I'm still grieving over all the
dead and missing over the country, but I'm not in shock anymore. I want a rational, measured, prepared response to the acts of the barbarians who threaten my life and my country. We mustn't forget the other things besides lives were threatened.
Democracy.
Freedom to live without fear. To name just a couple.
I'm proud of our president and very proud of AMERICA. We are a nation of disparate peoples, united in the concept of freedom for humanity, without regard to color, race, creed or heritage. We don't always live up to our ideals, but at least we have them, and the system STILL works better than any other. I have seen communism FIRST HAND. I was in the Soviet Union in '91. I SAW people stand in line six blocks long for a roll of toilet paper. Our system isn't perfect, but rather than bitch, find a better system, or shut up.
Some opinions I have read say that we aren't at war, that 5000 dead isn't enough to qualify as war.
HOW MANY DOES IT TAKE?
How many have to die? What is the exact number? I'd really like to know. To the person expressing that opinion...do you know 5000 people personally? Since I doubt that the answer is yes, then I 'll ask if you'd like to have all the people you know killed? Is that enough to qualify as war? I understand the statement that it's difficult to pin down a terrorist. If I KNOWINGLY invite and allow a murderer into my house, I can't claim to be uninvolved. The countries that harbor terrorists are guilty. Like it or not, we are known by the pack with which we run.
One last thing to those saying killing this group or that group will not help. I've noticed that cowards and weak people love to point out flaws, but they never have a solution. I could spend all day thinking about reasons why a solution won't work too. That's not the American way. America is about trying to overcome, rather than hiding and waiting for Reaper to take us like sheep. Does anyone remember t.s. eliots' Hollow Men? The last line is the telling one. Not with a bang but a whimper. I don't want to live like that. I have another quote to end this with and then I'll get off my soap box and stop preaching.
Some of the greatest things in history were accomplished by people who were tired of being pushed around1.
That's the way to live a life worth remembering; THAT is the key to immortality.2
1. I don't know the author of the above, and if anyone does, let me know please via /msg. I'll attribute it promptly.
2. Paraphrased from Brandon Lee.