Now I Know Why, I Will Not Forget
I sat in a movie theater watching "Schindler's List," asked myself,
"Why didn't the Jews fight back?"
Now I know why.
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 Twin Towers.
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 statement 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 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.
***********************
by Ed Evans, MGySgt,. USMC
(Ret.)
Not as lean,
Not as mean,
But still a Marine.
Ed Evans, MGySgt., USMC (Ret.) has informed me he is not the author of this piece but only promoted it. Author is unknown.