home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
- u
-
- September 11, 2001 --
- The Impossible Happened.
- The United States of America
- was attacked on the mainland.
-
- For the first time since the War
- of 1812, American soil was left
- smoldering -- Hate daring us to
- crumble in fear.
- *
-
- Some say the airliner downed in
- Pennsylvania was targeted for the
- White House. The terrorists could
- not have known that the
- Presidential Mansion is white
- because it was painted after
- being set afire in that earlier
- attempt nearly 200 years ago,
- when America was small and weak.
-
- *
-
- During the War of 1812, the most
- powerful navy in the world tried
- to enter the harbor at Baltimore.
- During the night, they battered
- Ft. McHenry mercilessly. But with
- the dawn's early light, that star
- spangled banner yet waved.
-
- *
-
- This is a vast and blessed land.
- During our 225 years peoples of
- every ethnic group and race have
- struggled to find freedom and
- destroy tyrrany. Freedom is not
- a gift -- and no one will easily
- take it away.
-
- *
-
- This is the country that has been
- present whenever the world was in
- need. This is the country that
- extended help in rebuilding the
- nations the Allies defeated. This
- is the country that reaches out to
- the out-stretched hands of the
- poor of the world.
-
- *
-
- During times of peace, we are
- prone to quibble about small
- things. We were divided
- politically a year before the
- terrorist strike. Our debates
- over peace and might, God and
- rights, morals and freedom,
- can be divisive.
-
- *
-
- But woe to ignorant evil who
- confuses free discourse for
- weakness. For in a minute, we
- can unite under a common cause.
- And when we are assured that
- our path is right, we cannot be
- stopped.
-
- *
-
- There is nothing romantic about
- war. We do not enter into
- conflict lightly. As in the past
- we will muster the force needed
- to root out and destroy this
- evil.
-
- *
-
- For 5000 people gave their
- lives, willy-nilly, as a down
- payment on Freedom from terror.
- Theirs is the first offering --
- and shall not be in vain.
-
- Liberty has been challenged.
- This IS a "holy war."
-
-
-