>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.