Once upon a time there was a guy named OJ Simpson. Simpson was accused of murdering his wife and her lover in their home. He then went on a slow car chase and was eventually caught and brought to court. The court case lasted for what seemed like forever, until one day, one magical day, when Judge Lance Ito read the verdict. Simpson was found not guilty, despite the overwhelming evidence against him. Matching DNA samples found at the scene, and in Simpson's blood, motive, the whole running from the cops thing, and yet still a jury found him not guilty. A man named Johnny Cochran, who represented Simpson, conviced the jury that an LAPD police officer named Mark Fuhrman was a racist. Soon, the trial became about whether or not a cop was racist, and not whether or not Simpson killed two people. When the prosecution brought up the enormous amount of tangible forensic evidence proving Simpson commited two counts of homicide, including a blood sample that had a 1 out of 6,500,000,000 chance of being anyones but Simpsons, the jury seemed not to understand. (A juror was later quoted as matter of factily saying, "There aren't even 6,500,000,000 people on the planet, so what does that mean?" As anyone with a third grade education could tell you, it means it's statistically impossible for OJ to be innocent.) OJ was set free, much to the utter amazement of just about everyone in the country. We all couldn't imagine how people without the power to understand very basic information could be allowed to have the power to make such a huge decision.

Today, you'd be astounded to find out how many people think that the hi-jackers on Sept 11, 2001, were Iraqi's, or that the soldiers we're fighting in Iraq are al Qaeda. You'd be amazed at how many people think Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein were best friends, or the Chechen terrorists in Russia were al Queda. You'd be shocked to find out how many people believe that the best way to prevent terrorism is to go out and blow things up and make as many new enemies as possible. You'd be surprised to see how many people swallow every fear producing tidbit, and thrive in hatred. They're all voting for Bush.

So I guess we haven't really come that far.

Jackie, to add to your point, my uncle recently told me that he wishes we would have to watch the 9/11 footage every day, so that we wouldn't forget, and so that we'd be sure to kill everyone involved. In George Orwell's "1984" there is what is called the Two Minutes Hate. In it, the citizens of Oceania, sit for two minutes looking at a man called Goldstein, the enemy of the state, and soak in their own bitter anger.

We will never forget, but we must move on. The victims that day have been, are, and will always be missed. Hate is not a virtue. So to all the small town conservtives insisting we "kill em all," I ask, what would Jesus do?

Down with Big Brother.

jgp