FWD: My view from NYC

[KXX4493553 at aol.com]

------- Forwarded message follows -------
From:               Jay Robert Hauben <jrh29 at columbia.edu>
To:                 "Zur Entwicklung der Kommunikationsnetze in Praxis und 
Forschung" <NETZFORUM at medea.wz-berlin.de>
Subject:            My view from NYC
Date sent:          Wed, 3 Oct 2001 13:32:22 -0400 (EDT)
Send reply to:      NETZFORUM at medea.wz-berlin.de


Living in NYC I wrote to a friend in Europe making an observation
about my home city. I wanted to share it with Netzforum as well:

I was very happy that a war fever could not be whipped up in NYC.
Instead, there were many places where signs appeared saying: "An eye
for an eye only leaves the whole world blind." - Mahatma Gandhi and
"Our grief is not a cry for war".

Union Square which is just North of 14th Street became a site for
sympathy and a memorial for the victims and a gathering of peace and
anti-war sentiments. One night on BBC I heard a BBC reporter in Union
Square say he could not find one supporter there for military action.
He said there was genuine grief but more a spirit of peace and
anti-racism than for war.

There was one place I saw anti Arab graffiti on a Friday but by Monday
it was replaced by posters: "Islam is Not the Enemy -- War is not the
Answer." and "Respect and Defend our Arab Neighbors". These appeared
to be printed up perhaps on home computers.

A New York City artist wrote in the Chronicle of Higher Education:

"After Tuesday, I can no longer speak as a woman, or an artist, or a
New Yorker. Speaking in those ways -'speaking personally'- will no
longer do. I have to learn to speak as a citizen."  Laurie Fendrich

On one Campus here a group formed called People for Peace. There were
anti-war teach ins and a small peace rally. On the campus, the ban the
bomb symbol appeared as it did in windows of shops in other parts of
NYC.

All in all, among most of the people I am in contact there is a
questioning why and how did this happen but no sentiment that bombing
or attacks in the Middle East or anything like that would be a
solution.

This is not to say there isn't much confusion among people here as how
to move forward or build a more secure society. There are plenty of
American flags.

Parts of New York may be more anti-war than the rest of the country
but they set the example of grief without a cry for war that seems to
have moderated the bravado of the war mongers.

Of course the opportunists are taking advantage to bring a more police
state atmosphere here with restrictions on travel and more police
presence in many places.

Anyway I wanted to send you this personal view from NYC in case it is
helpful to you.

Take care.

Jay




Kurt-Werner Pörtner