Today marks the second anniversary of the terrorist attacks on America. Let us remember the dead of Sept. 11, their friends, loved ones and families. Let us thank and revere our first responders' duty and sacrifice. Let America never forget the tragic events of that day by not living in fear and by ensuring liberty, freedom and democracy are protected from those who oppose our values.
The events of Sept. 11 made us realize that freedom must be protected and defended. As John F. Kennedy said in his inaugural speech: "Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty."
The war on terror was brought to us. We did not seek it. To those who believe that by sending our message of liberty, freedom and democratic values throughout the world we deserved the homicide of thousands of our citizens, let us say to them: We have millions more patriots who will defend our nation and our values.
The war in Afghanistan and Iraq was the beginning of a direct and wide-scale response to seek those who facilitate and harbor terrorist organizations. Let the world know we will seek those terrorists and remove the governments that harbor these groups.
The fact that we have not located weapons of mass destruction in Iraq does not mean removing Saddam Hussein from power was a mistake and not worth the expense and sacrifice. The war in Iraq, under whatever alleged reason, was necessary to establish a "beach head" in the region. We have passed the days when (terrorist) attacks on Americans only happened in other regions of the world. What is at stake is the very survival of our nation.
The next attack could be nuclear or biological, with far greater consequences. The war will be a difficult one, but I believe it is a fight we must win to ensure our liberty. God bless America, our soldiers, and everyone throughout the world who shares our commitment to liberty.
-- John C. Molodecki, Hudson
Beware the terrorism hype
Re: Two years of patriotism built on fear, by Ellen Goodman, Sept. 10.
Terrorist and terrorism now seem to be the government's new buzzwords for just about anything that comes down the pike. Excluding the twin towers, I for one see another ball of hype that is being added to the "weapons of mass destruction, chemical warfare" scenario that has been generated out of Washington. (Watch the periodic alert changes.)
If one looks at the events that have been going on for years in such places as Dublin, Belfast, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, etc., it is not rare, spectacular episodes that a person reads about. It is small events at bus stops, restaurants, shopping areas, etc., where most if not all of these attacks take place.
We are spending millions on supposedly protecting hard targets such as airports, ports of entry, bridges and tunnels. But if there were to be concentrated and prolonged terrorist events, wouldn't they more likely happen as they do in the cities named above?
Take, for example, the sniper attacks in Maryland. Just one or two people caused a panic not seen before. Are we to believe that all these "sleeper cells" and "dormant foreign nationals" now in this country are just waiting to pull off another big event such as 9/11 when they could get just as much press coverage by blowing up a bus or movie theater?
Just how many times have we heard about "imminent" danger on this day or that week, with nothing materializing other than generating fear throughout the nation. Isn't this a form of terrorism in itself?
Someone is bound to say that this opinion gives the terrorists "ideas." Get real. If you can't see the way things are being manipulated, just look back at history. Someone once said: "If you tell a lie often enough people will believe it." Looks as though it still works. With all that has been revealed thus far (and most of it hasn't) there are still people out there who actually believe in a president who will say and do anything in order to prevail.
Wake up and start thinking a little objectively about what is happening instead of following the Pied Piper.
On a final note, just remember that virtually all the people involved in the 9/11 episode were Saudis. Not one came from Iraq. Bush II just wanted to settle a score (but let's not forget about the oil and the Halliburton contracts). And now your grandkids and their kids will be paying for it.
-- Robert Delimon, Largo
Don't use the day for politics
The Bush administration will shame itself and all of us if it uses the second anniversary of Sept. 11 for political advantage, waving the flag while undermining our country's security at home and abroad, economically, physically and philosophically. Worse, this could be a preamble to the even more shameless plans to co-opt this solemn anniversary next year for the GOP convention and the president's nomination for the 2004 election.
This administration has done nothing to protect us against terrorism and has done a great deal to make us less secure, less free, less of a democracy and more of a corporatocracy.
For this president to speak of freedom and security and democratic ideals while catering to only the wealthy, his Saudi friends and Wall Street is contemptible.
This newspaper and all Americans should send a loud, urgent signal that the deaths of 3,000 innocent people cannot be used as another photo-op for this sham president.
-- Paul Swider, St. Petersburg
The world is watching
This week my family watched the debate among the Democrat presidential hopefuls, broadcast from a Baltimore college in front of a mostly African-American audience.
This was the first debate among these gentlemen and one lady that any of us here had watched this season. We were astounded at the rhetoric used to describe our president on national television by sitting members of Congress and a former state governor. I have never heard the likes of this rhetoric before against any president in my lifetime.
Don't these people realize that the world is watching to see just how well our elected leaders will unite to fight the war on terrorism? How in the world can they expect to get votes when they appear to have lost their patriotism toward our own commander in chief?
Even the audience seemed to be disrupted over some of the more callous statements made by our own Sen. Bob Graham, who also allowed several comments that Florida stopped African-Americans from voting in the 2000 election pass without challenge. Your newspaper made no mention of these disruptions and also never questioned these same allegations in your coverage of the debate.
This week marks the anniversary of the greatest terrorist attack in history, right here in two of our largest cities. That day I noticed what I thought to be a great fault in our government, a long silent hesitation in responding.
Only after President Bush's reactions and our Congress singing God Bless America on the front steps of the U.S. Capitol building did I feel reassured of our country's determination to settle the score with terrorism.
Watching this week's debate, I began to get that feeling that our government is starting to hesitate again for all the wrong reasons.
Let us not ever again be put in a position where our citizens will have to end their own lives leaping from skyscrapers.
-- Guy U. Nash, St. Petersburg
Keep the spin separate
On the anniversary of the tremendous tragedy of Sept. 11, I feel that it is absolutely vital that the press consider the tragedy of the event in a context separate from any spin the current administration wishes to put on it. Only the other night I heard one of the "fair and balanced" reporters on Fox's cable news channel beating the war drum about Iraq over Sept. 11.
It remains vital that the tragic events of Sept. 11 serve as a wakeup call for all Americans. It may well be that it is the wrong lesson to sacrifice every liberty that has made me proud to be an American to suit the immediate political goals of a few who are currently in power.
So, please, don't be a blind vehicle for Bush administration political rhetoric tying the rightness of any of their actions to the Sept. 11 tragedy.
-- James Horne, Clearwater
Protecting rights is paramount
The president must act in the best interests of the nation. This means he has a clear responsibility to protect the rights and liberties of the people. When it comes to a decision between national security and individual rights, rare is the case in which national security is an appropriate justification for abridgment of an individual's rights. Even when this type of action is justified, only the right to privacy may be sacrificed.
The right to counsel, the right to a fair trial, the protection against cruel and unusual punishment and the right not to be held without charge are all are sacrosanct and are never at any time justifiably abridged. This must be understood above all things.
The president has the greatest responsibility to protect these rights for all persons within the spectrum of his control. These rights should be protected not only for citizens, but for noncitizens as well. Even those considered enemies of the United States must be afforded these rights.
The president must keep all persons under his command from violating these rights. Those that do violate these rights must themselves be brought up on criminal charges and at the very least dismissed from government service. Any president who cannot handle this, who cannot protect the rights of the people - the most important of responsibilities - must step down, since he is unable to carry out the requirements of his office.
-- Stephen M. Pett, Pinellas Park
Right to life comes first
On 9/11, thousands of people, mostly American, lost their inalienable right to life. This right makes all others possible. Today, however, we read that our nation is in jeopardy because our right to keep private what we read from the library is being threatened.
Wow! Just picture what those victims would think about this.
-- Kenneth J. Kania, St. Petersburg
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