"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's
address 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.

btt