Wow: what an incredible response to the last issue. There were kudos for being able to write an issue at all, kudos for staying on schedule, and overwhelming support for my American Taliban story.
Yes, there have been a couple of complaints about it, as I expected, including one today about how the reader is tired of my “regular attacks on Chrisitanity [sic],” so I need to make something clear: I do not attack Christianity, I attack the stupid rantings of some Christians — just as I attack the stupidity of some lawyers, politicians, school officials, and cops.
I often get letters complaining when I “attack” religious stupidity, but I rarely get them from cops when (say) I “attack” something stupid a cop does. I’m often called “anti-Christian” but not “anti-cop.” Why do you suppose that is?
I am way behind on email. I was already a bit behind before the …uh… stuff hit the fan on September 11. Then I took several days off to work in Denver’s Red Cross shelter for stranded travelers. And then, if things weren’t stressed enough, I took some more time for a personal reason:
I got married on September 21.
Our wedding announcement simply read:
The events of September 11 affected us all in different ways. For us, it was significant introspection. September 17th, we decided that as we proceed into an even more uncertain future, we should face it together as husband and wife.
We married at Brainard Lake in the mountains above Boulder with our good friends Tom and Amy as our witnesses. As allowed in Colorado, we officiated at our own marriage ceremony.
You and your wife are an attractive couple and please accept my belated (5 1/2 years) congratulations! I have been a subscriber since you were This Just In (or whatever it was back then).
I applaud your efforts at “normalcy” following 9/11. In that same vein, my mother turned 70 in late September, 2001 and when I flew to the East Coast I was very startled at the emptiness of the airports and my consequent assessment of the stupidity of most of the American people. I have always hoped for the mental evolution of humanity but, sadly, it seems to be a good ways off.
Keep up the great work!
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Thank you for your kind wishes. Yes, the first name was “This Just In”, and I figure anyone who was around then is an Charter Subscriber. (Why the name changed.)
I know what you mean about the stupidity over fear of flying. On that terrible day in 2001, 246 airline passengers were killed. Yet on peak days, about 2 million passengers fly. Even on 9/11, your odds of surviving an airline flight were awfully good. -rc