A moment of silence...

[rocketmaster]

For once, us loudmouths from the Streetwalkin' Cheetahs are at a loss for words. The September 11th tragedy is shocking and leaves the band sad and breathless and gasping for air. Everytime I see pictures on the web and images on TV, I start to cry. We live in L.A. but have many friends and family members in NY and our hearts go out to everyone in NY and DC and Pennsylvania who is suffering as a result of these horrific events. I know it made me feel a whole lot better when I spoke to my grandparents in Manahatten to know they were alright. Our prayers go out to the friends and family of Johnny Hef, guitarist for New York punk rawkers The Bully's, and band we have shared the stage with several times. Hef is a New York City fireman and has been missing since the Twin Towers collapsed. His crew was one of the first called to the scene at the World Trade Center and although he spoke to his wife before the collapse he has been missing since. Like many, many Americans in these cities, Johnny is a hero. Let's just try to band together and work hard to overcome this disaster. Be poitive and stay focused.

A moment of silence for our brothers and sisters around the nation...

The Streetwalkin' Cheetahs

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[rocketmaster]

More letters from friends:

This, from a Canadian newspaper, is worth sharing.



America: The Good Neighbor.
*Widespread but only partial news coverage was given recently to a remarkable editorial broadcast from Toronto by Gordon Sinclair, a Canadian television commentator. What follows is the full text of his trenchant remarks as printed in the Congressional Record:


"This Canadian thinks it is time to speak up for the Americans as the most generous and possibly the least appreciated people on all the earth.


Germany, Japan and, to a lesser extent, Britain and Italy were lifted out of the debris of war by the Americans who poured in billions of dollars and forgave other billions in debts. None of these countries is today paying even the interest on its remaining debts to the United States.


When France was in danger of collapsing in 1956, it was the Americans who propped it up, and their reward was to be insulted and swindled on the streets of Paris. I was there. I saw it.


When earthquakes hit distant cities, it is the United States that hurries in to help. This spring, 59 American communities were flattened by tornadoes. Nobody helped.


The Marshall Plan and the Truman Policy pumped billions of dollars! into discouraged countries. Now newspapers in those countries are writing about the decadent, warmongering Americans.


I'd like to see just one of those countries that is gloating over the erosion of the United States dollar build its own airplane. Does any other country in the world have a plane to equal the Boeing Jumbo Jet, the Lockheed Tri-Star, or the Douglas DC10? If so, why don't they fly them? Why do all the International lines except Russia fly American Planes?


Why does no other land on earth even consider putting a man or woman on the moon? You talk about Japanese technocracy, and you get radios. You talk about German technocracy, and you get automobiles.


You talk about American technocracy, and you find men on the moon -! not once, but several times - and safely home again.


You talk about scandals, and the Americans put theirs right in the store window for everybody to look at. Even their draft-dodgers are not pursued and hounded.
They are here on our streets, and most of them, unless they are breaking Canadian laws, are getting American dollars from ma and pa at home to spend here.



When the railways of France, Germany and India were breaking down through age, it was the Americans who rebuilt them. When the Pennsylvania Railroad and the New York Central went broke, nobody loaned them an old caboose. Both are still broke.


I can name you 5000 times when the Americans raced to the help of other people in trouble. Can you name me even one time when someone else raced to the Americans in trouble? I don't think there was outside help even during the San Francisco earthquake.


Our neighbors have faced it alone, and I'm one Canadian who is damned tired of hearing them get kicked around. They will come out of this thing with their flag high. And when they do, they are entitled to thumb their nose at the lands that are gloating over their present troubles. I hope Canada is not one of those."


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[rocketmaster]

My thoughts and prayers are for all the victims, families, and anyone connected to this insane tragedy. I can't believe what has happened, and the pictures on tv seem like something out of a Hollywood movie. Unbelievable craziness.

I'm happy to hear from all my NYC friends and family. They are all ok, including a good friend who works at 7 World Trade Center. My deepest condolences for anyone who had family or friends lost in the tragedy. I can't even begin to think what you may be going thru, and my heart is with you.

I'll be leaving for 3 weeks on a west coast tour this Sunday. Normally, I'd be excited to hit the road and get out there, but I feel a black cloud and it's been hard to even think about playing. I'm trying to look on the positive side, however; I do think that playing music is a healing therapy for listeners and the performer, so I look forward to that process, and for time to heal as well. I also look forward to seeing some friends up north and meeting some new friends, as well. I'll just miss my hometown and family, and looking forward to returning home in October.

peace to all, and see you soon-
janet robin

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