" DO 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." I will not forget that the Dixie Chicks recently told a European concert audience which included many of our French "friends" that "just so you know, we're ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas." 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. -- Ed Evans, MGy Sgt., USMC (Ret.) Not as lean, Not as mean, But still a Marine. Keep this going until every living American has read it
Why let facts get in the way of the truth...? Your ignorance is pathetic..... 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.
A response to the partisan hack job. (I don't agree with everything in this, BTW): I am not manipulated. There are media sources around the world with every variety of views. Seek them out. I do understand. Everyone should know all sides of an issue. The reason "Schindler's List" and "Pearl Harbor" are examples is because you know both sides of the issues. Learn all sides before making a choice. I will not forget either. I know friends who lost relatives in the Pentagon and the WTC. Don't mistake my grief for a cry of war. I have not forgotten that the "liberal" media is controlled by conservative corporations Disney-ABC; TimeWarnerAOL-CBS,CNN; GE-NBC; Ultra conservative Rupert Murdock-FOX I will not forget that Reagan and Bush gave weapons to Iran, Iraq, and to our enemies in Afghanistan and they still possess those weapons. I will not watch quietly as the present administration denies American citizens their 1st, 4th, and 6th amendment rights. Wait until they throw you in prison and deny you the right to counsel, trial, and visitors. Too many have died to preserve these rights. I will not watch quietly as the present administration denies prisoners of war their rights under the Geneva Conventions whether it is a declared or undeclared war. We wouldn't want other countries to do this with our combatants, why should we set such precedence? I will not watch quietly as 3000 American deaths are turned into tens of thousands of American deaths in the name of an undefined war on terror. The best offense is a good defense, not willy-nilly attack on foreign countries without defined goals or targets. When Bush sends his daughters to fight on the front lines, then we'll talk. I will not be silent as Bush drums up support for war while making no attempt at peace. At least the former administration made progress with Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Russia, Israel/Palestine, China, Central America, and South America. Bush has done nothing but irritate our allies and ignite tensions with our enemies. We will not forget September 11. We will also not forget that Bush is denying your basic American rights in the name of homeland defense. Your silence enables the terrorists to win and you to live in a country where your government uses sophisticated telecommunications equipment and encryption technology against YOU. The opposition to the present Bush Administration tactics will not be silenced.
Re: Why let facts get in the way of the truth...? I didn't write the original post in this thread, but I saw a lot of truth in it so I posted it. You are right that it wasn't Clinton who equipped the terrorists. It was Reagan and Bush 41 That said I still have to say I completely agree with this porion of it "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!" OK, it was 3000 and not 7000. Biggles do you have any doubt at all that people like that would be just as glad to kill you as they would to kill me? While I don't agree with much of the response by Bestbank Tiger at least his response is reasoned and well though out. He was capable of thinking of a better response than "Well, uh, duhh, Your ignorance is pathetic"
YOur lawyer was recently seen snowbaording.... ...and bragging how clients never know what happens to his huge retainers.
