I hadn't said a word on this one (yet)

But here goes...
Boy-I-tell-ya-what... TWC tragedy has done exactly as the terrorists planned. It used the unexpected catastrophic deaths and destruction to terrorize us... as a people and a nation.

What disturbs me to watch some of us draw together... yet others being torn apart.
Amazing amounts of time, money, services have been donated to help... yet others have elected to personally profit from our need as people to do SOMETHING - to buy SOMETHING in hopes to show or display our frustration and desire to DO SOMETHING from SOMEWHERE.

Katie? I too approached a vendor this weekend selling magnetic flags for one's vehicle. He was charging $20 for a small magnetic flag - with no mention of the proceeds going anywhere but his pocket. I didn't buy one from him...

Later I saw some for $8 with $5 going to the relief efforts...
Did I buy one? yes
Will the money go to the relief fund? I have no idea. I hope so.

All I can say are emotions are running high...
I think of Rich Hanover's post when he had "made it home" and I am paralyzed in grief and sorrow.

Do I react to "other's actions or words"? I try real hard NOT to... since we all express ourselves ourselves differently.
That's what makes America great... we have the freedom to buy - or not buy.
To support - or decline.
We pray - we cry - we rage in the streets or the privacy of our homes... we start conversations with strangers in supermarkets and we sit glued to televisions and shudder as 30 more bodies are found but realize 6000 are still missing.
But no matter how we act or react... we have the freedom to be human and yes... even profit - although I am personally disgusted by the selfishness of some vendors.

BUT FOR ME - and this applies to ME only - I can't assume I truly understand what someone else is feeling, why or how they chose to express it.

Did you act inappropriately? Hell - who knows?
Did you act like a human being torn apart by the actions that have wounded the hearts of our great nation? Probably.
Last week my son colored his hair blue for Patriotism Day at school... red shorts, white shirt... BLUE hair...
Was this appropriate? I don't know... I wasn't sure myself but it was an 11 year olds way of expressing himself by showing patriotism.

God bless all of you... God bless New York.
God help the victims and families of this terrible act of devastation and
GOD BLESS AMERICA!