Y2K---->Y2K1
 

Was the Y2K scenario a training ground for Y2K1 and beyond?

Today I was thinking about all the things I did to get ready for Y2K, just in case.

Now I'm thinking about what needs to be done to get ready for Y2K1. Not, just in case. More likely, just in time.

Today I stopped in town to get a load of water. I live in the country. I have a cistern water supply and haul fresh water from the town water fill station.

While there, an SUV pulled up next to my pickup truck. Two gentlemen got out of the truck and asked if I could help them.

One of them showed me a business card size ticket advertising the local gun show that was going on in our small town this weekend. They were not familiar with the area and were looking for the small convention center that was hosting the gun show. I gave them directions to the gun show. They got back in their SUV and left.

What surprised me was my own reaction to these men.

You see, they looked to be of middle-eastern descent. They spoke with a foreign accent. They wanted directions to the gun show...where you can buy and sell guns with no paper trail.

I was shaken. I hope they didn't notice.

Hopefully, they were American citizens who mean no harm to anyone. Either gun hobbyists, or even someone looking for a weapon strictly for self-defense.

But what shook me most was the fact that I was shaken by this happenstance.

I tell myself that I am not prejudiced.

I am angry...but I am trying to work through it.

I tell myself that my God is in control, and my trust is in Him.

But today, for a moment in time, I was frightened. What if these men were evil men? What if they bought a gun and used it to hurt someone because I gave them directions to the gun show.

JDB


www.i-65.com

Which Side of The Coin Are You On?
 

John -

Your reaction was normal and to be expected. It's part of the in-built survival mechanism nature has given us.

Touch a glowing hotplate once and you never touch a glowing hotplate again, even if it's a different hotplate. We apply the attributes of one thing to all other similar things. (after touching one glowing hotplate we assume all glowing hotplates will burn)

After one group of Middle Eastern men hurt you, you automatically become cautious to all men who look like they are from the Middle East.

Now think of these men who approached you...

They may have migrated to the country 20 years ago. They may love America more than someone born there because they had to work their butt off to earn the priviledge of coming to the US.

Now, because some idiots of the same ethnic "look" did something bad, they are viewed as bad. Now they fear for their own safety because of our natural instinct to lump like together. They now live in fear because others are fearful of them.

They know if they obtain a weapon for self-defense in the normal way they may encounter a store owner who lumps them together with terrorits. They may recall what happened to the American-Japanese during WWII and fear the same kind of thing. And paper work showing they had bought weapons would make them even more suspect to fearing officials.

You could have doubts and wonder whether you'd be party responsible IF these men did something with the guns they buy. BUT, what if you gave them bad directions, they were unable to buy guns and were later found dead because they couldn't defend themselves from fearful people? Wouldn't you then feel responsible for depriving them of their means of protection?

This kind of thinking has no end. WHAT IF the person who you help change a flat, goes on to run someone over, accidentally? WHAT IF the person who you direct to a Servicemen's Club gets drunk and drives and then kills someone in a crash? WHAT IF you owned a pool supply business and sold chlorine only to discover one customer mixed it with certain chemicals to form a chlorine bomb? WHAT IF this and WHAT IF that?

A recent movie which deals in illogical, but natural, prejudices is X-Men. Get it out on tape and watch it.

Michael Ross.

Re: Y2K---->Y2K1
 

JDB - I can empathize with your dilemma. I live a mile from the Pentagon and had friends killed in the blast, so I'm a little emotional about the sneak attacks.

Today, while at the bank, I saw a family dressed in traditional Middle Eastern garb and felt anger well up in me. Senseless, as the kids had no accent and the family had obviously lived here for a long time. I shook my head at my knee jerk reaction and got over it.

I guess violence begets violence, and only our civilized nature and being watchful over our emotions can keep us in check, unlike some of the unfortunate incidents going on in the US.

As Michael Ross pointed out, it's a never ending conundrum, so here in our multicultural land of potential targets called Washington DC, I'll err on the side of caution, humaneness and common sense, but if my gut instinct sends out danger signals, I'll call for someone to check it out, just to be on the safe side.

Bob