I remember a grimly funny cartoon, which took a shot at the stereotype of the priorities of the French bourgeoisie: The restaurateur warns his patrons by shouting, "Messieurs et Mesdames! Les plastiqueurs! Pay your bills and run for your lives!"

In the days since September eleventh, acts of cowardice, ignorance, greed, hatred, and pure evil, when they have occured, have appeared even more heinous than they would normally, because they stand in such stark contrast to the many beautiful things that have happened.