"DO NOT FORGET"
>
> I sat in a movie theater watching "Schindler's
> List," 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'saddress 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.
> Keep this going until every living American has
> read it and memorized it so we don't make the same
> mistake again.
>
> I sat in a movie theater watching "Schindler's
> List," 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'saddress 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.
> Keep this going until every living American has
> read it and memorized it so we don't make the same
> mistake again.
This is one of the rare occasions I'm glad to be taking orders instead of giving them.
