Luckily, I was nowhere near the latest horror show where a 29 year-old man drove a Home Depot rental truck, down a westside bike path killing 8 innocent, unsuspecting people, including 5 visitors from Argentina and one from Belgium, who probably just paid their respects at the September 11th, Memorial.
A guess, but a good one.
The Argentine nationals were part of a group of friends celebrating the 30th anniversary of their high school graduation.
Beside the 8, 11 more were injured, including the shooter, Sayfullo Saipov, a Uzbek immigrant who until recently had been living in Tampa, Florida.
Inside his rental truck a handwritten note was found declaring his allegiance to ISIS, according to The Wall Street Journal.
And you wonder why everyone objects to tighter immigration laws. I’m no Trump fan, but after living through 9/11, plus several other terrifying events, I see why it’s necessary.
And I’m always amazed how young these men are who commit these acts in the name of ISIS, the acronym for the Islamic State, who claim they didn’t direct it, but this kid, and yes, he’s a kid in my opinion, still has had his mind twisted by them inspiring his actions.
Just look where it took place, near New York’s biggest graveyard, because despite the grandeur of the museum, the land it’s built on, echoes the fallen.
So, he returns to pay his respects by killing 8 more. Apparently you can download an ISIS, Do-It-Yourself Kill Kit, that shows you how.
I was way uptown when my friend Joanne, from Tampa, who may have even lived near this guy, emailed, she was worried about me but didn’t say why.
As I went about my day, casually wondering, what happened now, since New Yorkers, including myself, have become accustomed to sudden events such as what happened yesterday. As my friend Jackie used to say, it’s the price of doing business, living in New York.
Frankly, I’m tired of doing business with the likes of theses extremists who can rent a truck, buy firearms, deciding, I think I’ll kill a few Americans today, and if I’m lucky, toss in a couple of tourists, for good measure.
I will pray for the victims, on my knees, in the grace of not being one of them.
Susannah
Susannah, the morning news described him as hard working and quiet, not someone bashing the US or spouting his rhetoric. How can we spot these insidious worms that crawl under the radar? It’s so scary.
I agree that there is nothing wrong with tightening the immigration laws as long as we don’t close our door.
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But how far should it be left open? Maybe it’s because I lived through 9/11, but scary up close is different from watching from afar.
They were all quiet. The men who hijacked those planes. They lived like monks to not draw attention to themselves I imagine. I think of their mothers who had them…babies…little boys who grew into these hate machines. What happened to them Skinny? When did it start? It’s mystifying to me, as innocent or even stupid. as it may sound.
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I cannot wrap my brain around such hatred of people you have never met, either. ‘Hate machines’ is an apt description. Only a machine could have no heart.
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Between terrorism and this Hollywood, who groped me, business…it’s as if the sewers are overflowing Skinny. sigh
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The problem is that it is not only immigrants but American-born who are enticed by some bizarre sense of something. I hate the world this has become where garbage trucks have to block roads to protect people and everyone needs to look out for suspicious backpacks. Perhaps my grandmother said it best. When your time is up, it’s up and it doesn’t matter how you go. When did religion get so hate filled. Yes, I remember the carnage of the Crusades so maybe the answer is that it’s always been filled with hate and intolerance.
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Arresting, but nicely put. We’re blissfully designed to get over things, big and small, which is why I still live here. I feel bad about yesterday yet pretty resigned to, this is how it is from now on.
I can’t not live my life in fear. I’m downtown a lot, just not yesterday, and to pay homage to your granny, my time wasn’t up. Thanks.
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BTW I was thinking about you and was going to email if you didn’t post.
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I appreciate that. Elle even wrote from Florida. Nice to be thought of.
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Like Kate, I too was worried and was going to message you to see if you were okay. I know you are frequently downtown and although I still am not certain of the layout of the city, I was worried. I am so relieved that you are okay. I am so sorry that this happened in your city, your home. It breaks my heart. Please be cautious and know I pray for you daily, you are always there in my thoughts even if I do not comment or write much. Thank you for this post. Cathi
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Hi DAF, how nice, even under the circumstances, to hear from you, and I appreciate your concern. It’s so sad to live this way, but as an ex boyfriend of mine, growing up in Israel once said, “We live this every day, from the second we’re born.”
So maybe we’ve been given a pass before terrorism became the norm. sigh
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I am afraid you are right. I am just so glad you are okay. ❤
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Thank you…me too. sigh
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So real, so raw, so true.
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You were my first alert. Sigh Thank you for thinking of me. Truly.
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Its disheartening to say the least. One can’t help but stop and wonder why and how and who! My daughter was in the area at the time, she was with a client from L.A. headed to the Time Building when all hell broke loose. Her group message to HOME read, “I’m safe and in the middle of this mess”. Naturally my heart skipped a beat, the half hour I didn’t hear back from her sent my imagination afloat. Guess she was in a meeting for that half hour, thankfully she got home in one piece. Thankfully you too are safe. We stand united with NYC.
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I am so happy she’s safe, and it proves, once again how random it is to find yourself in the midst of it, lucky to get out in one piece. I can only imagine how worried you were.
How great she sent that message to everyone. You raised her right Loretta, to think of others when she had to so undone by it all. Thanks for writing.
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I’m glad you’re okay and what a terrible tragedy. I really don’t know what to do to increase security, but as someone in international education, it is so frustrating when a few people like this ruin things for everyone else. Now a lot of Americans will know nothing about Uzbekistan except that an Uzbek killed a bunch of people in New York, but when I go to places like Azerbaijan and Armenia, I meet so many bright, enthusiastic students who want to come study here and people like this only make that harder. It all seems so senseless.
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You make a good point David. I don’t know really what to say except, I’m sorry if this turns out to be the case. Something needs to be done though security wise, I just don’t know what that is or should be. Iowa let me remind you, could be next. Your school, God forbid.
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It’s true and it’s something I think about, even in a safe place like this. It just takes one person. to make it unsafe. I don’t have any easy answers.
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I don’t think anyone does. sigh
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It has all gotten beyond complex (everything), and nothing under the sun is as simple as black and white. It seems madness knows no bounds and now runs amuck at will. Practically every solution encounters an argument against it, and it doesn’t matter whether it is a good or bad argument because all that matters is those who are in charge and they’ll make the call for us… or not—ie. gun control laws. The powers that be are out of touch with the majority that they represent, thus the minority have all the say, and it will be their way or the highway. Discussion, reason, and ideas have been abandoned for “We’re in charge so get used to it.” Unless we can find a way to unite and agree (we used to be the United States), or act by getting together to replace those who do not act in the best interest of the majority, then any idea that the United States can offer any viable solutions to problems that affect the world (when it can’t even offer solutions that work for their own people) is impossible.
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Whoa, had to read that twice. I’m here. You have a daughter here. It could happen anywhere, not just downtown Manhattan. I don’t know what the solution is, and maybe there isn’t one. Like the way Israel is hated by the Arabs. Like them, we may just have to live with this hatred directed at us so efficiently. He’s 29 years-old Paul, and he hates to such a degree that 8 people are dead, and who knows if one of the 11 wounded will make it 12, or 13, or 14. I sit here stunned and sad. Been weeping on and off all day.
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I know exactly what you mean, Susannah. There is this sense of hopelessness somewhat tempered with that gnawing sensation of frustration, that maybe there is no satisfactory answer to the problem. That maybe these young men don’t care for a compromise or solution, just a total annihilation of Americans.
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Consider me Alice falling down the rabbit hole, but I will never understand the concept of hating this way.
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Nor I.
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I’m so glad you were not involved. We don’t get much news here, so it was great to have your account.
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In a way you’re blessed since the details, as they evolve, are heartbreaking. Thanks Anne.
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Unfortunately, hate comes in all shapes, sizes and ethnic backgrounds. What bothers me about this man’s act of hate is it will escalate ours towards an entire race of innocent people. Where was our president’s cry/tweet for the death penalty for that young man in Charlottesville who deliberately ran his car into a crowd of innocent people?
Hate does not discriminate, we do.
I’m sorry you had to have your sadness come to the surface but very happy to know you were not in the vicinity.
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Thank you.
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I don’t understand hate it just makes me sad and angry. In the city where I live we have home grown gangs who hate anyone not part of there “world”. Why is this? How does this mindset develop? What is missing in their lives? Love? The discipline love gives that instills respect for self and others and fosters hope? I have lots of questions and few, if any, answer’s. Hate acts most often on the outside love mostly acts on the inside. Maybe we need to take the love inside and push it outside? Another question!
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I agree with all that you wrote. It confuses me too. The extent of it, how deep it runs. We aren’t born that way. Something intrudes upon the good we came into the world with.
I wish I had answers, but I do not. I am affected though, quite deeply.
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Dismissing terrorism as hatred or mindless barbarism is pointless. We’ve been doing that for decades, whilst any chance of peace recedes.
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It’s a dream, I’ll give you that, but where would be without them.
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Richer?
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yes…
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I am, of course, very happy you are still around.
I jump all over the place at the refugee and immigration polices, but I do know that something, indeed, must be done and soon. You should, as an American, feel safe within your own borders.
Scott
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