the poetry of war cannot be pretty. this is of nightmares and rubble. how do i say without anger and without emotion the truth, what i feel - that i disagree with national sentiment and certainly with national policies and it is because of the "terrorists" who founded our country that i have that right and should be expected to feel such. i believe that all killing is wrong. i believe that we should not boast ourselves to be morally superior to the rest of the world. i believe that the sentiment that is building - this us versus them mentality - is a bad thing. i believe that guns are being jumped. i believe that military action will be in direct opposition to that which we supposedly support; that our freedom is being ridiculed by our actions. i believe that the separation between church and state has suddenly blurred. i believe that this whole thing is turning into one huge rationalization for racism and xenophobia. i believe that money is disappearing to ensure our right to gas-guzzling machinery, nice running shoes, and a starbucks on every corner. i believe that what was intended was a questioning of american values, or the lack thereof. i believe that in our fight for civil rights, we have, are, and will eliminate the civil rights of others. i believe that these words "freedom" and "democracy" are being thrown around like so much confetti. i believe that it is possible that bin laden is not, in fact, responsible. i believe that this is all terrible. i believe that people died needlessly. i also believe that people die needlessly every day at the hands of america. i believe we have blood on our hands as well, and that before we start throwing criticism around like snow (or sand as the case may be), we should take a look at ourselves and our policies and admit what this act was intended for - to smash our national illusions of not only security, but superiority.