Fw: Open Letter To A Terrorist

[m45]

I just got this in the eMail and thought I'd share it with you all!


Well, you hit the World Trade Center, but you missed America.
You hit the pentagon, but you missed America.
You used helpless American bodies, but like a poor marksman, you STILL
missed America.

Why? Because of something you guys will never understand. America isn't
about a building or two, not about financial centers, not about
militarycenters, American isn't about a place, America isn't even about a
bunch of bodies.
America is about an IDEA. An idea that you can go someplace and earn as
much as you can figure out how to, live for the most part, like you
envisioned living, and pursue happiness. (No guarantees that you'll reach
it, but you sure can try!)
Go ahead and whine your terrorist whine and chant your terrorist litany:"if
you cannot see my point, then feel my pain." This concept is alien to
Americans. We live in a country where we don't have to see your point, but
you are free to have one. We don't have to listen to your speech, but you
are free to say one. Don't know where you got the idea that everyone has to
agree with you.

There's a spirit that tends to take over people who come to this country
looking for opportunity, looking for liberty, looking for freedom.
Even if they misuse it.
You guys seem to be incapable of understanding that we don't live in
America, America lives in US! American Spirit is what it's called.
Killing a few thousand of us, or a few million of us, won't change it.
Most of the time, it's a pretty happy-go-lucky kind of Spirit until we're
crossed in a cowardly manner, then it becomes an entirely different kind of
Spirit.


Wait until you see what we do with that Spirit this time. Sleep tight if
you can, we're coming.

[SensualLove]

America: The Good Neighbor.
Widespread, but only partial news coverage, was given recently to a remarkable editorial broadcast from Toronto by Gordon Sinclair, a Canadian television commentator.
What follows is the full text of his trenchant remarks as printed in the Congressional Record:
"This Canadian thinks it is time to speak up for the Americans as the most generous and possibly, the least appreciated people on all the earth. Germany, Japan and, to a lesser extent, Britain and Italy were lifted out of the debris of war by the Americans who poured in billions of dollars and forgave other billions in debts. None of these countries is paying even the interest, on its
remaining debts to the United States.

When France was in danger of collapsing in 1956, it
was the Americans who propped it up, and their reward was to be insulted and swindled on the streets of Paris. I was there. I saw it.

When earthquakes hit distant cities, it is the United States that hurries in to help. This spring, 59 American communities were flattened by tornadoes. Nobody helped.

The Marshall Plan and the Truman Policy pumped billions of dollars into discouraged countries. Now newspapers in those countries are writing about the decadent, warmongering Americans.

I'd like to see just one of those countries that is gloating over the erosion of the United States dollar, build its own airplane. Does any other country in the world have a plane to equal the Boeing Jumbo Jet, the Lockheed Tri-Star, or the Douglas DC10? If so, why don't they fly them? Why do all the International lines except Russia fly American Planes?

Why does no other land on earth even consider putting a man or woman on the moon? You talk about Japanese technocracy, and you get radios. You talk about German technocracy, and you get automobiles. You talk about American technocracy, and you find men on the moon - not once, but several times and
safely home again.

You talk about scandals, and the Americans put theirs right in the store window for everybody to look at.

Even their draft-dodgers are not pursued and hounded. They are here, on our Canadian streets, and most of them, unless they are breaking Canadian laws, are getting American dollars from ma and pa at home to spend here.

When the railways of France, Germany and India were breaking down through age, it was the Americans who rebuilt them. When the Pennsylvania Railroad and the New York Central went broke, nobody loaned them an old caboose. Both are still broke.

I can name you 5000 times when the Americans raced to the help of other people in trouble. Can you name me even ONE time when someone else raced to the Americans in trouble? I don't think there was outside help even during the San Francisco earthquake.

Our neighbors have faced it alone, and I'm one Canadian who is damned tired of hearing them get kicked around. They will come out of this thing with their flag high. And when they do, they are entitled to thumb their nose at all the lands that are gloating over their present troubles. I hope Canada is not one of those."

Stand proud, America
++++++++++++
This is one of the best editorials that I have ever
read regarding the United States. It is nice that one
man realizes it. I only wish that the rest of the world would realize it. We are always blamed for everything, and never even get a thank you for the things we do.
Maybe each of you can send this to at least one person and they might send it to one of their friends until this letter is sent to every person on the web.

I am just a single American that has read this, I SURE HOPE THAT A LOT MORE READ IT SOON.

[rabbit]

Thank you for posting that editorial.

This is an international site and I am glad everyone will see it. I was in Newark on Friday, trying to make my way back home. I saw the devastation from across the Hudson River. I wanted to cry. Now I am just angry.

I hope we hunt down the bastards who did this to the ends of the earth, if needed, and grant them the punishment they deserve.

I knew someone who died on the plane that hit the Pentagon. He had just retired and was preparing to enjoy life. Instead, he and his wife got death. Horrible. Just horrible.

rabbit

[Robeye]

Ok I appreciate that there is no need for what I am about to write but I feel I have to make a few points out, I am NOT dissing Americans cos I am not a prejudiced person, and I am also not taking away from Tuesdays tragedy cos that was by far and away the saddest thing that I can ever remember feeling. All I am doing is responding to some of the crap written up above that although I agree with everything else that was written, so don't start on me I'm just correcting a few things:

A) pretty much All jet planes engines are based around the ROLLS ROYCE engine, which is and has always been a British development, so the Americans don't take all the credit I'm afraid.

B) It wasn't just americans who died on tuesday.

C) America, as is constantly "bragged" may have tipped the balance to win the second world war, but they only joined after they were affected at Pearl harbour, if America had joined-in the second world war earlier after being pleaded to several times, then literally millions of lives could and would have been saved on both sides.

D) Other countries did not join in the Vietnam war cos it was a war that did NOT need to be fought, most Americans will probably agree.

I know this is seemingly controversial, but bear in mind I keep an open mind with no prejudice, I just have an irritating need to set some needless records straight.

God Bless america and the free world, rest in peace all those who died except the killers. I never used to long for a hell before this week, but if there is no such thing as hell then there will never be a justice for those behind this.

My heart goes to all who have lost someone.... (@)

[Elouise]

Dear Robeye,

There is a time and a place for everything.
Yes , you may want to correct some minor technical errors in someone else's sermon, but perhaps you could have waited a little longer.
Sometimes it is the sentiment rather than the minutiae that is important.
The above speech was made on behalf of the Americans by one of their Canadian neighbours- it was an expression of love, sentiment and frustration delivered shortly after what we hope will be the last such tragedy that any of us should ever have to watch anywhere.
As an Australian, I share the pain of loss of the American people for the lives, the hopes and the way of life which will never be regained. I enjoy a very similar life to my American friends, as I do with my British and Kiwi friends.
As a citizen of a country which has suffered the indiscriminate violence of the IRA (I am presuming that you are British), I would have thought that you may have responded more sensatively.
We all know that it was not only Americans who died in this tragedy. As a centre of world commerce that was a given. At latest count it would appear that around 100 Aussies are lost forever.
I am proud that my Prime Minister has activated our bilateral treaty and has pledged any support whatsoever to our US friends. I understand that this could place us Australia at risk, but our current opinion polls show over 80% support. We may be small in numbers, but we hope that our show of loyalty is large. I am sure that my country's defence forces will be proud to stand beside our American allies, as they have in two world wars, Korea and VIETNAM.
When you want to correct facts, please ensure that your corrections are accurate. Over 600 New Zealand and Australian troops died serving with their American brothers in the war you state that noone else participated in. My Aunt still grieves for my cousin who did not return in 1969.

Time and place ,Robeye, time and place....

E.

[nutworld]

Sensual Love,

I recieved a copy of the e-mail that you were kind enough to post, that quotes Mr. Gordon Sinclair.

I passed that e-mail along to all my friends and collegues and I must say that reading it DID make me feel proud, and grateful that someone else acknowleges the many good aspects of America, and some of our actions. I am the first to admit that my country has made MANY mistakes, but we have also done much good that people everywhere tend to forget when it is convienient.

I want to thank you for posting it here.

[nutworld]

Robeye,

I appreciate your comments and understand what you are saying, however I applaud Elouise and agree with her when she states :
Time and place ,Robeye, time and place....

While there do need to be corrections regarding some statements being made about my country, there is a time and a place.

The whole world is to some degree, in mourning this day, not just America, and I for one have prayed for ALL whom have had their lives so drastically altered by this horrific event, not just the Americans that are missing.

Thank you,
Nutworld

[Robeye]

i apologise to anyone I have offended, I know I should have kept my thoughts to myself so i am sorry. it's an annoying personality defunction I have to correct people when I (think) I know better, I am working on it

sorry

[Siobhan]

I live in Ireland - we have extremely close links with the US and have a lot to thank them for in terms of their contribution (Bill Clinton in particular) to our own peace process. We were all shocked and saddend by the terrorist attacks last week - we held a natioal day of mourning - all businesses closed and people reflected on the events. I went to the american embassy along with thousands of other people to pay our respects. Our fire fighters - my boyfriend among them - marched to the embassy to make a special presentation to the NYFD. It was a very emotional day.

But there are things we need to remember.

One of the things that feeds terrorism is rhetoric - rhetoric from both sides - it keeps people from looking at the issues and concentrates their mind on each sides "moral high ground", and it prevents inclusive dialogue. One thing we should never forget is that one man's terrorist is another's freedom fighter. If it weren't for the actions of terrorists in Ireland at the turn of the century we would not have a free state now and if the IRA didn't scare the UK into talking we wouldn't have a devolved government in the north now.

I think America is a wonderful country and as M45's post says a wonderful idea. However it is important to look beyond that sort of rhetoric and look at the actual actions and implications of the US foreign policy in the middle last in the last few years and I'll say no more than that. He who is without sin and all that.....

Anyway - we're all in this together. Long live America - but long live the rest of us too - fair is fair.

[Irish]

Siobhan--I agree with everything that you said, except for one
thing.I;personally;don't think that we owe Bill Clinton anything.
In my opinion;I think that;he was the worst President that the
U.S. ever had!I'm sure alot of people will disagree with me,but
thats what makes this a free country!Perhaps that is why I am
registered to vote as an independent.
Please people,don't send all kinds of replys,giving the
pros of Bill Clinton.My wife,two daughters,and friends cannot
stand him.I'm glad that my daughters have common sense and
happy familys.Both of my daughters have done modeling.Bill
Clintons fantasy.
Pardon my rambling.I get carried away! Irish

[PurpleLayc]

A friend sent this to me. Thought I would share it here.....

The Miami Herald - Published Wednesday, September 12, 2001
We'll go forward from this moment
by Leonard Pitts

It's my job to have something to say.
They pay me to provide words that help make sense of that which troubles
the
American soul. But in this moment of airless shock when hot tears sting
disbelieving eyes, the only thing I can find to say, the only words that
seem to fit, must be addressed to the unknown author of this suffering.
You monster. You beast. You unspeakable bastard.
What lesson did you hope to teach us by your coward's attack on our World
Trade Center, our Pentagon, 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 fear? You just steeled our resolve.
Did you want to tear us apart? You just brought us together.
Let me tell you about my people. We are a vast and quarrelsome family, a
family rent by racial, social, political and class division, but a family
nonetheless. We're frivolous, yes, capable of expending tremendous
emotional energy on pop cultural minutiae-a singer's revealing dress, a
ball
team's misfortune, a cartoon mouse. We're wealthy, too, spoiled by the
ready
availability of trinkets and material goods, and maybe because of that, we
walk through life with a certain sense of blithe entitlement. We are
fundamentally decent, though-peace-loving and compassionate. We struggle
to know the right thing and to do it. And we are, the overwhelming majority
of us, people of faith, believers in a just and loving God.
Some people-you, perhaps-think that any or all of this makes us weak.
You're mistaken. We are not weak. Indeed, we are strong in ways that cannot
be measured by arsenals.

IN PAIN
Yes, we're in pain now. We are in mourning and we are in shock. We're still
grappling with the unreality of the awful thing you did, still working to
make ourselves understand that this isn't a special effect from some
Hollywood blockbuster, isn't the plot development from a Tom Clancy novel.
Both in terms of the awful scope of their 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, probably, the history of
the world.
You've bloodied us as we have never been bloodied before.
But there's a gulf of difference between making us bloody and making us
fall.
This is the lesson Japan was taught 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, go to any length, in the pursuit of justice.
I tell you this without fear of contradiction. I know my people, as you, I
think, do not. What I know reassures me. It also causes me to tremble with
dread of the future.
In the days to come, there will be recrimination and accusation, fingers
pointing to determine whose failure allowed this to happen and what can be
done to prevent it from happening again. There will be heightened security,
misguided talk of revoking basic freedoms. We'll go forward from this
moment
sobered, chastened, sad. But determined, too. Unimaginably determined.

THE STEEL IN US
You see, the steel in us is not always readily apparent. That aspect of our
character is seldom understood by people who don't know us well. On this
day,
the family's bickering is put on hold.
As Americans we will weep, as Americans we will mourn, and as Americans, we
will rise in defense of all that we cherish.
So I ask again: What was it you hoped to teach us? It occurs to me that
Maybe you just wanted us to know the depths of your hatred. If that's the
case,
consider the message received. And take this message in exchange: You don't
know my people. You don't know what we're capable of. You don't know what
you just started. But you're about to learn.

[m45]

PurpleLayc
WOW, thanks for sharing that.

We are all about to see the world change in front of our eyes.!

[Glyndwr]

In the days ahead there is a lot of thinking to be done:

DO NOT STAND AT MY GRAVE AND WEEP

Do not stand at my grave and weep;
I am not there. I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning’s hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry;
I am not there. I did not die.


Permit me to tell you a little of the poem. It was left in an envelope for his parents by Steven Cummins, a soldier killed by terrorists in Northern Ireland, to be opened in the event of his death. The origin of the poem is not known but the message is obvious.

[SensualLove]

Yes they are "about to learn"...the hard way!!

Excellent posting Purple!!!

[David]

Hello to everyone. I wish to share the following poem with you written by the father of a friend.

[PurpleLayc]

The column was to the point...no pussy footin around!! Besides, this speaks for some of us Americans--no matter what your nationality is--if not all of us

[Lovediva]

Dear Osama Bin Laden, Yasser Arafat, & Sadam Hussein, et al.,

We are pleased to announce that we unequivocally accept your challenge to an
old- fashioned game of Whoop-Ass. Now that we understand the rules, that
there are no rules, we look forward to playing by them for the first time.

Since this game is Winner-Take-All, we unfortunately are unable to invite you
to join us at the victory celebration. But rest assured that we will toast
you - - LITERALLY.

While we admit that you are off to an impressive lead, it is however, now our
turn at the plate.

By the way, we will be playing on your court,now.

Batter Up!

Sincerely,

The 270,000,000 citizens of the
UNITED STATES of AMERICA.

[Siobhan]

Yassir Arafat and Sadam Hussein have pledged to support the USA and have condemned the actions of the terrorists in the US on 11th September.

[Irish]

I heard ;on the radio(WRKO) this morning; that they
are now investigating;the possiblity;that Saddam may have
monitarily(sp)backed the terrorists! Irish

[m45]

Trust this guy Sadam Hussein ?
I don't think so!

[Irish]

m45---Did you ever notice that Saddam and all of these other guys;that have US backing and weapons;are "Freedom Fighters"
when they are on our side but they are Torrorists when the
weapons are used against us!When will this Govt. learn?I know
that I;for one;didn't crawl around in the jungle,get wounded,and
have many; of my buddies;mentally screwed up so that this could
happen.Oh,the ignorance of youth! Irish

[Siobhan]

Irish - I'm with you on that one. People seem to be forgetting that the US govt. helped to install the Taliban in Afghanastan because they thought that they would keep the area settled regardless of how the Taliban have treated the ordinary citizens of the country.

[David]

The following text was sent to me by one of my American cousins. I thought it would be appropriate to post it here.

THE GREAT WALL --An American Dream !!!!!

Three guys, a Canadian, Osama Bin Ladin and Uncle Sam are out walking together one day. They come across a lantern and a Genie pops out of it.
"I will give each of you each one wish, that's three wishes total," says the Genie.
The Canadian says, "I am a farmer, my dad was a farmer, and my son will also farm. I want the land to be forever fertile in Canada."
With a blink of the Genie's eye, 'POOF' the land in Canada was forever made fertile for farming.
Osama Bin Ladin was amazed, so he said, "I want a wall around Afganistan, so that no infidels, Jews or Americans can come into our precious state."
Again, with a blink of the Genie's eye, 'POOF' there was a huge wall around Afganistan.
"Uncle Sam" (A former civil engineer), asks, "I'm very curious. Please tell me more about this wall."
The Genie explains, "Well, it's about 15,000 feet high, 500 feet thick and completely surrounds the country; nothing can get in or out---virtually
impenetrable."
"UncleSam" says, "Fill it with water."

[PurpleLayc]

funny!! too bad we can't do it for real!! LOL
btw--borrowed to send to a few of my friends

[Irish]

David---I thought that was great!I just e-mailed it to my wife at
work. Irish

[David]

This poem was originally posted on Sept. 20th, however I understand that some have had difficulty accessing it. So I am posting it here in its full text.

September 11th, 2001. Manhattan, New York State, U.S.A.
"An Evil Deed"


To seek within our mind, within the depth of knowledge.
Through many years of experiences, over and over again.
Explanation for this dastardly act, that totally disregarded life.
We find ourselves searching for the proper words of expression.

A deed as cowardly as this, with total disregard for humanity,
can only be described as an act so evil in thought, so evil in
mind, so disturbing, that one does not even want to go there.
Yet go there we must, finding the words needed to express
ourselves we must, look into the very depths of horror we must.

We have seen the remnants of war, the bodies of the dead buried.
The limbless bodies of those who survived, the sightless eyes,
within a human body waiting to die, among these living dead,
are no heroes, just destroyed lives.We have walked among these
living dead. Felt the sorrow of wasted lives, yet even from their
battered selves, We have been given a light of hope, because of
their contribution to life.

There was reason there, they made us see, that life was worth
their sacrifice, from them, We found the strengths to go forward
into life again.

Those who perpetrated this horrific deed, even in the giving of
their lives, can only be looked upon as being from the very
depths of humanity. Let us not become like them. Let them carry
into eternity, the deed that is theirs. For they were dead, long
before their execution of this horrific deeed.

All of the innocent lives that were taken on this day, should
symbolize our freedom of choice, liberty, self determination,
for all human beings. Thus washing away the evil perpetrated
upon them, upon humanity this day.
GST;September 16th, 2001

[Nubian]

With the recent events, there have been many rumors/pranks related to WTC that is posted on the net. A lot of these are by now familiar to many of us. I thought I would share the following sight that dispels the rumors and set the record straight on a number of events:

http://www.csicop.org/hoaxwatch/

[David]

Two thousand one, nine eleven

by Paul Spreadbury

Two thousand one, nine eleven
Five thousand plus arrive in heaven
As they pass through the gate,
Thousands more appear in wait
A bearded man with stovepipe hat
Steps forward saying,
"Let's sit; Let's chat"
They settle down in seats of clouds
A man named Martin shouts out proud
"I have a dream!" and once he did
The Newcomer said, "your dream still lives."
Groups of soldiers in blue and gray
Others in khaki and green then say
"We're from Bull Run, Yorktown, the Maine"
The Newcomer said "You died not in vain."
From a man on sticks one could hear
"The only thing we have to fear..."
The Newcomer said, "We know the rest,
trust us sir, we've passed that test."
"Courage doesn't hide in caves,
You can't bury freedom in a grave."
The Newcomers had heard this voice before
A distinct Yankee twang from Hyannisport shores
A silence fell within the mist
Somehow the Newcomer knew that this
Meant time had come for her to say
What was in the hearts of the five thousand plus that day
"Back on Earth, we wrote reports,
Watched our children play in sports
Worked our gardens, sang our songs
Went to church and clipped coupons
We smiled, we laughed, we cried, we fought
Unlike you, great we're not"

The tall man in the stovepipe hat
Stood and said,"Don't talk like that"
"Look at your country, look and see
You died for freedom, just like me."
Then, before them all appeared a scene
Of rubbled streets and twisted beams
Death, destruction, smoke and dust
And people working just 'cause they must
Hauling ash, lifting stones,
Knee deep in hell
But not alone
"Look! Blackman, whiteman, brownman, yellowman
Side by side helping their fellow man!"
So said Martin, as he watched the scene
"Even from nightmares, can be born a dream."
Down below three firemen raised
The colors high into ashen haze
The soldiers above had seen it before
On Iwo Jima back in '44
The man on sticks studied everything closely
Then shared his perceptions on what he saw mostly
"I see pain, I see tears,
I see sorrow -- but I don't see fear."
"You left behind husbands and wives
Daughters and sons and so many lives
are suffering now because of this wrong
But look very closely. You're not really gone
All of those people, even those who've never met you
All of their lives, they'll never forget you
Don't you see what has happened?
Don't you see what you've done
You've brought them together, together as one."
With that the man in the stovepipe had said
"Take my hand," and from there he led
five thousand plus heroes, Newcomers to heaven
On this day, two thousand one, nine eleven

G-d please everyone.
David

[Lovediva]

Heartbreaking...even after 3 weeks..my heart still aches.....

[Nubian]

Agreed. Thank god for the real heroes, eh!

[Lovediva]

Yes...they are the true heroes Nubian.....

[David]

What to do....

What to do about Osama bin Laden?

The problem is, what do you do with him once he's found?

Kill him -- he becomes a martyr...

Don't kill him -- he's a hero to the extremists ....

Solution:
Capture him alive, convict him of his crimes, sentence him to his punishment.

What punishment, you ask?

Why, a full blown sex change of course!

And then send him back to his home of Afghanistan to live out the rest of his life as a woman under the Taliban government....

[Kissy]

I am in Germany, my husband is in the military. It takes me over an hour in the morning, outside the gates to get through the line so they can search my car. I was told this would get worse before it gets better, and it has. I read today that 90% of Americans are in favor of the ongoing attacks against the Taliban, even if it means civilian casualties. Are you telling me that 9 out of 10 people are ok with killing innocent people? My husband fights for this country, and if he is killed in service then so be it...however I will never say I do not mind if he dies, or my neighbors, my friends. And then they speek of casualties over there, I do not understand how it is that we have suposidly done so much damage to the Taliban that they are having a hard time operating, yet they will not turn Bin Laden over, this man has been wanted for a long time. There are no clear answers, unfortunately, and the stranger who told me it would get worse, was right. I can only hope that it will get better, that there will be an accepted solution in the end. But this will go on for a long time, who will be next, who will die next. I understand the military isn't employed to come up with "peacefull plans" in a war, I just hope it is able to keep up with smart ones.

What is scary is that this wasn't an attack from a country, these were individuals who walked into our country and attacked us. Inhumane, crazy, evil people. And I agree in attacking whatever it is that breeds this type of a person. I can only hope that minimal people are lost in the end. We know the people there are allready suffering, some say that it's ok if they die, it puts them out of their misery, that is a sick thought.

Ok sorry I'm rambling on...this whole situation is all I've dealt with since Sept. 11th, maybe that's why I'm here, on the internet, to just get away from it, or vent. I am glad to have so many friends from all over the world, I can only hope they are all safe.

xoxo
Kissy

[Fondle You]

It's almost a year later and things are almost back to being usual before the atrocities...in other words, much of the rest of the world loving to spite the U.S. for everything...money, foreign policy, lifestyle, etc..:mad:

Some things will never change.