Chain e-mails used to rally U.S. support

September 14, 2001

Mass e-mailings, which have long annoyed people by flooding inboxes with bad jokes, get-rich-quick schemes and "Top 10" lists, are now being used to try to rally Americans after the devastating terror attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

From lighting candles to wearing the red, white and blue colors of the American flag, several e-mails swirled around the country on Thursday, urging readers to, in the words of one, "show those terrorists that we Americans stick together."

That e-mail said Friday, September 14 should be "Flags Across America" day, and asked citizens to display a U.S. flag at their homes or in their cars.

"Let's keep the meaning of UNITED in 'United States'," the e-mail read.

Another declared Friday to be "U.S. Color Day."

"Red, white and blue should be worn in honor of our fellow Americans that died. The goal is to get the whole nation to participate," it said, adding, "Send this to 10 other people."

A third mass e-mail asked people to stop whatever they are doing at 7 p.m. Friday evening and light a candle.

Source: www.zdnet.com