Today J.C. Watts, Jr. released the following statement in response to
yesterday's terrorist attacks:
Terrorism invades our borders
The tragedy Americans experienced yesterday was a blemish on our
nation's history. It was a day that will be remembered by families in
New York City, Washington, D.C. and every town throughout the country.
Unlike momentous days of joy that we remember and tell our grandchildren
about, September 11, 2001 will be a day we will recall for years to come
with sadness and sorrow. Like Pearl Harbor, like the Oklahoma City
bombing, the surprise attack on the people and sites that run this
country, economy, military and government will not be the final word.
There can be no justice without peace. And there can be no peace
without justice.
Over six years ago, I stood on the Floor of the House and condemned the
bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City. Today, like 1995, we
should remain strong. We should not succumb to fear. For if we succumb
to fear and paranoia, the terrorist has won.
In this time of emergency and mourning, let us open our hearts to those
who need our help. If you can, give your blood. If you can, give your
time. Fly an American flag at half mast. And take time to pray. Give
thanks to those who our helping us through this crisis and give thoughts
to those whose suffer because of the will of faceless cowards.
Our nation will get through this upheaval. We will not let the
pernicious intentions of an unidentified organization curtail the
business of the United States of America.
To the families and friends of those who lost their lives, know that you
are not alone in your sorrow. I pray for you, we pray for you. And to
the medics, doctors, nurses, firefighters, police, rescue workers,
Salvation Army, Red Cross and all of the other emergency personnel on
the scene of the incidents, we thank you for your service to the nation
and to our sister communities in New York and Washington, D.C.
Politics has taken the day off. Today Congress remembers and recognizes
the afflicted and the sorrowing and those who come to the aid of their
fellow man.
Ralph Waldo Emerson, in 1842, captured what we are thinking as a nation
today: Sorrow makes us all children again, destroys all differences of
intellect. The wisest knows nothing.
I thank my colleagues for their service and leadership during this
national tragedy.
******************************************
American Renewal PAC
J.C. Watts, Jr., Chairman
The following, from a Canadian newspaper, is worth sharing.
>
> "America: The Good Neighbor"
>
> Widespread but only partial news coverage was given recently to a
> remarkable editorial broadcast from Toronto by Gordon Sinclair, a
> Canadian television commentator. What follows is the full text of his
> trenchant remarks as printed in the Congressional Record:
>
> "This Canadian thinks it is time to speak up for the Americans
> as the most generous and possibly the least appreciated people
> on all the earth.
>
> Germany, Japan and, to a lesser extent, Britain and Italy were
> lifted out of the debris of war by the Americans who poured in
> billions of dollars and forgave other billions in debts. None of these
> countries is today paying even the interest on its remaining debts to
> the United States.
>
> When France was in danger of collapsing in 1956, it was the Americans
> who propped it up, and their reward was to be insulted and swindled
> on the streets of Paris. I was there. I saw it.
>
> When earthquakes hit distant cities, it is the United States that
> hurries in to help. This spring, 59 American communities were
> flattened by tornadoes. Nobody helped.
>
> The Marshall Plan and the Truman Policy pumped billions of dollars into
> discouraged countries. Now newspapers in those countries are writing
> about the decadent, warmongering Americans.
>
> I'd like to see just one of those countries that is gloating over the
> erosion of the United States dollar build its own airplane. Does any
> other country in the world have a plane to equal the Boeing Jumbo Jet,
> the Lockheed Tri-Star, or the Douglas DC10? If so, why don't they
> fly them? Why do all the International lines except Russia fly
> American Planes?
>
> Why does no other land on earth even consider putting a man
> or woman on the moon?
> You talk about Japanese technocracy, and you get radios.
> You talk about German technocracy, and you get automobiles.
> You talk about American technocracy, and you find men on the moon-not
> once, but several times-and safely home again.
>
> You talk about scandals, and the Americans put theirs
> right in the store window for everybody to look at. Even their
> draft-dodgers are not pursued and hounded. They are here on our streets,
> and most of them, unless they are breaking Canadian laws, are getting
> American dollars from ma and pa at home to spend here.
>
> When the railways of France, Germany and India were breaking down
> through age, it was the Americans who rebuilt them. When the
> Pennsylvania Railroad and the New York Central went broke, nobody
> loaned them an old caboose. Both are still broke.
>
> I can name you 5000 times when the Americans raced to the help of
> other people in trouble. Can you name me even one time when someone
> else raced to the Americans in trouble? I don't think there was outside help
> even during the San Francisco earthquake.
>
> Our neighbors have faced it alone, and I'm one Canadian who is damned
> tired of hearing them get kicked around. They will come out of this thing
> with their flag high. And when they do, they are entitled to thumb their
> nose at the lands that are gloating over their present troubles.
> I hope Canada is not one of those."
> Stand proud, America!
>
> This is one of the best editorials that I have ever read or heard
> regarding the United States. It is nice that one man realizes it. I
> only wish that the rest of the world would realize it. We are always
> blamed for everything, and never even get a thank you for the things
> we do.
>
> I would hope that each of you would send this to as many people as
> you can and emphasize that they should send it to as many
> of their friends until this letter is sent to every person on the web
> I am just a single American
> who has read this, but I SURE HOPE
> THAT A LOT MORE READ IT SOON.
In a message dated 9/12/01 10:19:28 PM Central Daylight Time, MartaDoll writes:
Terrorism invades our borders
This is so frustrating our wonderful country has been attacked by people that live in tents how do we strike back what is there to strike thousands of dead Americans in NYC demand more than a couple of sheep herders put on trial logic says be sure of guilt but some events are so searing that logic is not an option we must DO SOMETHING HURT SOMEONE or withdraw from the world seal the borders and leave the world to themselves they deserve each other
but we must act fast otherwise passions will cool and the nay-sayers will prevail and we will spend the next decade looking for the perpetrators
we are the superpower and we always have to be careful seems to me that people that mess with superpowers should be careful we are so fond of our "stuff" and so afraid of losing it that we are scared to risk standing up for our way of life which is more important than 100 world trade centers DON'T GET ME STARTED FOLKS
How are you Miss Martha Mae???
From Chicago:
Thank you so much. We are a country in shock and in mourning. I know people who love others and love freedom are in pain with us at this time.
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As the soot and dirt and ash rained down,
We became one color.
As we carried each other down the stairs of the
burning building,
We became one class.
As we lit candles of waiting and hope,
We became one generation.
As the firefighters and police officers fought their
way into the inferno,
We became one gender.
As we fell to our knees in prayer for strength,
We became one faith.
As we whispered or shouted words of encouragement,
We spoke one language.
As we gave our blood in lines a mile long,
We became one body.
As we mourned together the great loss,
We became one family.
As we cried tears of grief and loss,
We became one soul.
As we retell with pride of the sacrifice of heros,
We became one people.
We are One color, One class, One generation, One gender,
One faith, One language, One body, One family,
One soul, One people.
We are The Power of One. We are United.
We are America.
We are facing as we ready for war the very real
possibilty of more terrorist attacks.
We must move on from this.
Say a prayer for all of our young men and women as they prepare
for what may be a long and tiring battle in the attempt to rid the world
of terrorists.....
-----------------------------------------
From my friend in California...
Those of you who know me, know that I never miss an opportunity to voice what I am thinking....
Like everyone else in this great country, I am reeling from the attack on our sovereignty. But unlike some, I am not reeling from surprise. I have a different perspective and I think you should hear it. This war will be won or lost by the American citizens, not diplomats, politicians or soldiers.
Let me briefly explain.
In spite of what the media, and even our own government is
telling us, this act was not committed by a group of mentally
deranged fanatics. To dismiss them as such would be among the
gravest of mistakes. This attack was committed by a ferocious,
intelligent and dedicated adversary. Don't take this the wrong
way. I don't admire these men and I deplore their tactics, but I
respect their capabilities. The many parallels that have been
made with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor are apropos. Not
only because it was a brilliant sneak attack against a
complacent America, but also because we may well be pulling our
new adversaries out of caves 30 years after we think this war is
over, just like my father's generation had to do with the formidable Japanese in the years following WW II.
These men hate the United States with all of their being, and we
must not underestimate the power of their moral commitment.
Napoleon, perhaps the world's greatest combination of soldier
and statesman, stated "the moral is to the physical as three is
to one." Patton thought the Frenchman underestimated its
importance and said moral conviction was five times more
important in battle than physical strength. Our enemies are
willing - better said anxious-to give their lives for their
cause. How committed are we America? And for how long?
In addition to demonstrating great moral conviction, the
recent attack demonstrated a mastery of some of the basic fundamentals of warfare taught to most military officers worldwide, namely simplicity, security and surprise. When I first heard rumors
that some of these men may have been trained at our own Air War College, it made perfect sense to me. This was not a random act
of violence, and we can expect the same sort of military
competence to be displayed in the battle to come. This war will
escalate, with a good portion of it happening right here in the
good ol' U.S. of A. These men will not go easily into the night.
They do not fear us. We must not fear them.
In spite of our overwhelming conventional strength as the
world's only "superpower" (a truly silly term), we are the underdog in
this fight. As you listen to the carefully scripted rhetoric
designed to prepare us for the march for war, please realize
that America is not equipped or seriously trained for the battle
ahead. To be certain, our soldiers are much better than the
enemy, and we have some excellent "counter-terrorist" organizations, but they are mostly trained for hostage rescues, airfield seizures, or the occasional "body snatch," (which may come in handy). We will be fighting a war of annihilation, because if their early efforts are any indication, our enemy is ready and willing to die to the last man. Eradicating the enemy will be costly and time consuming. They have already deployed their forces in as many as 20 countries, and are likely living the lives of everyday citizens. Simply put, our soldiers will be tasked with a search and destroy mission on multiple foreign
landscapes, and the public must be patient and supportive until
the strategy and tactics can be worked out.
For the most part, our military is still in the process of
redefining itself and presided over by men and women who grew up
with - and were promoted because they excelled in - Cold War
doctrine, strategy and tactics. This will not be linear warfare,
there will be no clear "centers of gravity" to strike with high
technology weapons. Our vast technological edge will certainly be
helpful, but it will not be decisive. Perhaps the perfect metaphor for the coming battle was introduced by the terrorists themselves aboard the hijacked aircraft-this will be a knife fight, and it will be won or lost by the ingenuity and will of citizens and soldiers, not by software or smart bombs. We must also be patient with our military leaders.
Unlike Americans who are eager to put this messy time behind us, our adversaries have time on their side, and they will use it.
They plan to fight a battle of attrition, hoping to drag the battle out until the American public loses its will to fight. This might be difficult to believe in this euphoric time of flag waving and patriotism, but it is generally acknowledged that America lacks the stomach for a long fight. We need only look as far back as Vietnam, when North Vietnamese General Vo Nguyen Giap defeated the United States of America without ever winning a major tactical battle. America soldiers who marched to war cheered on by flag waving Americans in 1965 were reviled and spat upon less than three years later when they returned. Although we hope that Osama Bin Laden is no Giap, he is certain to understand and employ the concept. We can
expect not only large doses of pain like the recent attacks, but
also less audacious "sand in the gears" tactics, ranging from
livestock infestations to attacks at water supplies and power
distribution facilities.
These attacks are designed to hit us in our "comfort zone" forcing the average American to "pay more and play less" and eventually eroding our resolve. But it can only work if we let it. It is
clear to me that the will of the American citizenry - you and
I - is the center of gravity the enemy has targeted. It will be the
fulcrum upon which victory or defeat will turn. He believes us to be soft, impatient, and self-centered. He may be right, but if so, we must change. The Prussian general Carl von Clausewitz, (the most often quoted and least read military theorist in history), says that there is a "remarkable trinity of war" that is composed of the
(1) will of the people,
(2) the political leadership of the government, and
(3) the chance and probability that plays out on the field of
battle, in that order.
Every American citizen was in the crosshairs of that last attack, not just those that were unfortunate enough to be in
the World Trade Center or Pentagon. The will of the American
people will decide this war. If we are to win, it will be because we have what it takes to persevere through a few more hits,
learn from our mistakes, improvise, and adapt. If we can do that, we will eventually prevail.
Everyone I've talked to In the past few days has shared a common frustration, saying in one form or another "I just wish I could do something!" You are already doing it. Just keep faith in
America, and continue to support your President and military,
and the outcome is certain.
If we fail to do so, the outcome is equally certain.
Sorry that this is so long , but they are my feelings.....maybe next time that ''somebody'' won'ta sk for my opinions.....LOL
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A letter from Brazil
Thanks for your long e-mail about your views on what's going on in Afghanistan now.We have seen lots of very interesting interviews and panels with Brazilian experts on the Middle East, international politics , Islam and historians. It's been like a crash course on culture and History.
I've always been curious with the fact that some religions - or rather some groups in many different religions - have this strong need to say that they are the chosen ones, they are God's legitimate children and because of that they can be rude to other people, they can persecute people who look different or think differently. And all their cruelty is excused because they are only obeying God's wishes. Human nature has a very dark side.
The only positive thing I see in all this war is that people will have to face the differences, will have to accept that some of our actions on this planet affect everybody else. People will have to face and I hope overcome their prejudices against other people. WE will have to make a clear statement that we won't tolerate any form of terrorism any more - be it religious, economic , military , whatever.
But I'd like to see the Islamic religious leaders condem strongly the fundamentalist groups. Or the catholic and protestant leaders in Great Britain condem terrorist attacks their too. It never ends.
Well, I hope I haven't bored you.
Bye
Angela
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Thu, 11 Oct 2001, from Celina - Canada:
Dear Tina,
(...) I think the World Trade Center tragedy threw everyone on this side of the ocean (and everywhere) into a collective depression. It was the realization that we are not immune to the terrors that have been visited on other parts of the world for decades even centuries that was particularly jarring. In North America we have always felt so safe, so protected. An ocean away from any war, an ocean away from enemies... Now the illusion has been shattered, and we realize we are as vulnerable as everyone else. Life did change dramatically in the week that followed. No laughter, just gloom and doom. You could read the shock and horror in the faces of everyone you passed on the street. I was at home that morning and turned on the TV as soon as I heard and witnessed the horror of the burning towers and then their collapse. Total disbelief. And then the sinking awareness of what had happened, the fear and the deep sadness... (...) I went to be with my sister and my little nephews. Babies always give you hope. Family (or friends) give you love. It was good not to be alone. (...) I had the chance to go to New York a couple of weeks ago but decided not to... I just couldn't do it. New York has always been a little escape for me. I go to drink in the theatre and the museums, I go for the art, the cityscape, the skyline, the buzz. Those I've spoken to who have been down say the devestation is much vaster than any TV or still picture has been able to captured. The area called Ground Zero is massive, and the work will take more than a year. The fires are still burning. Imagine. (...)
Love and kisses, Celina
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