> -----Original Message-----
> From: Riemer, Thomas
> Sent: Friday, September 14, 2001 6:55 AM
> To: Barry Bates (E-mail); Bruce Townsend (E-mail); Sammons, Dan; Mapes,
> Glenn; Jeff Phillips (E-mail); Verstraete, Jim; King, John; Kerry Riemer
> (E-mail); Barnstable, Kim; 'KLynch7589@aol.com'; Kristy Allison (E-mail);
> Larry Hoy (E-mail); Mark Feemster (E-mail); Pat Weber (E-mail); Rebbecca
> MacIntyre (E-mail); RMVR-Nelson Brian (E-mail) (E-mail); Robin Hood
> (E-mail); Sergio Atallah (E-mail); 'Stan (E-mail); Thom Clark (E-mail);
> Wayne Siebrecht (E-mail)
> Subject: Miami Herald article
>
>
> >
> <http://www.miami.com/herald/content/features/columnists/pitts/digdocs/000
> 565>
>
> > > > Miami Herald by Leonard Pitts Jr.
> > > >
> > > > We'll go forward from this moment
> > > >
> > > > It's my job to have something to say.
> > > >
> > > > They pay me to provide words that help make sense of that which
> > > > troubles the American soul. But in this moment of airless shock
> > > > when hot tears sting disbelieving eyes, the only thing I can find to
>
> > > > say, the only words that seem to fit, must be addressed to the
> > > > unknown author of this suffering.
> > > >
> > > > You monster. You beast. You unspeakable bastard.
> > > >
> > > > What lesson did you hope to teach us by your coward's attack on
> > > > our World Trade Center, our Pentagon, us? What was it you hoped
> > > > we would learn? Whatever it was, please know that you failed.
> > > >
> > > > Did you want us to respect your cause? You just damned your
> > > > cause.
> > > >
> > > > Did you want to make us fear? You just steeled our resolve.
> > > >
> > > > Did you want to tear us apart? You just brought us together.
> > > >
> > > > Let me tell you about my people. We are a vast and quarrelsome
> > > > family, a family rent by racial, social, political and class
> division,
> >but
> > > > a family nonetheless. We're frivolous, yes, capable of expending
> > > > tremendous emotional energy on pop cultural minutiae -- a singer's
> > > > revealing dress, a ball team's misfortune, a cartoon mouse. We're
> > > > wealthy, too, spoiled by the ready availability of trinkets and
> >material
> > > > goods, and maybe because of that, we walk through life with a
> > > > certain sense of blithe entitlement. We are fundamentally decent,
> > > > though -- peace-loving and compassionate. We struggle to know the
> > > > right thing and to do it. And we are, the overwhelming majority of
> us,
> > > > people of faith, believers in a just and loving God.
> > > >
> > > > Some people -- you, perhaps -- think that any or all of this makes
> us
> > > > weak. You're mistaken. We are not weak. Indeed, we are strong in
> > > > ways that cannot be measured by arsenals.
> > > >
> > > > IN PAIN
> > > >
> > > > Yes, we're in pain now. We are in mourning and we are in shock.
> > > > We're still grappling with the unreality of the awful thing you did,
>
> >still
> > > > working to make ourselves understand that this isn't a special
> effect
> > > > from some Hollywood blockbuster, isn't the plot development from a
> > > > Tom Clancy novel. Both in terms of the awful scope of their ambition
>
> > > > and the probable final death toll, your attacks are likely to go
> down
> > > > as the worst acts of terrorism in the history of the United States
> >and,
> > > > probably, the history of the world. You've bloodied us as we have
> > > > never been bloodied before.
> > > >
> > > > But there's a gulf of difference between making us bloody and making
>
> > > > us fall. This is the lesson Japan was taught to its bitter sorrow
> the
> > > > last time anyone hit us this hard, the last time anyone brought us
> > > > such abrupt and monumental pain. When roused, we are righteous in
> > > > our outrage, terrible in our force. When provoked by this level of
> > > > barbarism, we will bear any suffering, pay any cost, go to any
> length,
> > > > in the pursuit of justice.
> > > >
> > > > I tell you this without fear of contradiction. I know my people, as
> >you,
> > > > I think, do not. What I know reassures me. It also causes me to
> > > > tremble with dread of the future.
> > > >
> > > > In the days to come, there will be recrimination and accusation,
> > > > fingers pointing to determine whose failure allowed this to happen
> > > > and what can be done to prevent it from happening again. There will
> > > > be heightened security, misguided talk of revoking basic freedoms.
> > > > We'll go forward from this moment sobered, chastened, sad. But
> > > > determined, too. Unimaginably determined.
> > > >
> > > > THE STEEL IN US
> > > >
> > > > You see, the steel in us is not always readily apparent. That aspect
>
> > > > of our character is seldom understood by people who don't know us
> > > > well. On this day, the family's bickering is put on hold.
> > > >
> > > > As Americans we will weep, as Americans we will mourn, and as
> > > > Americans, we will rise in defense of all that we cherish.
> > > >
> > > > So I ask again: What was it you hoped to teach us? It occurs to me
> > > > that maybe you just wanted us to know the depths of your hatred. If
> > > > that's the case, consider the message received. And take this
> > > > message in exchange: You don't know my people. You don't know
> > > > what we're capable of. You don't know what you just started.
> > > >
> > > > But you're about to learn.
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