Agree with Stan? If yes, why? If no, why not?

- Jim

...

It is natural for man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it.

- Patrick Henry, speaking before the Virginia Convention. March 23, 1775

Lights out, water off, phones dead, banks closed, grocery store shelves barren, gas station tanks empty, stock market crashed, sewage back flowing through the pipes and into homes, unemployment, panic, people bugging out, riots, fires, disease, and death: that's how some describe the worst that could happen. Others say it will be a bump in the road. No one knows the extent of the technology failures that will be caused by Y2K problems. Nonetheless, most of us understand the seriousness of the threat to ourselves, our families, and our way of life; we are concerned enough that prudence demands that we make preparations. In making our preparations, however, it becomes obvious that unless we know the whole truth, the worst... we can not begin to truly provide for it.

With six months to go, we can not be certain that government and corporate management understands the seriousness of the threat or provide the whole truth about the technology in their custody. We continue to receive mixed messages; the very definitions of terms seem to be changed in a poor and clumsy attempt to satisfy our questions and concerns. The problem, some believe, is not the vulnerability of an interconnected infrastructure to technology failures that will cause problems that may migrate throughout the technological systems. The problem, warns John Koskinen and others, is if the American people lose confidence in the system and make preparations for the worst. Our way of life, it is explained, is supported by an infrastructure that is vulnerable to our mistrust and any radical changes in our habits and patterns of consumption, investment, and savings that such mistrust may cause. Still, others say that there is no problem; Y2K is the hoax of a century.

On the one hand, the American people can not be trusted to know the whole truth, the worst, or provide for it as we might individually desire. We cannot be trusted to know the worst, because it is feared that we will not assume the responsibility to prepare as a nation and so avoid the problems that will attack the vulnerabilities of our infrastructure. Yet, the American people have not yet enjoyed that opportunity to demonstrate our prudence as a people and our courage as a nation. Not in recent times. Therefore, we few must endeavor to pursue the whole truth, speculate upon the worst, and provide for ourselves and others. It we are to hope for the best, we must be men and women of character; we must make good decisions and act well in the face of an uncertain future. Like those who gathered in Philadelphia and hammered out the design and future of the Republic, a responsibility for more than our own persons and those we hold in affection is demanded of us.

Our aim must be more noble than our own personal safety. Together, we must rise above a narrow and individual self interest. We must now courageously pursue the cause of Freedom. What is life without liberty and the freedom to pursue happiness! We must not be content to individually draw up our defense around a life so awfully circumscribed. To do so would not do honor to those who so valiantly gave their lives for our own independence, to preserve the union against our lesser impulses and common enemies, and to increase our own and the world's understanding of Freedom. Let us now put our individual hesitations, fears and disappointments aside. We must now arm ourselves with virtues.

Saddle up! Go great distances, make sacrifices, endure discomforts, and come together... in order that we may steer this nation to a course of Promise.

Sincerely, Stan Faryna Fairfax, Virginia June 25, 1999

-- Jim Keyser (info@y2k.am), June 30, 1999

Answers

Stan better be careful, if he gets any more charismatic he is apt to get assassinated. I'd suggest he stays away from open windows in book depositories in the near future.

"...when a leader speaks, that leader dies!".

-Cult of Personality, In Living Color

-- (how come@the good.die young?), June 30, 1999.

here here stan. spoken like a true patriot. you are truly a brave and courageous person and i'd like to think a chunk of chiseled flesh to boot.

a tip of the tri-cornered to you, you crazy "minute man."

-- corrine l (corrine@iwaynet.net), June 30, 1999.

Well said, Stan, well said. I absolutely agree with you. What you have said is true for all times. In particular, YR2K. If the YR2K rollover fulfills a sufficient portion of what is feared, it will take many people being noble and heroic to sustain a world that we would wish to inhabit.

Many are celebrating now that companies are announcing compliance or readiness. There never was any doubt that many people have worked hard to try to reach this readiness. But watching the announcments coming in, even if they were 100% truthful, I cannot help but think "There need to be so many ready. Are there enough? Will there be enough?"

-- Jean (jmacmanu@bellsouth.net), June 30, 1999.

I don't know why Stan didn't post this to the forum. I'm sure he won't mind that I did. Stan?

-- Jim Keyser (info@y2k.am), June 30, 1999.

Sorry my coment was off color, and maybe radical. It was supposed to be a bit sardonic but still civil. I guess it came out more like a warning, which was not intended in the least. My apology to Stan. I agree with him fully and I think everyone needs to do their part. We need more people like Stan.

Again, my deepest regret and humble apology.

-- (how come the @good . die young?), June 30, 1999.

Riviting!

-- Brian (imager@home.com), July 01, 1999.

Well, I had planned to post it, but after it was published in a few newspapers. (grin) I also delayed as I didn't have the time to nurture the thread and keep it going as I usually do. For now, I won't make much comment. It is something to think about and return to again and again.

how come the @good . die young?, I understood you and I did not take offense. I appreciate your concern. (laughing) The tree of liberty has been fed with blood, but I hope to avoid being a human sacrifice. I have received unpleasant threats in the past, I imagine that I will get them in the future.

I am neither fearless nor overly concerned about these things. When my time is up, it's up. But I have a feeling that I will serve a higher purpose until that end.

We have all got to keep on keeping on!

Sincerely, Stan Faryna

-- Stan Faryna (info@giglobal.com), July 01, 1999.

spoken like a true partiot stanley. thank you for your service.

.

-- corrine l (corrine@iwaynet.net), July 01, 1999.

spoken like a true patriot stanley. thank you for your service.

.

-- corrine l (corrine@iwaynet.net), July 01, 1999.

Mr. Faryna, I've long admired the way you phrase your thoughts and ideas. I never feel anything other than affection at your words, even if you write something with which I disagree. You, sir, are a true gentle man (and I space the words deliberately). Thank you for staying with this forum and helping to give it that facet of its character which can only be described as "honorable."

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), July 01, 1999.

git you knows 'em when you sees 'em.

giddy up and ride em' you kookie caballero.

.

-- corrine l (corrine@iwaynet.net), July 01, 1999.