Plea for Restraint

["Peter J. Sherman" <psherman@ma.ultranet.com>]

As an avid reader of this list, I would like to plea for some restraint
here. Emotions naturally run high during this time, but I would ask those
who have chosen to lash out at the non-incendiary comments of others to
consider what good they hope to effect by doing so. I think everyone here
shares similar feelings of shock, sadness, apprehension, and loss. For some
the loss may be more personal than it is for others, and I would bet that
most list members are unaware of the specific personal ways this attack may
have affected other list members, nor should they need to be. I don't think
anyone should be obliged to prove how they feel or demonstrate how this
affects them. And none of us should be so presumptuous as to take one
person's passing comment as an indicator of the true depth of their feelings
about this attack. 

There has been much praise for the ability of politicians, newspeople, and -
especially - average people in the places affected to rise to the
circumstances during this crisis. Perhaps we could take our cue from these
people.

Thanks,
Peter J. Sherman