Dear list members,

Let me second Johanna Rubba's request.

> I am going to call once again for a cessation of ideological debate on
> this list about this particular incident, the roots of terrorism, George
> Bush's honesty, the reasonableness of past US actions, etc., etc.

For me, one of the great attractions to the study of language is that it is the one
unique quality which every human being shares with every other human being in the
world.  We are all born with this wonderful capacity; only the most extraordinary
conditions can prevent us from learning  language.  Despite the apparent
differences we experience on the surface of the world's languages, all the world's
languages are fundamentally related to properties which every human being is born
with.

For almost twenty years I have had the good fortunate of teaching English to people
from all over the world.  My spouse was not born the United States.  As a
consequence, I  have lived for several years in other countries.

In my professional life and private life, I both celebrate the diversity in human
beings and the fact that beneath that diversity are properties which I share with
all other human beings.  I truly believe that those who planned and carried out the
attacks on Washington and New York are fundamentally opposed to the kind of
diversity and universal humanity which I celebrate

For people of good will all over the world, this is not a time to engage in finger
pointing when there are among us some who hate our world so much that they will do
literally anything to destroy it.

Bob Yates, Central Missouri State University

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