Sniperone
07-19-02, 10:24 PM
This was e-mailed to me by a law Enforcement friend of mine, thought I should share....
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 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 emark, "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 WashingtonDC 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.
-- Ed Evans, MGySgt., USMC (Ret.)
Not as lean,
Not as mean,
But still a Marine.
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 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 emark, "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 WashingtonDC 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.
-- Ed Evans, MGySgt., USMC (Ret.)
Not as lean,
Not as mean,
But still a Marine.