I sat in a movie theater watching "Schindler's
List" and 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.
-- Ed Evans, MGySgt., USMC (Ret.)
Not as lean, Not as mean, But still a Marine.
