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 06/02/2008 04:21:52 PM · #1
(Recieved this e-mail today, thought I'd share it)

I Am Coming!

Dear Terrorists,

I am a Navy Aviator. I was born and raised in a small town in New England. I come from a family of five. I was raised in a middle class home and taught my values by my mother and father. My dad worked a series of jobs in finance and my mom took care of us kids We were not an overly religious family but attended church most Sundays It was a nice small Episcopal Church. I have a brother and sister and I am the youngest in my family. I was the first in many generations to attend college. I have flown Naval aircraft for 16 years. For me the flying was never a lifelong dream or a 'calling,' it just happened. I needed a job and I liked the challenge. I continue to do it today because I feel it is important to give back to a nation which has given so much to me. I do it because, although I will never be rich, my family will be comfortable. I do it because many of my friends have left for the airlines and someone has to do it. My government has spent millions to train me to fly these multi-million dollar aircraft. I make about 70,000 dollars a year and after 20 years will be offered a pension. I like baseball but think the players make too much money. I am in awe of firemen and policemen and what they do each day for my community, and like teachers, they just don't get paid enough .I respect my elders and always use sir or ma'am when addressing a stranger. I'm not sure about kids these days but I think that's normal for every generation .I tell you all this because when I come for you, I want you to know me I won't be hiding behind a woman or a child. I won't be disguised or pretending to be something I am not. I will be in a U.S. issue flight suit. I will be wearing standard US issue flight gear, and I will be flying a navy aircraft clearly marked as a USwarplane. I wish we could
meet up close in a small room where I could wrap my hands around your throat and slowly squeeze the life out of you, but unfortunately, you're hiding in a hole in the ground, so we will have to do this a different way I want you to know also that I am very good at what I do, I can put a 2,000 lb. weapon through a window from 10,000 feet up. I generally only fly at night, so you may want to start sleeping during the day. I am not eager to die for my country but I am willing to sacrifice my life to protect it from animals like you, I will do everything in my power to ensure no civilians are hurt as I take aim at you. My countrymen are a forgiving bunch. Many are already forgetting what you did on Sept 11th. But I will not forget!! I am coming. I hope you know me a little bit better, see you soon. sleep tight.

Signed
A U.S. Navy Pilot :)

06/02/2008 05:17:17 PM · #2
I don't think there are many, if any, terrorists that read these forums.
 06/02/2008 05:21:05 PM · #3
Words fail me...

R.
 06/02/2008 05:31:06 PM · #4
Why was this mail sent to you? Does the sender think you are a terrorist? Did he ask you to forward it to all of your terrorist friends? What's its purpose? I'm confused.
 06/02/2008 05:41:40 PM · #5
Originally posted by Sam94720:
Why was this mail sent to you? Does the sender think you are a terrorist? Did he ask you to forward it to all of your terrorist friends? What's its purpose? I'm confused.


Good point and from the sounds of it he is so screwed....
 06/02/2008 05:43:11 PM · #6
06/02/2008 05:44:53 PM · #7
Originally posted by doctornick:


Mind if I grab a seat and join you? :P
06/02/2008 05:49:52 PM · #8
Room for one more?

06/02/2008 05:50:55 PM · #9
Originally posted by Bear_Music:
Words fail me...

R.


I definetly agree... no words....

~emily
 06/02/2008 06:09:01 PM · #10
He wasn't brave enough to sign his name though... go figure.
 06/02/2008 06:09:22 PM · #11
After I miserably failed with one forum thread today, I'll try another one... I know most of you came here for popcorn, but I would like to turn this into a serious discussion.

I have the impression that the media have created an image of the "evil terrorist" who sits in his cave and plans to kill everyone in the western world. Those terrorists are organized in powerful networks, they have vast resources and it's only a matter of time until they strike again.

I think this is a myth. There are hardly any terrorists like that around. Otherwise we would see way more attacks (or they would all have to be extremely incompetent). Most acts of terrorism (like suicide bombs) are simply very desperate people who see no other way of fighting for their cause. A local group, the celebration of martyrdom and religious ideas probably play a role, but I doubt that those people are embedded in a hierarchy, carry membership cards and are part of a large coordinated effort. Some may see Bin Laden as their hero and call themselves al-Qaeda, but I doubt that there is an actual connection and that they are somehow receiving orders.

Your thoughts?
 06/02/2008 06:28:34 PM · #12
Originally posted by Sam94720:
After I miserably failed with one forum thread today, I'll try another one... I know most of you came here for popcorn, but I would like to turn this into a serious discussion.

I have the impression that the media have created an image of the "evil terrorist" who sits in his cave and plans to kill everyone in the western world. Those terrorists are organized in powerful networks, they have vast resources and it's only a matter of time until they strike again.

I think this is a myth. There are hardly any terrorists like that around. Otherwise we would see way more attacks (or they would all have to be extremely incompetent). Most acts of terrorism (like suicide bombs) are simply very desperate people who see no other way of fighting for their cause. A local group, the celebration of martyrdom and religious ideas probably play a role, but I doubt that those people are embedded in a hierarchy, carry membership cards and are part of a large coordinated effort. Some may see Bin Laden as their hero and call themselves al-Qaeda, but I doubt that there is an actual connection and that they are somehow receiving orders.

Your thoughts?


I think you are right... in a way.. As you mentioned, Al-qaeda is not a terrorist organisation like the US supported IRA was, but more of an ideology with Bin Laden as the figurehead. Maybe they have some chain of command at the very highest levels, but most of the other `terrorists` are doing what they do in the `name of Al-qaeda`.

I will go out on a limb and say there are probably some groups being funded by countries sympathetic to their cause, Iran for example.

However, I do believe some of the cells/splinter groups are very well funded and well organised. The cell that managed to pull off the 9/11 atrocity had huge funds at their disposal and must of been well organized to keep their plans off the radar, obviously they also had a lot of luck on their side (I mean from their point of view, not ours) when one reads the oversights of the security services.

Actually, now I think of it, those blowing themselves up are probably so loosely connected with any organisation that they are really at the bottom of the pile, vulnerable & desperate people recruited by the more sinister upper echelons of some more organised and funded group.

06/02/2008 06:32:53 PM · #13
9/11 was George Bush's baby.
 06/02/2008 06:33:54 PM · #14
I don't know Sam. It's certainly a serious issue that I don't think most ordinary citizens can honestly say they know much about. The pressing question for me is what information I'm going to trust about them in the future. I'd like to think the Iraq intelligence failures were an isolated problem, but aside from being painfully wrong it also appears that information was cherry-picked and spun politically to get the US into Iraq. Now it's a little boy who cried wolf problem as US crediblility about intelligence has been badly undermined. So, believe what you will about 'the terrorists', there's certainly a truth to the matter, but I frankly don't know who to trust about it.
 06/02/2008 06:37:51 PM · #15
Originally posted by MAK:
9/11 was George Bush's baby.

I agree that there's probably still a lot do be discovered about 9/11 and that some aspects are deliberately kept hidden from the public (the whole story of WTC7 is super fishy). However, I simply don't think that W. would be clever enough to pull something like this off. Cheney maybe, but Bush, no way. Well, let's not get into 9/11 conspiracy theories here.
 06/02/2008 06:51:37 PM · #16
Sorry, did not try to create a debate about 9/11 here with the e-mail. I just think terrorism as a whole is cowardless. To kill thousands of innocent victims (Including mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, ect...), is heartless, despite what ethnicity or religion you are. Innocent victims are innocent victims know matter what country terrorists create havoc in. That was the point.
 06/02/2008 06:52:25 PM · #17
Have you guys read Orwell's "1984"? There's a character named Goldstein, if i remember correctly. He is believed to be the leader of an evil brotherhood that wants to harm the nation. Short clips of him are regularly shown on TV, they are called the "two minutes of hate". People assemble to watch them and yell at the screen in anger. Anything bad that happens is somehow attributed to Goldstein and his brotherhood.

It is absolutely obvious to the reader that this Goldstein character probably doesn't exist in this form. There may once have been someone of that name, but he is certainly not the leader of a powerful brotherhood out to kill everyone. He might even long be dead. But the characters in the book are so caught up in this story and it's such an emotional issue to them that they wouldn't dream of doubting the existence of Goldstein and his brotherhood.

Bin Laden is a very similar character with a similar history. He may long be dead. But he has become the main representation of evil. And whenever some kid throws a stone, people speak of "the terror network al-Qaeda". Try and find news articles including the term "al-Qaeda" before 2000. You'll have difficult time. Oh, and I can highly recommend the documentary "The Power of Nightmares". //www.archive.org/details/ThePowerOfNightmares

About the Iraq intelligence: I think by now (with all the insiders coming out, McClellan being the most recent) it is pretty obvious that the administration decided to invade Iraq and then created/cherry-picked and sold the intelligence accordingly. This was not "Ooops, we made a mistake." Well, we are digressing...
 06/02/2008 07:18:27 PM · #18
I won't comment on how I feel about the basic gist or content because someone in the Site Council (aka "thought police") would find something offensive to someone and delete it.

I will however share with you that it is unlikely this was written by a Naval "Pilot".

There are 2 key mistakes by whoever wrote this. First they would refer to themselves as a "Naval Aviator", not a Navy Avaitor. Second, they would never sign as a "Pilot" the Navy has Aviators and the Air Force has Pilots. That's just how it is.
 06/02/2008 07:56:08 PM · #19
Originally posted by qvfd153:
Sorry, did not try to create a debate about 9/11 here with the e-mail. I just think terrorism as a whole is cowardless. To kill thousands of innocent victims (Including mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, ect...), is heartless, despite what ethnicity or religion you are. Innocent victims are innocent victims know matter what country terrorists create havoc in. That was the point.


Bet Iraq didn't have half the problems it had when Saddam was there.
 06/02/2008 08:00:07 PM · #20
Ever wonder who all those millions of human bones belong to that were found in the mass graves?????, or do you not believe that story either?
 06/02/2008 08:04:43 PM · #21
edited.... cant be doing with the hassle...

Message edited by author 2008-06-02 20:08:43.
 06/02/2008 08:46:59 PM · #22
Imagination a powerful toy that leads you astray. The obvious truth is in history. All great countries had strong military. Strong enough not to be threatened. Once anyone was weaker than his neihbor then he was wiped out and taken over. Look at any great civilization and you will see this. So away with the conspiracy theories and blaming bush. You want to blame anyone blame all the cowards that want the U.S. to protect them and give aid and then criticise the U.S.
 06/02/2008 09:34:50 PM · #23
This thread is going in many different directions, but ok...

coronamv, I currently spend most of my time in Switzerland. I would say that the standard of living here is pretty high. Our military, however, would not be up to the challenge if we were attacked by a larger country. Still, nobody expects anyone to attack anyone any time soon here in Europe.

On the other side of the Atlantic, you have the most powerful military in the world. Your nation spends trillions on warfare, while your education system crumbles, many people have poor or no healthcare, are losing their homes, etc. The Iraq war has created a huge load of debt for your children, it has killed over 4'000 of your brave soldiers and an estimated million Iraqi civilians, it helped drive up gas prices, it created millions of new enemies for your country and it has made recruiting for terrorists easier than ever. What are all those kids growing up in Iraq now going to think of the US when they are 20? Of the country that destroyed their house, killed a brother and an uncle and made dad lose his job when the factory was destroyed?

I see that some companies made a fortune with this war. But apart from that, I don't see how the US might have benefitted. Don't you think that the money could have been spent more wisely?

And David, it is difficult (and somewhat pointless) to weigh different kinds of evil up against each other. Of course 9/11 was horrible. So was Saddam's rule in Iraq. So is the current situation in Burma, with the generals not even letting international organizations provide help for disaster victims. So is the situation in half of Africa. The list goes on. Of course the US has to react to being attacked and I guess hardly anyone questions the war in Afghanistan. However, by now they have long overdone it and have themselves become pretty evil. The death toll in Iraq, the secret prison system, the detention and torture of innocents for years without charge, etc.
 06/02/2008 09:54:17 PM · #24
You guys really need to stop watching so much TV news. ;)

06/02/2008 10:02:32 PM · #25
Originally posted by Sam94720:

On the other side of the Atlantic, you have the most powerful military in the world. Your nation spends trillions on warfare, while your education system crumbles, many people have poor or no healthcare, are losing their homes, etc. The Iraq war has created a huge load of debt for your children, it has killed over 4'000 of your brave soldiers and an estimated million Iraqi civilians, it helped drive up gas prices, it created millions of new enemies for your country and it has made recruiting for terrorists easier than ever. What are all those kids growing up in Iraq now going to think of the US when they are 20? Of the country that destroyed their house, killed a brother and an uncle and made dad lose his job when the factory was destroyed?


To me, "many" speaks of a great percentage. Right now, our unemployment is around 6%, nationally, if I am not mistaken. In my immediate geographical region, it is less than that. While for some, 1 is "many," in reality, I don't think the percentages of people unemployed/losing their jobs, etc. could be considered "many."

Not sure how many people are un-insured. People with high incomes can afford it or have it as a benefit. People with no/low incomes can get government assistance (in some ways, very much like "socialized medicine"), so it is largely the lower end of middle class, I think that struggles with health care.
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