An open letter to the terrorists of 09-01-01:

Well, you hit the World Trade Center, but you missed America. 
You hit the Pentagon, but you missed America. 
You used helpless American bodies to take
out other American bodies, but like the poor marksman you are, 
you STILL missed America.

Why? Because of something you will never understand. 
America is not about our buildings, not about financial centers, 
and not about military centers.

America isn't about a place, America isn't even about a bunch of bodies. 
America is about an IDEA: that you can go someplace where you can
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 can sure 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're free to have one. We don't have to listen to your speech. But you're
free to say one.  I Don't know where you got the strange idea that everyone has
to agree with you. We don't agree with each other in this country, almost as
a matter of pride. We're a collection of folks that don't agree, called States.

So we united our individual states to protect ourselves from tyranny in the world. 
Another idea we made up on the spot. 
[You CAN make it up as you go, when it's your country - If You're Free Enough.]

Yeah, we're fat, sloppy, easygoing goofs most of the time. That's an
unfortunate image to project to the world, but it comes of feeling free and
easy about the world you live in. It's unfortunate too, because people start
to forget that when you attack Americans, they tend to fight like a cornered
badger. The first we knew of the War of 1812, was when England burned
Washington DC to the ground. That didn't turn out like England thought it was
going to, and this is not going to turn out like you think, either. 
Sorry, but you're not the first bully on our shores, just the most recent.

So who just declared War on us? It would be nice to point to some real
estate, like the good old days. Unfortunately, we're probably at war with
random camps, in far-flung places; clever cowards who think they're safe. 
Just like the Barbary Pirates did.  

Better start sleeping with one eye open.

You seem to be incapable of understanding that we don't live in
America, America lives in US!  

There's a spirit that tends to take over people who come to this country, 
looking for opportunity, 
looking for liberty, 
and looking for freedom. 

American Spirit is what it's called. 

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.

And killing a few thousand of us, or even a few million of us, won't change it. 

Wait until you see what we do with that Spirit, this time.

Sleep tight, if you can. We're coming.



In Closing:  Some words from Terry Pratchet on what you have embarked upon:

"....a course of action which is, as far as wisdom is concerned, 
on a par with going alligator hunting in a cardboard boat during the sinking season."


i got this in an email - if anyone know the author's name,  
please email me and i will credit that person.