An open letter to the Terrorists:
You are about to learn what the U.S.A. stands for.
While it is difficult to summon words to appropriately and comprehensively
describe what troubles the American soul in this moment of horrific
shock
when hot tears sting disbelieving eyes, these words are for you
perpetrators of our suffering:
You monster.
You beast.
You unspeakable bastard.
What lesson did you hope to teach us by your cowardly attack
on our World Trade Center, on our Pentagon, on us? What was it you hoped
we would learn? Whatever it was, please know that you failed. Did you want
us to respect your cause? You just damned your cause. Did you want to make
us fearful? You just steeled our resolve. Did you want to tear us apart?
You just brought us together. Let us tell you about our nation. We
are a vast and quarrelsome family, a family rent by race, class,
culture and politics, but a family
nonetheless. We're frivolous, yes, capable of expending tremendous
energy on pop
cultural minutiae, a singer's revealing dress, a ball team's misfortune,
a cartoon mouse, a beautiful waltz. We're wealthy, too, spoiled
by the ready availability of trinkets and
material goods, and a plethora of services. Perhaps because of that,
we walk through life with a sense of blithe entitlement. Yet we are fundamentally
decent, peace loving and compassionate. We struggle to discover the
right thing, and to do it. And we are, by a
wide majority, a people of faith, believers in a just and loving
God. Some people think that any or all of this makes us weak. You
would be mistaken. We are not weak. Indeed, we are strong in ways
that cannot be measured by arsenals. Yes, we are in pain now. We
are in mourning. We are in shock. We are still grappling with the unreality
of the awful things you did, still working to make ourselves understand
that this is not a special effect in some Hollywood movie, or a plot
development in a Tom Clancy novel. In terms of both the awful scope of
its ambition and the probable final death toll, your attacks are likely
to go down as the worst acts of terrorism in the history of the United
States and, indeed, the history of the world. You've bloodied us as we
have never been bloodied before. But there's a huge difference between
making us bloody and making us fall. This is the lesson we taught Japan
to its bitter sorrow the last time anyone hit us this hard, the last time
anyone brought us such abrupt and monumental pain. When roused, we are
righteous in our outrage, terrible in our force. When provoked by this
level of barbarism, we will bear any suffering, pay any cost, and go to
any length in the pursuit of justice. We tell you this without fear of
contradiction. We know our nation as you do not. What we know reassures
us, even as it makes us tremble with the thought of the forces that will
be unleashed. In the days to come, there will be recrimination and accusation,
finger pointing to determine whose failure allowed this to happen and what
can be done to prevent a reoccurrence. There will be heightened security,
and talk of suspending some freedoms. We will emerge from this moment sobered,
chastened, and sad. But, we will also emerge determined. Unimaginably determined.
Our President said: "This enemy hides in shadows and has no regard for
human life. This is an enemy who preys on innocent and unsuspecting people,
then runs for cover. But it won't be able to run forever. This is an enemy
that tries to hide, but it won't be able to hide forever. This an enemy
that thinks harbors are safe, but they won't be safe forever?.The United
States of America will use all its resources to conquer this enemy. We
will rally the world. We will be patient. We will be focused. And,
we will be steadfast in our determination. This battle will take time and
resolve. But make no mistake about it: we will win." You see, steel
lies beneath our velvet. That aspect of our character is seldom understood
by people who don't know us well. As Americans, we will put our family
squabbles aside. As Americans, we will weep. As Americans we will mourn.
And, as Americans, we will rise in defense of all that we cherish.
Still, we keep wondering what it was you hoped to teach us. Did you simply
want us to know the depths of your hatred? If that's true, consider
your message received. And take this message in return: You don't
know our nation. You don't know what we're about. You don't know
what you just started. But, you are about to learn.
SIGNED: The People of
the United States of America