I sat in a movie theater, watching "Pearl Harbor" and
asked myself, "Why weren't we prepared?" Now I know

why.

Civilized people cannot fathom, much less predict, the
actions of evil people.

On September 11, dozens of capable airplane passengers

allowed themselves to be overpowered by a handful of

poorly armed terrorists because they did not comprehend

the depth of hatred that motivated their captors.

On September 11, thousands of innocent people were
murdered because too many Americans naively reject
the reality that some nations are dedicated to  the
dominance of others. Many political pundits, pacifists
and media personnel want us to forget the carnage.

They say we must focus on the bravery of the rescuers
and ignore the cowardice of the killers. They implore
us to understand the motivation of the perpetrators.
Major television stations have announced they will
assist the healing process by not replaying devastating

footage of the planes crashing into the TwinTowers.

I will not be manipulated.

I will not pretend to understand. I will not forget.

I will not forget the liberal media who abused freedom
of the press to kick our country when it was vulnerable

and hurting.

I will not forget that CBS anchor Dan Rather preceded
President Bush's address to the nation with the snide
remark, "No matter how you feel about him, he is still
our president."

 

I will not forget that ABC TV anchor Peter Jennings
questioned President Bush's motives for not returning
immediately to Washington, DC and commented,
We're all pretty skeptical and cynical about Washington."

And I will not forget that ABC's Mark Halperin warned if

reporters weren't informed of every little detail of this war,

they aren't "likely -- nor should they be expected -- to show

deference."

I will not isolate myself from my fellow Americans by
pretending an attack on the USS Cole in Yemen was
not an attack on the United States of America.

I will not forget the Clinton administration equipped
Islamic terrorists and their supporters with the world's

most sophisticated telecommunications equipment and

encryption technology, thereby compromising America's

ability to trace terrorist radio, cell phone,land lines, faxes

and modem communications.

I will not be appeased with pointless, quick retaliatory
strikes like those perfected by the previous administration.
I will not be comforted by "feel-good, do nothing" regulations

like the silly, "Have your bags been under your control?"

question at the airport.

I will not be influenced by so called,"antiwar demonstrators"

who exploit the right of __expression to chant anti-American obscenities.

 

I will not forget the moral victory handed the North
Vietnamese by American war protesters who reviled
and spat upon the returning soldiers, airmen, sailors
and marines.

I will not be softened by the wishful thinking of
pacifists who chose reassurance over reality.

I will embrace the wise words of Prime Minister Tony
Blair who told the Labor Party conference, "They have
no moral inhibition on the slaughter of the innocent.
If they could have murdered not 7,000 but 70,000, does
anyone doubt they would have done so and rejoiced in it?

There is no compromise possible with such people, no
meeting of minds, no point of understanding with such
terror. Just a choice: defeat it or be defeated by it..

And defeat it we must!"
I will force myself to:
-hear the weeping
-feel the helplessness
-imagine the terror
-sense the panic
-smell the burning flesh
- experience the loss
- remember the hatred.

I sat in a movie theater, watching "Private Ryan" and
asked myself, "Where did they find the courage?"

Now I know.

We have no choice. Living without liberty is not living.

-- Ed Evans, MGySgt., USMC (Ret.)
Not as lean, Not as mean, But still a Marine.

 

R.W.P.