LewDog, I think you are confusing what may be the the reason for these flames, as you call them. I don't think there is any objection to individuals who want to get back on a plane as soon as it is possible to do so safely. There are many good reasons why we, as a country, need to get back in the air.

Paul Palmer summarizes some of my thoughts pretty well, so I'll try not to repeat.

Loving airplanes, flying, and the pursuit of frequent flier miles is one thing. We should all appreciate the people, activities and memories that we cherish not just in times of crisis but all the time. However, when people talk about their pocketbooks taking a hit (whether cash or that other currency, FF miles, commonly mentioned on FT) and/or how they may be inconvenienced by the new-but-little-too-late security measures within 24-72 hours of this local, national, and international tragedy, I have every right to be offended.

The scale of Tuesday's tragedy is beyond comprehension. And we saw it with our own eyes in real time. The people of this country are on edge (as for me, a native New Yorker, I am just in shock).

I agree that it is good to have distractions from the 24/7 coverage of the tragedy. Thinking about flying and one's love for travel is a legitimate outlet, and there is never anyhing wrong with that. Having FT as a outlet has also helped me a great deal, because it is a community first and a forum on aviation issues second. But let us also remember that some people will take longer to "return to normal" than others. So, I hope that we can continue to be a little more sensitive and less inwardly focused in our comments for the time being.

[edited out of respect to those that are coping differently than I am]

[This message has been edited by fallinasleep (edited 09-15-2001).]