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Happy Anniversary
ejectejecteject ^ | 9/11/2003 | Bill Whittle

Posted on 09/11/2003 5:23:44 AM PDT by Luis Gonzalez

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

Okay, the day is still young, and God knows what mischief may yet be in store. But I can’t help being amazed at how well we have done in these first two years of what we all knew would be a new world, back on that beautiful morning, a world ago.

Despite the best efforts of news media to portray us as a terrified, angst-ridden nation ready to fall apart with just one more good poke…despite desperate attempts to undo unparalleled victories for political gain…despite hysterical warnings of Islamic rage and retribution, we have gone two years now, knock wood, without a single terrorist attack on US Soil.

Who could have thought such success possible on that first evening? How many of us went to sleep expecting to hear in the morning of new and more terrible attacks on September 12th, or 13th? How is it possible to forget that first Thanksgiving, or Christmas, sure that the symbolism was just too great for our enemies to pass up? And then New Years. Superbowl Sunday. 4th of July. Elevated threat levels. Dire warnings on muffled audiotapes.

Nothing.

This is quagmire? This is a debacle?

Say what you want about George W. Bush and his policies – that is of course your right. But consider this, all you defeatists and self-haters out there: it is barely possible, mathematically, to tie the President’s record for defending this country from a new terrorist horror. You cannot – not even hypothetically – improve upon it. This is a fact that is undeniable and so obvious that only a few will see it.

And at what cost? Did jackbooted storm troopers descend in the night from black helicopters to take away those voicing dissent? Or do the most vile and baseless accusations fly hither and yon, blown ever larger by a terrified and complicit media elite? Did hundreds of thousands of Muslims have their businesses torched, their families terrorized and beaten, the rest hauled off to concentration camps, or are you far safer, both physically and emotionally, as a Muslim in the US then you would be in any middle eastern country – safer and less harassed, without question – than Jews are in France today? Have we given up our liberty and lifestyle for this perfect record, or do we still go to football games and shopping malls and fly, more or less, the way we used to?

What, indeed, has this victory cost us to date, other than the irreplaceable lives of our young men and women, fewer in number still after two earth-changing victories than the number lost in a Beirut barracks during a time of relative peace and hidden yet growing dangers?

Today, if it continues in its bland denunciations of the President and his policies, will be another day where New Yorkers can go back to suing each other over WTC memorials, where the Democrats can cry WMD and Quagmire to their heart’s content, and where life in general returns 1/730th of the way back to normal once again. For those too blind to see the magnitude of this victory, let them whine and seethe all they want. We are still here. We are still here, and far better off, then we were two years ago today, when entire countries were vast terror camps, and children’s cemeteries.

The people that launched that horror, and those that supported it, and those that applauded it – that dwindling number of those of them that are still alive – have, to put it plainly, had their asses handed to them by the country they saw as soft, decadent, gutless and afraid.

And we have been blessed with a President who for all his faults, gaffes, mistakes and compromises has nevertheless maintained the one simple, essential, necessary character trait needed to fight -- and win -- a war against ruthless enemy and the armies of useful idiots that rally to its defense: single-minded determination and an utter disregard for criticism from those who should know better. For all his many manifest failures, it is hard to imagine a politician less effected by the legions of hysterical people determined to put off this fight. In my eyes, he has not tired, he has not faltered, and he has not failed.

Much remains to be done. Many more horrors undoubtedly await. But we have made a decision to fight back, and we are winning on such a scale as to leave future historians shaking their heads in wonder at how so many could be so wrong about something so obvious.

So, it is indeed a Happy Anniversary, tasteless as it sounds. Take a moment, today – take a long moment – and imagine how just how much worse things could have gone.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: 2ndanniversary; 911
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To: kayak
Wow -- this essay nails it to the wall, my friend. Thanks -- this is mega-ping-worthy ;-)
61 posted on 09/11/2003 10:17:55 PM PDT by JohnHuang2
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To: kayak; xm177e2; mercy; Wait4Truth; hole_n_one; GretchenEE; Clinton's a rapist; buffyt; ladyinred; ..

62 posted on 09/11/2003 10:19:06 PM PDT by JohnHuang2
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To: JohnHuang2



The pictures of airplanes flying into buildings, fires burning, huge structures collapsing, have filled us with disbelief, terrible sadness, and a quiet, unyielding anger. These acts of mass murder were intended to frighten our nation into chaos and retreat. But they have failed; our country is strong.

A great people has been moved to defend a great nation. Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shattered steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve.

America was targeted for attack because we're the brightest beacon for freedom and opportunity in the world. And no one will keep that light from shining.

~ George W. Bush (9/11/01) ~



63 posted on 09/11/2003 10:38:39 PM PDT by kayak (I support Billybob - www.ArmorforCongress.com)
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To: Jeff Head
I do not think at this point that even another terror attack would do it...Americans rally around their leaders in times of crisis and war, particularly strong, resolute leaders of character...they would do so now.

Another terrorist attack on US soil between now and November 2004 will ensure Bush's reelection. The Administration would immediately react as it did after 9/11 to punish the terrorists, protect the public and reassure the nation, while the Democrats would spend months afterwards claiming Karl Rove planned the attacks. The sheer hatred the RATS' reactions would engender in the American electorate would make the Paul Wellstone Memori-rally look like JFK's inauguration by comparison.

64 posted on 09/11/2003 10:40:21 PM PDT by Timesink
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To: JohnHuang2; Luis Gonzalez; All
Shalom!

Hi...John, Luis and ALL

Thank You for posting this article and also for the Ping!

WE must PRAY for our Nation and those in Leadership...

from the TOP Down.

The SCOTUS...should do their JOB: Interpret our existing Laws and NOT Legislate like supreme Dictators from their Crumbling Bench.

May GOD SAVE and BLESS AMERICA THE LAND OF THE FREE AND THE HOME OF THE BRAVE!

65 posted on 09/11/2003 10:50:27 PM PDT by Simcha7 (The Plumb - Line has been Drawn, T'shuvah/Return for The Kingdom of HaShem is at hand!)
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To: Simcha7
Hiya, my friend :-)
66 posted on 09/11/2003 10:54:09 PM PDT by JohnHuang2
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To: Luis Gonzalez
Thanks for the Ping. I have been mulling this over all day and have tried several times put my feelings into words about this post. I can't, at least not now. I will sleep on it ...
67 posted on 09/11/2003 10:54:34 PM PDT by dixie sass (GOD bless America)
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.
68 posted on 09/11/2003 11:16:16 PM PDT by Mo1 (http://www.favewavs.com/wavs/cartoons/spdemocrats.wav)
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To: Luis Gonzalez
Exactly.

...and in the good healthy relationship that I know you and your wife must have, you talk about those differences and then, because you both love each other, there is a little of accepting the differences and there is a little of meeting halfway.

As an individual citizen, I am willing to work with George Bush. I believe he is honest, I believe his faith in God is sincere (which is SO important because it means he will be open to God's guidance) and I believe he wants to do what is right for the America I was raised in, traditional, liberty-loving, God-fearing America.

Even if I dont agree with everything he does or how he goes about it.

My two personal biggest issues are the 2nd amendment and abortion. His statements and positions on the 2nd amendment, outside of making what I believe to be a pure political statement about the extension of the assault weapons ban...knowing it will not be approved in congress (and I really wish he wouldn't do that)...have been fair to good.

He says the right things about abortion and I am praying he will get the chance to appoint a Supreme Court Justice so that Roe V Wade can be overturned.

But that's just me. We shall see.

I could not in honesty say any of this about a Clinton or Gore.

69 posted on 09/11/2003 11:45:33 PM PDT by Jeff Head
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To: Luis Gonzalez
Buenas dias mi hermano.

Take a moment, today – take a long moment – and imagine how just how much worse things could have gone.

I just took a moment to imagine if algore were president on that fatefull day. {{{Shuddering}}}.

5.56mm

70 posted on 09/12/2003 3:35:21 AM PDT by M Kehoe
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To: Lando Lincoln
fyi ...

71 posted on 09/12/2003 3:37:02 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP (Check out the Texas Chicken D 'RATS!: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/keyword/Redistricting)
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To: Luis Gonzalez
They succeed in breaking our hearts with their vicious attacks on our beloved country.
72 posted on 09/12/2003 4:17:49 AM PDT by OldFriend ((Dems inhabit a parallel universe))
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To: Luis Gonzalez
You are very welcome.
73 posted on 09/12/2003 5:22:47 AM PDT by rintense (9-11-01: Never Forget.)
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To: Ragtime Cowgirl
Bump
74 posted on 09/12/2003 5:45:36 AM PDT by windchime
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To: MeeknMing
Thanks Richard.....I saw this but was on a machine sans the ping list. Will try to do so later tonite.
75 posted on 09/12/2003 1:58:34 PM PDT by Lando Lincoln (God Bless the arsenal of liberty.)
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To: Lando Lincoln
Here is a Bill Whittle ping. Since I am not on my regular computer, this list may be dated - its possible there are omissions, or, someone may be on it who wished to be removed. In either case, I apologize.
76 posted on 09/12/2003 3:57:43 PM PDT by Lando Lincoln (God Bless the arsenal of liberty.)
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To: Luis Gonzalez
You are absolutely the best...(well, might have to put Mia T up there in your range, and Alamo-girl hangs around at the top, too! LOL). Your perspective is so true...and wish our nation would step back for a moment and ponder the truth of which you speak. This really is quite an anniversary.
77 posted on 09/12/2003 8:12:52 PM PDT by Republic
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To: Republic
Oh...I wish I had writtent this my friend, but I don't think I measure up to Bill Whittle.

It's an honor that you thought I did.
78 posted on 09/12/2003 8:56:24 PM PDT by Luis Gonzalez ("As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide." - Abraham Lincoln)
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To: Luis Gonzalez
Hey Luis, I'll give credit where credit is due. GWB is doing a great job on the War on Terror (with the exception of his stance on Israel---hangin' them out to dry....btw, is Howard Dean advising him on that subject?).
79 posted on 09/12/2003 9:01:15 PM PDT by oldvike
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To: oldvike
"...with the exception of his stance on Israel---hangin' them out to dry..."

Not at all.

80 posted on 09/12/2003 9:03:04 PM PDT by Luis Gonzalez ("As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide." - Abraham Lincoln)
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