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First, don't do it without limits. If you are going to buy an individual stock, put some limit on it. We are going to be in an extremely volatile market and I don't want you to be picked off by machines that might be moving stocks faster than you can imagine.

Second, space it out. If you want to buy because it is right, and you want to buy 500 shares of, say, General Electric (GE:NYSE - news - commentary - research) , buy 100 shares a day. Don't put the trade on all at once. That would be a big mistake.

Third, if it is a statement you want to make, and you want to cut the risk of individual stocks, why not buy an index fund? I have used the Vanguard S&P 500 fund as an investment -- low fees, good service. That way you won't be betting on one stock that turns out to have too much exposure to the tragedy.

Fourth, if you don't have to act on Monday, don't. Things will get progressively better throughout the week -- meaning more organized, less chaotic, and I think that better opportunities to take financial action will occur later.

Finally, while this tragedy will most certainly hasten the recession with which we were already flirting, it will also hasten the recovery. The rebuilding project, and the galvanized nature of the American people might spur the growth that has been so elusive for so long.