RE: Events in Manhattan

[Peter Picerno <ppicerno@utmem.edu>]

Hi Ros --

	I want to personally thank you for your expression of your
sentiments. I think that it's fair to say that we, as a nation, are still
reeling from the events of Tuesday -- as I watched the live TV coverage of
the second WTC strike and the subsequent collapse of both buildings it was
too unreal an event to process: even still, though those images are burned
into our brains, we're still processing both the events and their
implications. The death and loss is monumental, but what is even more
monumental for us is the sense of violation which we as a nation face: not
since our own civil war have the shores of this country felt the ravages
of war. Now we do. On the one hand, it is something which is not new to
European, British, and Asian nations, but for us it is a new and terrible
thing. I can't help but feel that things in our world -- and I'm not even
sure whether I'm speaking as an American or as a global citizen at this
point -- will never be the same as they were before 9:00 AM on Tuesday.

	Once again, Ros, many heartfelt thanks, and I'll look forward to
touching base with you again in a, hopefully, more pleasant situation.

Peter Picerno