People make me sick. Yes, I'm pretty sure I feel that way. Here's why...

There's no question that the actions of the terrorist group that wreaked mass destruction on our country using our own planes is a heinous act that should not go unpunished. I say, "Let's find 'em and take care of business. USA style!"

In the aftermath of this unspeakable event, while the majority of the country is giving blood, passing out ribbons, tying flags to their cars, balconies and homefronts, there are other actions going on, too. (Please remember that "My Soapbox" is simply an editorial and I don't claim to have all the facts at the time of the writing.)

My family has spent much time in front of CNN watching the rescue efforts and learning about our nation's plan to root out terrorism. During this time, CNN is running a news ticker at the bottom of the screen with brief points of information. Among these, I detected two of them that made my blood boil. From CNN's website, here are the headlines and links to the stories:

• American Red Cross warns of online donation scams (Link to story here)
• Officials warn people not to give out Social Security numbers to people posing as rescue organizations.
• Prank Web Messages Giving False Hope (Link to story here)

On the first story, I was extremely irriated, as it seemed to me that in such a time of crisis that the nation is expected to come together. Instead we have people who are preying on innocent victims! Why not offer a portion of your obviously available time and creativity to assist in the rebuilding of NYC or assisting the families of the killed firefighters and police? Why, oh , why take advantage of these people and those missing their families and friends in the WTC destruction? Acccording to Phil Zepeda, director of online media at the Red Cross, "People are looking to use this as an opportunity to profit. It's almost beyond comprehension. It's a further tragedy beyond what has already happened." Right on target, Phil! According to Margie Arbon, manager of market and business development for Mail-Abuse Prevention Systems, "This has crossed into absolutely preying on people when they're the most vulnerable. How anybody could take advantage of a disaster like this for their own gain is just beyond me." Again, I couldn't agree more.

On the second story, my thoughts pretty much go to the same thing as the first story. Isn't there some better use of your intelligence than to swindle people, and possibly the estates of the dead? It's sick. Sick, I repeat. Identity theft will only hurt those already mourning, grieving and recovering from the loss of loved ones in the Tuesday's carnage. Even for criminals you would think some scams would be considered "in poor taste" and not a "great idea". Pathetic.

Concerning the third story: How dare you! We have people trying to devote their time and resources to helping and people are tearing them and their work down. What's worse is that these destructive types are cowards! Try walking to downtown NYC and hampering the rescue efforts or pulling the keys from the large cranes and fire trucks. Watch what happens! Yet these people will hide at home on their unemployed butts with a computer and a cable modem and run brute-force scripts to post names to a website intended to assist families in finding survivors. Again, how sad.

The remaining issue is: "How do we punish these criminals, who are using the terrorist's crimes to further their own schemes?" I think that these criminals deserve the harshest of punishments short of death and absolutely no lenience from a jury. In fact, forget the fines and forget the "community service", but let them do work that directly benefits a wronged family of a victim. Let them, perhaps, grow vegetables while in jail that go only to the families of those who lost someone. Maybe they have to work scrubbing floors in a huge warehouse getting to eat only bread and water and their whopping $2.00/hr going to the families. Maybe weekend jail time is best, so that they can continually be reminded of the loss of freedom and have it taken away each week.

Lowlifes. I guess all societies have them. Don't get me even started on the senseless attacks on Muslims based on stupid racist reasoning that they must be responsible because Usama bin Laden is a Muslim. America is a melting pot and we have people of all religions. We don't attack Catholics or Protestants, do we, because an American dies in a car-bombing in Ireland? It's the same thing and racist idiots ought to try throwing Molotov cocktails at their own trailer-trash mobile homes before tossing them at a mosque in Irving. Doesn't a "firebomb" or a "church shooting" sound like terrorist tactics? Yeah, it does.

Sometimes I'm saddened that we have these people in our country. But I am truly thankful for all those thousands upon thousands of people helping with the resuce efforts, donating blood, money, food, water, clothing and blankets. Not to mention restaurant owners getting together to provide food to the rescue efforts in NYC. This is what we ought to be doing. God Bless Amercia. Hell, yeah!

- Will Belden, Sept. 16, 2001