Fraying the Nerves of a Nation


© Barbara Hall

I feel I should watch, because I need to know. But with each viewing of the news, each announcement of another confirmed or suspected Anthrax Attack, I feel us all take another collective 'hit'. Once the Bad News is shared, the statistics roll that even as of a bunch of days ago, nearly TWO MILLION *NEW* prescriptions have been filled for anti-depressants and as many for anti-anxiety drugs and sleep drugs. And a frantic country is screaming for powerful antibiotics to take PREVENTATIVELY. Good Lord. I am waiting to find some research that Grapefruit Seed Extract, which has been proven effective against antibiotic-resistant staph and strep infections, is also effective against Anthrax. Haven't found it yet, but I'm still looking and I'll keep you posted.

This whole thing is like watching 20 different stories unfold at once. There are discussions of "In the Name of *God*" which bring up the horrors of the Crusades and the whole question of "My God's Bigger Than Your God". There are puzzlings about our position as a nation in this whole huge world....everything from the Email where the Canadian author goes on about what good guys Americans are, always leaping to everyone else's aid, to railings about how many other countries we have terrorized in the name of 'freedom'....It's enough to make your head spin. The thought of Smallpox brings up the spectre of a bunch of blankets the American Government gave to our Native brothers and sisters a long time ago. I had no idea until told recently that the World Trade Towers are on the site of an ancient Wappinger Indian Burial Ground. It's just too much to take in. Then there is the focus of Good vs Evil....the Dark vs the Light, and a call to add our highest thoughts TO that Light.

But we must hear it all, while not Feeding the Fear. Not an easy task. Many years ago a wise friend said to me "She who worries gets sick TWICE", which has tapped me on the shoulder many times since then. We all go back and forth from feeling those jolts of fear over all that COULD happen, and certainly all that HAS happened, to truly wanting to believe somehow 'we' might WIN this... That somehow Uncle Sam will keep us safe... That this will soon be over and we'll all be like we were again. Normal, normal feelings, back and forth and back and forth already for longer than we thought we could take it.

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Here's the follow-up discussion on this article: View all related messages

2.   Oct 31, 2001 4:40 PM
In response to message posted by Dan_Ellsworth:

Well thanks, Bro Dan'l....nice to hear from you. It's getting to be a daily ...

-- posted by LadyB


1.   Oct 17, 2001 8:49 PM
The article had balance -- awake to the world, but rooted (!) in the topic, with neither despair nor denial. The fourth paragraph, about a sense of PLACE, is one of the most perceptive and sta ...

-- posted by Dan_Ellsworth





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