Nothing here in my small town on the eastern shore of Nova Scotia has changed, except that the price of gas and heating oil is 20 per cent lower than before the events of Sept. 11. Where do I send my letter of thanks and to whom?
R. Courvoisier

It is easy to believe that we, as Canadians, can slip through the cracks - that we will not be directly affected by what happened in the United States. However, it is too late. When the foundations of the World Trade Center fell, the foundations of peace everywhere were shaken. Peace, in every sense of the word. Even peace of mind. I have travelled on airplanes all my life. I was born and raised on an air-force base, so for as long as I remember I have been around planes. However, last weekend, when I boarded an aircraft for the first time since the terror attacks, I found myself scrutinizing every passenger, regardless of ethnic background, wondering. Every bit of turbulence caused my heart to race, and I have never previously been afraid of flying. The security increase prior to boarding the airplane did little to soothe my rampant imagination, but rather helped me to weave intricate horrifying scenarios in my head. I inhaled deeply for the first time upon landing at my destination. It reminded me that no matter where we are or what country we live in, terror has attacked us all.
Clare H.

Many people are missing the point. Osama bin Laden states that his reactions are a result of support for Israel. That is of course because he would like to wipe it out. I certainly am not Jewish, but that country, created from the mess of the Second World War, has always needed support. The United States, especially since Vietnam, has not wanted to be the world's policeman. Despite that, they have no choice.
Thomas Clark

I'm a Canadian-born naturalized American and a veteran of the Persian Gulf War. I now live in Calgary, but I doubt I will stay. I miss my right to keep and bear arms for the welfare of my loved ones and country. I want it back.
Bryan S. Whelan

For all Canadians: Thank you for all of your help, and God bless your troops.
Glenn McGloughlin

Has my life changed? Not one bit. All this is the usual "sky is falling" media BS.
Jim McGowan

My life has not changed. I am not an American. This attack was against Americans.
Bill

I will never trust an Arab again. I will not patronize any Arab establishment nor will I purchase anything made in a Muslim country. I now believe that all those "refugees" that have come here over the recent few years from Arabic countries are part of a conspiracy to infiltrate our society as a fifth column and are bent on destroying everything non-Muslim.
Mickey, Montreal

Basically, I think it's just stupid. The whole thing is stupid. I can't stand watching U.S. President George W. Bush refer to the Taliban as the "enemy" that must be destroyed. Isn't it bad enough that thousands of lives have been taken on Sept.11? Why increase the toll and worsen what is already a huge disaster? Will destroying the lives of innocent civilians amend the situation in any way? No. Will sending in troops who will engage in cold-blooded murder, so that even more lives will be lost, resolve the tragedy? No again. I don't understand why people are always so quick to jump to war. We make it seem almost glorious, honoured, when it is perhaps the worst sin that mankind can commit. Hurting each other is just like hurting ourselves. We are a nation, all of us, the Chinese, the Afghans, the Americans (though they're too proud to ever think this way), the Indians, the Germans. War between countries is like war within a family.
Chuan Li, Toronto

My life has changed dramatically. I felt so sorry for the people of New York. People say we should feel sorry for the people of Afghanistan during this war, but didn't they feel sorry for the American people when the World Trade Center was attacked? It's got the world in real turmoil right now.
Ray Gerrard

There have been numerous stories, articles and TV shows on how everyone's life has changed since Sept. 11. Since then I have travelled to Africa and the United States, and the only difference I have noticed in my life is that I have had to put my Swiss army knife in my checked baggage instead of my carry-on. Other than that, the only change is in news coverage of any minor detail surrounding terrorism. This problem has been completely blown out of proportion by the U.S. media. Terrorism exists everywhere in the world, and the only difference with this instance is this happened on U.S. soil. Americans need to wake up and realize they aren't the only country on earth. Before Sept. 11, the United States was back in the exact same mode as it was prior to the Second World War: isolation.
Todd Price