle in the endless war that is a thousand times bloodier than the Cold War. (Math geeks: I know that statement is mathematically false since the number of deaths caused by homophobia in recent decades times the number of deaths caused by military strikes/ battles during the Cold War between the USA and the SU comes out to be zero, but I'm just saying that our "war" is far more bloody than an actual historical war.... kthxbai)

This club ain't all it's cracked up to be... honest! *looks at his own post count and sighs* lmao Welcome to the club guys! (well, guy and gal )

I think the author successfully got his message across -- unfortunately he just used two piss-poor examples to do it. As awful as those men are, they do still fit the bill for part of the authors message. What he's saying is that if society was more accepting of homosexuality then these men -- scratch that, cockroaches -- would become a dying breed. They do what they do in public to make their lives cushy, because what they say and do is unfortunately what much of society wants, or at least their respective microcosms. What they do in private is simply further proof that homosexuality is not a choice. Kevin, what you described in the first part of your post is aken to "ethno-centricity." Ethno-centricity is where you treat someone in some way that you would not apply to your best friend simply because they are different. An example would be a white person in modern western society treating someone native to an African country different (good or bad) because their manner of dress or behavior reflects their own culture as opposed to the westerners culture, largely due in part to the westerner not understanding the other persons culture (Note: ehtno-centricity and kevin's explanation of himself are not completely related, this is just what came to mind). Anyway, I am saying this because it sounded to me like you were afraid of calling the actions of these slimeballs wrong, since other people would view them differently. Stop doing that... if what you say offends someone, then that is their prerogative and it has nothing to do with you Now then, I will say out right that these men are indeed pitiful, pathetic, and disgusting. They are also wrong. Getting a blow job from someone whom you are actively working against is wrong no matter how you look at it. It's no different than me getting a blow job from a black man after a KKK party (no this didn't really happen -- it's just an example). I'm sure they've spent more than one night crying themselves to sleep because of their life choices, but they deserve it. No one is twisting their arm and forcing them to do what they do. Gay friendly areas are all over this continent, as well as others, and there are many professions that do not shun gays.

I, too, would love to leave the United States, but for more reasons than just the bigotry that runs rampant. I won't go into details because I don't want to start a political war, but it has pretty much everything to do with the current administration, the church, insurance, and the military. The Founding Fathers must be rolling in their graves.

Congrats on... well, on not dying! Heh I know what it's like to get sick from working too much... it happens when you're an engineer during the school year and a retail employee in the off-season.

Despite popular belief, 90% of Jersey is farmland... my two hour drive from home in the north to school in the south is dominated by farmland. Then there's the Highlands up in the northwest territory and the Pine Barrens that encompass the south. AFAIK, Camden, Newark, and some shore destinations (AC, JC, OC, etc.) are urban. Camden and Newark get their influence from Pennsyltucky and New Yawk, so shove it! It's still hard to defend this state. Since 90% of it is farmland, 90% of it is the sticks, so there's really nothing to do outside of the various malls dotting the state, especially if you live near the delware river... in my friggin county. My town has the only movie theater in the county, so I have to go 20 miles out to do anything!

Maybe in a coupla weeks I'll drive out to Atlantic City at night and get a couple night shots of the neon skyline.

Representing the East Coast here! Specifically New Jersey. The state has it's ups and downs (no sales tax on clothing, but property taxes are astronomical! we also pay one of the lowest prices for gas in the country and don't have to get out of the car! but car insurance rates are astronomical... trade-off to everything i suppose). If I have to move, it's either to follow my career or to get the HELL OUT OF NEW JERSEY! If I had to choose what state I wanted to live in... California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, South Carolina, North Carolina. I love the south, can you tell? Comes with being a Florida cracker! As for country, the only countries I could ever live in are pre-dominantly english speaking countries (USA, UK, Canada, Australia, etc.) but none of those interest me in the least. Least of all the idiots driving on the left side of the road! I would rather live in Southern France, Italy, Greece, Germany, etc. The trouble with these countries is that English is a lot harder to come by (though not at all impossible) and I hate learning languages. I got sick of Spanish after three years of it. One big reason that I would be eager to leave the USA is because her government sucks the big one. Not to get political on your asses, but the Bush administration has made so many wrong turns, knowing how it would so badly affect the people, just for its own gain! Not to mention that Bush intends on making the war infinitesimally worse than it already is before he leaves office, which will only serve to turn the entire world against us, specifically Iran, Russia, China, and Pakistan... all nuclear states.

Ditto.

.... THAT'S AWESOME! I can only imagine the reaction on a little kids face if that happened and you just stared at them, haha!

I've only been there once and it was for a broken leg. My skate got caught in a crack or chip in the ice at the end of practice one night, so I fell right on my ankle. I got back up and tried to skate again... fell right the hell back down from the immense pain. I never got changed, I just went straight to the ER with my dad and sat there waiting for a couple hours with my parents, all decked out in my ice hockey outfit. Even still had the skate on the broken leg (turned out be a hairline fracture just below my left tibia) to try and keep the swelling down. My grandma was visiting, but she stayed at home. My dad told me to tell her that I had clean underwear on in case she asked

Damn Kev... where do you get the time? I'm only following two gay fiction stories... Queen of Ice by CPL (I know it's finished, but CRV Boy has been posting chapters every few days and I'm waiting for more important finances to be taken care of before I go buying the book on LuLu) Roommates by Krista

My situation only differs by currently location. Just replace "Out of country" with "Across the country."

*shudders* My supervisor put me in the Juniors (teenage girls) department today... so I had to put some of those away. Actually today was the first I ever heard of Seven. Out of curiosity, why are jeans so damn expensive and popular? They all look the same and they're all uncomfortable... I much prefer normal cargo pants. EDIT: I wasn't going to post about it, but f- it. I can't really smile because of the tragedy, but at least I did what I could to help. When I went on my lunch break today I found a flyer stuck between my wiper blade and windshield. It stated "J.S. (name hidden), a 20 year old H.C. alumni, was hit by a tractor trailer on July 27. She suffered many injuries, including a broken arm, leg, fractured pelvis, broken tailbone, collapsed lung, and all of her ribs were broken." It was a cry for help from her place of work, Friday's, which is what me sorta smile. They held an event tonight for her to raise money to pay for the thousands in medical bills that her family will face soon. 20% of all tabs from 5pm-9pm went straight to her family, and a donation bucket was available for those who did not want to eat. After work (got out at 6:30) I drove straight to the restaurant and dropped the biggest bill I had ($5) into the bucket, and my class president (also works there) thanked me. I know her personally, so something like this is very troubling. I think it's a blessing on her family that she not only survived the accident, but also her friends and co-workers banded together to give them some kind of relief. It also made me smile that there are still people in the world who don't think only of themselves in times of tragedy.