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© St. Petersburg Times, published September 19, 2001
I think it's important that we thank our president for his leadership in our nation's darkest hour. He has shown us strength, determination and support. We should thank our senators and representatives for supporting our president.
As a Democrat, I understand and applaud all of our politicians and people as we come together and fight to end terrorism. I can't even fathom all that our leaders are going through. I pray that they find support as well.
I believe that reporters and columnists should refrain from criticizing our politicians, intelligence community and other law enforcement officials right now. They are handling the stress, questions, doubts, terror and fear with dignity and courage. When the time comes to go to war, it is important that the support of the country is behind them.
Send your representatives in Washington a note of support and thanks. They need it now more than ever.
-- Catherine Durkin Robinson, Wesley Chapel
The recent atrocities have made us all crazy, as we question our world and why we are here. We don't need to torment local Arab-Americans. We don't need to act like our oppressors. Our country needs to come together and unite with all Americans of all cultures, backgrounds, creeds and faiths.
I am of Irish and Native American descent. I well know that neither culture was welcomed at one time, but continue to offer much to the world now. I think President Bush is right to encourage tolerance of the Muslim community.
I didn't vote for him in 2000 and will be watching how he handles this tragedy. If he continues to unify our people and handle our enemies responsibly and swiftly, I may change my view of him.
God bless America! We need to pray for and accept each other in this time of great tragedy.
-- Anne Doyle-Jones, Largo
I sit here at my desk, a new mother of a 6-month-old daughter who is perfect in every way, and I read the news bulletins as they come across my computer screen. What do I see? I see great sadness. I see grief. I see anger. I see destruction. But I also see hope and a resolve that can only become visible in the face of great tragedy. My daughter will grow up with this in her U.S. history books, but this is our reality.
We as Americans, and as human beings, will live differently now. We will look up at the sound of an airplane overhead, some of us with a great feeling of dread in the pit of our stomachs. We will think longer and harder about how we travel across the country. Fear may always be in the back of our minds, as this was a brutal and unforeseen attack.
As with everything that happens, we are looking for someone to blame. There is someone out there upon whose shoulders all of the responsibility for this atrocity should fall. But it isn't our government. It isn't the Muslim community. It isn't the Arabic-Americans. And, in spite of what some American evangelists would have us believe, it isn't God's punishment for having individuals in this country who chose to be exactly that -- individuals. We didn't bring this on ourselves by being gay, or wanting abortions or even by limiting prayer in schools. Regardless of how you feel about any of those things, they aren't the reason this happened!
What is the reason, then? Well, I really don't know. But I can tell you that, regardless of the reason, it is time to pick up the pieces and get to work. It is time to stand behind our president and our government. It is time to stand behind our armed forces and our rescue workers. It is time to stand behind one another, regardless of differences. It is time to toss aside all of our petty arguments and come together as the great nation that we are. It is time to show the world that we are America and that America is great, America is strong!
Join together with your fellow Americans, regardless of cultural, ethnic, religious or other differences. Hold hands, hug, show that we all love one another. It is time that we showed the rest of the world that we are proud to be Americans!
-- Kerry Jordan Clemmensen, Lutz
If anything positive can come from this nightmare, it is the outpouring of patriotism that has spread throughout the country this past week. Late last year we were a nation in political turmoil as our presidential election hung in the balance. The red and blue electoral map proved that we had never been more divided, while most people responded bitterly when asked by our nation's government.
Now, on a purely patriotic level, things have changed for the good. The election mishap seems so trivial in retrospect, and American flags are being sold by the thousands. Now, instead of looking at that silly electoral red and blue map, we are able to look at nothing but red, white, and blue, filling our neighborhoods with a spirit that hasn't been seen since the end of the World War II era. Hopefully, this love of country will continue to resonate for years to come, and generations to come. God bless us.
-- Kevin C. King, St. Petersburg
Re: She cast lone "no" on use of force bill, Sept. 16.
Rep. Barbara Lee of California seems to have become a victim of Tuesday's terrorist attack on our nation. At least her ability to think clearly has been lost in the smoke and debris of the most treacherous attack on America since Pearl Harbor. No amount of rationalization on her part can excuse her from not supporting the initiatives of this country in our time of tragedy. We must respond in a timely and forceful manner if we are to prevent this kind of attack from happening again.
There is no room in America for anyone who doesn't feel the sting of Tuesday's attack! I hope she enjoys the rest of her days as a representative. I don't think that in light of her position she can reasonably expect to be voted in again.
-- Jack Karpan, Port Richey
In recent weeks, many of us have received tax refunds of $300 to $600, courtesy of our President Bush. Some chronic complainers have questioned and criticized the gesture and wondered what good that paltry amount could be used for.
Wonder no more! Go to your checkbooks and write out a check for $300 or $600 made out to one of the relief agencies such the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, Catholic Relief Services, etc., designating it to be used to help the victims of terrorism. You may not need those few hundred dollars, but the relief effort sure does.
God bless America!
-- Giovanna Perrone, St. Petersburg
Having watched many hours of television about the terrible attack, I was just now struck by the enormous cost of coping with this tragedy.
I recall that on income tax forms there is a provision for citizens to designate a dollar amount that could be applied for a specific purpose. This leads me to suggest that whatever one may be able to afford may be designated as a contribution to assist our government in bearing the cost of these disasters.
We all want to help.
-- Nelson L. Aters, St. Petersburg
This is war. It is an attack that is similar enough to Pearl Harbor -- because of the casualties and destruction -- to be treated that way.
Osama bin Laden is most likely behind it, although the evidence is still uncertain. Nonetheless, we should make clear to Afghanistan's leaders that harboring bin Laden is going to cost them very dearly. Unfortunately, the American Christian missionaries on trial there can be used as hostages and may even have been arrested for that purpose.
Iraq and all Islamic terrorist groups are suspect, but this attack has the signs of a well-organized, well-financed, suicidal organization like Osama bin Laden's. The American government must conduct its investigations and eventual response on a wartime basis.
But even so, let's not lose sight of the fact that these attacks are largely caused by America's long support of Israel in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It is not Islam that will gain by this attack.
-- W.H. Riddell, Tampa
Any response to the recent terrorist attacks must include a commitment to reduce our nation's dependence on oil.
We are embroiled in Middle East politics in large part because of our need for Middle East oil. Cutting our dependence on that oil won't solve all our problems, but it will certainly reduce the need for us to involve ourselves in the inflammatory politics of the region.
Are you willing to take the bus to work instead of driving? Are you willing to pay 20, 30, 50 cents more for a gallon of gas? Will you support increased fuel efficiency standards for our vehicles and increased government funding for alternative energy research?
It's become clear that taking these steps may save not only energy, but also American lives.
-- John Reinan, St. Petersburg
The terrorists would be pleased if we, in our anxiety to do something, did the wrong thing: attacking and injuring the wrong persons. Those who are to find and punish our attackers are very eager to do something. This can lead to a reprisal which can injure our cause.
I believe our major effort should be to guard against further attacks. The terrorists will be looking for a new weak point in our defences against terrorists. I have a few suggestion that are probably already being considered. How about using the face scanners now used in Ybor City at each airport. How about providing the airline pilots and stewards with stun guns and of course reinforce the doors to the cockpit so that no one can enter without the pilot's permission.
We should guard our borders against unauthorized airplane flights. My guess is that the next attack will come from unauthorized flights loaded with explosives or bacterial agents. Our prime efforts should be to guard against new methods of terrorists attack.
-- Harry H. Hull, Sun City Center
Re: New York stands tall, Sept. 15.
I take this opportunity to thank you on behalf of all my fellow New Yorkers for this editorial. For those of your readers who have had the terrible misfortune of never visiting the greatest city this planet ever had, I can only commiserate with them and hope they can rectify their error.
Under no circumstance will we New Yorkers accept the unwarranted reputation of being a pushy, uncaring, obnoxious lot. On the contrary, we area bunch of loving, diplomatic pussy cats. But don't mess with us, because then you have the tiger by the tail.
-- Louie O. Cedeno, New Port Richey
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