>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 _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
>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.
