We'll go forward from this moment

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

And Pitts, I believe, is a liberal.

Indeed, this is where we separate the liberals from the left-wingers. The liberals may disagree with the right on any number of issues, but when it hits the fan, they're just as angry, just as ready to defend the country as anyone.

The left is desperately trying to place the blame on anyone, except the scum who carried out the attacks yesterday. "It's the U.S.! It's Israel! It's Bush!" they scream, not giving a damn that, even if it is, we have to worry about taking care of ourselves right now.

To the liberals, today, I offer a hand in friendship. We'll argue tomorrow or next week, but right now, we're in the trenches together.

To the left, go to Hell!

This was sent to me by my son who is in the USAF.

The first part of the following message is from my son.

I'm not sure if ya'll will get this or not since we are at Delta. I woke up this morning, still not believing this happened until I saw a picture of a never-ending caravan of ambulances on the streets of NY and the hundreds of body bags laid out in front of the Pentagon. Another friend of mine sent me this picture, and another young Cadet Candidate, wrote this [following] statement. I myself am afraid for our country, our children. But, maybe this is the wakeup call that this country needs. I love you all, and I'm thankful that we share a common bond, the greatest of all.

The common bond he refers to is our Christian faith. From another email he sent to me: "Freedom is not free."

The following message that he referred to in the note above follows. Names have been withheld.

To Whom it May Concern:

Today was devastating. There is not much I can say right now. I have cried through pretty much most of it. I know a lot of people cannot seem to believe or understand what has happened to us today, but I do. And I am very proud of my country because I know we will prevail. We have become soft as a nation, but will grow stronger because of these acts against us. Like our President George Bush said, "We will hunt down whoever did this." As I watched and saw the Israel Prime Minister stand up and speak to his nation, and tell them and us that his country will do everything that they can to help us, I was proud to be an American. I knew that all those times that we helped save their country, their [sic] doing the same for us now. I know a lot of people were very critical of us sending troops to Vietnam, but they also didn't understand what we were fighting for. The moment that they were fighting for was now. In order to form a better world we must all stick together. And in order to do that we must have Love and respect for each other. It is sad that it takes measures such as these to bring us together as a society but there is a reason for everything. Unfortunately, from day to day most of us who are realist just live to tomorrow and whatever happens tomorrow we will worry about tomorrow. There are however those few idealists that I know sound stupid sometimes but look to tomorrow to prevent these kinds of things. It may not be hard for those that didn't know anybody in that area or that this happened to but for me I realize that those were real people who had normal lives just like you and me. They are no longer with us. A lot of people may say that they don't care, well, some won't care until the brief ten seconds before they die and it happens to them too. Colonel [withheld] said that most of those people in that building probably thought it would never happen to them. Well, it did. That just made me realize that, it could happen to me. To me, today struck at my heart in two ways. The first was when I saw that plane ram into the tower. I felt I had just been shot in the heart. The second was when I saw the senate stand up together at the press conference and sing together and show the unity of America even in our diversity. For me this was truly an awesome moment. They were strong. We are strong. And I love America with every bit of my heart. That is why I am here. To protect her. Thank you for listening.

Our future military leaders bode well for our nation.

God, Please Bless America and guide and help unite our nation in this troubled time.
Please Welcome Home those who have lost their lives.
Please comfort those who lost their family members and friends.
Please bless and comfort those who are injured.
Please bless and protect those who are helping the injured.
Please bless and protect our military and law enforcement.

Now is the time for ALL true Americans to UNITE and stand behind President Bush!
Any political debates can take place AFTER this crisis is handled.
UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL

God Bless America!
What We as Americans Can Do
1) Pray
2) Give blood and whatever else the Red Cross calls for.
3) Support our military and law enforcement.

And Finally:
HUNT DOWN AND PUBLICLY EXECUTE
THOSE RESPONSIBLE BY HANGING!

AND MAKE EXAMPLES OF THOSE WHO HIDE AND/OR SUPPORT THEM
BY MAKING THEM EAT PIG INTESTINES AND FLOGGING THEM IN PUBLIC!

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