Date: Wed, 12 Sep 2001 21:14:56 EDT
Reply-To: BenTbtstr8@AOL.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Ben T <BenTbtstr8@AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: Stick to Vanagons and SF meeting
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
I was trying to stay out of this discussion but cannot stay out of it
anymore. This past couple of days have just been too much. Thanks to Tim from
San Jose for pointing out the article in the Boston Globe with the list of
victims. We are now able to confirm that the our friend Betty Ong, who I
mentioned yesterday, was in fact one of the flight attendants lost in
American Airlines flight 11 when if was crashed into the WTC tower. Thank you
for those who expressed their condolences.
It takes all kinds to make a community. So I do not hold any animosity
towards Ed or Malcolm (two who come to mind) if they feel that we should go
on with the business of Vanagons. I may feel the same if this tragedy had not
touched us personally. So I cannot admonish them for saying what they did.
We can grieve but should continue on with our lives as best as we can. Not
doing so otherwise is caving in to the design of terrorism.
On another note: I just received a call from Bob Wing who flew in to attend
the SF get together on Saturday. He doesn't even know how and when he's going
back to Michigan. He will be there Saturday. I believe Karl Wolz is still
driving in from AZ. Peter couldn't get the beer bus so that's a bust. He will
bring sausages for Detlev's barbecue. I'm bringing something I just don't
know what yet. TBerk is coming w/ his Scirocco buddies. Mike Miller is going
to mill on over from Sacramento. Jero is frantically reassembling his engine
to hopefully finish by Saturday. I could go on and on since it's Vanagon
related. 80% of those who said they would come have reconfirmed.
The one question on everybody's mind is "Are we still going to do this?". Not
doing so would be a concession to those madmen. Hell we will.
One day in Quezon City circa 1971 I awoke to find a crater large enough to
swallow a Vanagon (mandatory content). I lived across the US Army Motor pool.
Ironically my grandfather was the target and not the base. We threw steel
matting over the holes and drove the Mercedes out of the driveway. My
grandfather was presiding over an important hearing. No hole in the ground
was going to stop him. Besides he had to drive me to school.
BenT