2001-09-21
Rumors, posted at 7:55 a.m.
Epiphany in Baltimore has moved to epiphanyinbaltimore.blogspot.com More terrorist rumors...Last night, Jason spoke with his parents in Michigan. Apparently, his folks have a good friend who works at the Annapolis Naval Base. He's got a high-up intelligence position. Anyway, this is what the guy told Jason's parents - and the parents relayed the message to Jason and told him to tell anyone he knows.
1) He couldn't give any details, but he said do not buy any gum. They are investigating Saddam Hussein for tainting bubble gum that is coming over here. Bottom line, he said - do not buy any gum.
2) There is another, less authoritative, rumor that the same thing is happening with Pepsi products.
3) The military is bracing for another terrorist attack on Saturday in DC.
Now, I hope all these rumors are just that - rumors. But it sure is scary. Jason and I are planning on going to a MSU tailgate party hosted by the DC MSU Alumni Chapter on Saturday, and now he's having second thoughts. I refuse to let myself be guided by rumors or controlled by these terrorists, but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't in the back of my mind. I'm still going, though. Jessica, who I interned with last year, invited us, and I just feel like I need to get out a bit.
I watched Bush's speech last night, hoping to learn something new. I didn't. I think it was designed for people who hadn't been keeping up with the news that closely. Bush received a lot of raves both right after the broadcast and this morning on talk radio, but I thought his performance was mediocre. I kept seeing Will Farrell's impression of him as I was watching him, seeing him cross another word off his vocab list. Plus, there's just something so damn smug about his communication style. I can barely tolerate it. I think he's just a very poor public speaker; I miss Clinton.
Still, I know we should be supporting the President and be united and blah blah blah. And I am supporting him. But, gosh, I still really wish we had a leader I had confidence in. We're crying out for a strong leader right now, and I simply don't believe Bush is it, despite my "rooting" for him to be one. We'll see what the coming weeks bring. I will say that Bush has impressed me by being patient and not immediately bombing Afghanistan, which I think was a lot of people's first reaction. I hope he continues this moderation. I hope he realizes that bombing will not work, that it will only kill the innocent, and not the Taliban. Unfortunately, the only way to eradicate the Taliban is probably to send foot soldiers in.
I bet you didn't know I was a military expert, eh?
I'm very excited that it's Friday. Tonight, I'm going to a "Beowulf Barbecue" that my colleague is putting on for some kids. It should be fun. I'm not sure what tonight will bring - there were rumblings about going out to a bar, or maybe catching an Orioles game, or maybe even heading to another teacher's barbecue (aren't I just the social butterfly?). We'll see. As long as it's not spent as another night in front of the television, I'll be happy.