| 9/11 did not "change everything." Most things are still the same. |
| When you hear someone say "everything is different after 9/11", it is usually followed by the exploitation of the 9/11 tragedy to justify some unnecessary policy, expenditure, security measure, etc. 9/11 does not justify detaining anyone anywhere in the world for any length of time without representation or trial. 9/11 does not justify egregious amounts of taxpayer money being spent on defense contracts that do little for national security and that do much to line the pockets of defense contractor corporate executives. 9/11 does not justify pre-emptive strikes on countries that may pose some ill-defined threat at some undetermined time in the future. There is no question that the tragedy of 9/11/01 devastated the family and friends of the roughly 3000 victims. The loss that they suffered can't be comprehended by most of the rest of us. That having been said, it's important to put the loss of 9/11 in context. Approximately 300,000 Americans die each year from smoking related illnesses. That's about 821 per day. In other words, we lose around 3000 people to smoking related illnesses every three and one half days. About 6,000 people are killed at work every year…In addition, 165 die of occupational diseases every day. [That equals 3000 every 18 days.] Source: Bushwhacked by Molly Ivins & Lou Dubose Approximately 6 million people die each year from AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. [That's over 16,000 per day, or almost the same number that were killed on 9/11 every 4 HOURS!.]-Ed. Source: News Hour - PBS - 7/15/04 18,000 people a year die from lack of health insurance. Lack of health insurance causes them to be unable to get the medical care that could save them, according to the National Institute of Health. Source: "BuzzFlash interview: Pete Stark" - BuzzFlash.com - 08.09.05 [A]dverse reactions to prescription drugs are responsible for 100,000 deaths a year. This is but one of the startling findings in an important and easy-to-use book called Worst Pills, Best Pills, just published by the Health Research Group of the consumer watchdog organization, Public Citizen. Pill by pill, this 900-page compilation profiles in plain English pluses and minuses of the medicines you or a loved one might be taking. Source: "THE GOOD AND THE BAD OF PILLS" by Jim Hightower - 8/1/05 |
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| Comments | Contributor | Date Submitted |
| Don't forget to add to the list all the people who die in car wrecks each year. 9/11 is no excuse for making my 74 year old mother, with 2 replaced hips and a replaced knee, take her shoes off at the airport. She continues to do it because she likes to travel, but I view it as an insult. | Linda Denton |
9/17/2004 |
| An insult? I'm sure if these precautions save the life of only one person you would consider it worth it. These things are all done in the name of "keeping everybody safe." Is that not the excuse you librals use to take rights away from law abiding gun owners? "Keeping everybody safe" I guess is okay until it becomes inconvenient for you. | Blue Max |
10/19/2005 |
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