The lighting of the Christmas tree in Portland's Pioneer Square is an annual event: Santa shows up for the hundreds of children wishing for their most heartfelt gifts, while suddenly the lights on the 50 foot (or more) tall tree - light up at an exact hour. Usually before 6 PM. And I was there. There was a lot of holiday festivity and Christmas music. Thousands of folks gathered for the annual event. Little did we know that a sinister political plot was in the making: Even if it was only a totally bogus one. We all were in awe of the lights on the beautiful tree. Our ears fell in love with the holy music overpowering the Square. Yet there was a sinister and evil plan hidden from us as we rejoiced: The deliberate destruction of thousands of innocent lives. I'm grateful we all lived to tell the tale. But the event made me realize nobody is truly safe anymore. And I think I'll skip next year's event. It was too close for comfort. QP
I say this because of the sad aftermath. One Muslim church in Oregon has been torched, and I know of a neighbor that has been attacked merely because he looks like a Muslim. Yet this "fake" bombing of Portland has received national news. I question the wisdom in that. QP
I'm here in Portland too. This naive 19-year old kid has obviously been brainwashed with hate propoganda, but he's a psychotic freakazoid nonetheless. We shouldn't judge other Muslims based on the actions of one wacko anymore than Christians should be judged based on the actions of the Westboro Baptist Church.
Hmmm, just read a lengthy article (in Willie Week) about this potential so-called disaster. Certain "facts" just don't measure up? I mean, if this 19 y/o kid really was a serious threat to the good citizens of Portland, then why the hell was the FBI and American government doing everything in their power to make sure the bombing plot was a smashing success? Even if the bomb was a total fake? And why were the thousands of folks (myself included) never warned about the sinister plot in the making? Perhaps because the majority of us never would have set foot in the Square on that fateful day? Which would have meant only the brightly lit tree was at risk, instead of thousands of human lives (many of them children)? Real or fake, if somebody had told us about a plot to bomb the Square - nobody in their right mind would have dared to show up for the annual ceremony. And that's what bothers me the most. Of course, an empty Pioneer Square - would never have made national news. The silence is almost as disturbing as the potential for mass destruction. I think Portland citizens should have been given the option to attend - or remain safely at home. Especially when it comes to our children. Why did we only hear about any of this - after the sting operation had made its arrest? Our lives (and sanity) are worth much, much more. Just my two cents. QP
I was going to be there. I live walking distance away from Pioneer square. But instead I watched the Ducks football game. Had this been an actual bombing, watching the ducks game would'a saved my life. I arrived at pioneer square later. The tree lit up and the crowd was thin. Didn't hear anything of this event until the next day.
Bleep bleep bleep. This is a test of the EBS, the Emergency Bombing System. Had this been an actual bombing attempt, you would have been instructed to... .
