sinker 0 #1 March 20, 2003 Hey y'all... I was in Manhattan this week, not supposed to be back until Friday night in time for Saturday morning jumpin. But, I came back last night, landing in Nashville just 30 minutes after the first attacks on Bhagdad. I was staying at the Westin Time Square and it was just getting a little too freaky for my tastes. At any given time when I looked out my hotel window, what did I see? Blackhawk patrols. Leaving Manhattan for work in the morning across the bridges? Police w/ machine guns. They were checking every rental van/truck, and traffic, normally a pain in the butt, was simply murderous. In one sense it was reassuring to see an extra show of force, but in another sense it was disconcerting, knowing that there may well be a very tangible reason for the extra force, i.e. terrorist attacks. The mood there, in my opinion, was just getting more and more tense. Sorry, but it was time to come home to wife and kids. So, the flight home was uneventful. 8 pm ET came about 30 minutes prior to touchdown and I wondered, has it begun? After I landed, I took a cab home. During the ride, the cabbie, a Kurdish immigrant, gets a call from his wife on his cell phone. The conversation was in his native tongue, but it was obviously a happy conversation. I pictured him saying their equivalent of "hotdam" and whooping it up. He hung up the phone and said in broken English that the war had started. I just got goose bumps. I was fearful but strangely relieved. The cabbie pulled up to my house, got out of the cab and said that the ride was on him. I asked why and he said that he swore that when the US finally took real steps to get rid of Saddam, he would thank us by not charging fares for that day. I was a little dumbfounded. So, for better or worse, here we are. Nashville has a large Kurdish population, and they, my friends, are simply jubilant about what's begun. And I can understand why. -the artist formerly known as sinker Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CrazyIvan 0 #2 March 20, 2003 I commute everyday to NY, and to be honest, seeing all those cops and national guards gives you a sense of security, but is also weird, because the only times when you saw ARMED personnel was when there was some sort of 'demonstration' or 'strike' not an everyday thing. Weird. __________________________________________ Blue Skies and May the Force be with you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #3 March 20, 2003 Quotewas when there was some sort of 'demonstration' or 'strike' not an everyday thing. They're still armed, just not with rifles. It makes sense though, since demonstrations/strikes are a good recipe for rioting/violence. They're just covering their bases...--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CrazyIvan 0 #4 March 20, 2003 QuoteQuotewas when there was some sort of 'demonstration' or 'strike' not an everyday thing. They're still armed, just not with rifles. It makes sense though, since demonstrations/strikes are a good recipe for rioting/violence. They're just covering their bases... That's what I meant.__________________________________________ Blue Skies and May the Force be with you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
