September 11, 2001- a look back

I didn’t have a blog then. Instead, I wrote an e-mail, sent it to everyone I know- and it ended up in the DDN with someone else’s name attached.

It was how I felt that day.

To my fellow Americans,
Today, my country was attacked.
Not by warriors flying under their colors-
Or by armies of men fighting for what they believe –
But by faceless cowards, who think that what they believe in means a damn thing.
While many of us believe in a higher power- it is universally accepted that a higher power is a positive force. These idiots somehow think that what they do here on earth will bring them glory in the eyes of their higher power. They are mistaken.
Only madmen believe that acts of evil are somehow redeeming.
I grieve for those who have died today.
They weren’t warriors, they were innocent people with families, children, parents, friends- they were like you and me, they were Americans.
Many of us identify ourselves by what we do, what our color is, who are favorite football team is or where we hail from in our grand country. We are a diverse bunch, but when things like this happen- we must remember, we are all Americans.
We have our differences- but while some madman is jumping up and down with glee thinking he has stuck a mortal blow, we must all come together and reaffirm: We will not bow, we will not flinch, we will not change our way of life.
We are Americans and we accept all challenges to our way of life with dignity. We are not ashamed of what we do, we do not hide behind an imagined moral righteousness, we believe in the words of our pledge: liberty and justice for all.
We have faced greater evil by men more mad, we have fought the world’s battles and won. We have become the most powerful nation in the world not by anything other than our shared resolve to be a place where freedom is sacred, and the rights of the individual come first.
If this e-mail by chance ends up in the hands of those responsible for today’s act of cowardice, and I hope it does. I welcome you to my neighborhood. You will find the finest people on the planet. You can walk safely in the company of people from all races, religions and socio-economic status. And when you do- you can come and find me- and tell me to my face why you did this- and you can bring your sword, wave it in my face, tell me all the reasons why you think you had a right to kill my brethren, and then try your luck on someone who wasn’t sitting in an office, minding their own business, doing their small part in the play called life.
You may win, you may lose, but if I die, there will be millions more just like me who will take your challenge and in the end you will die, and no one will shed a tear.
You will go down in the annals of history as just another petty punk who thought you were more important than the rest of us sharing this planet.
Rest assured, that the more of us you kill, the more we will stand united in our belief in our way of life, and it will continue.
If you decide to show your face- be prepared to meet your higher power, because we are and will continue to be proud Americans.

My name is David Esrati, 113 Bonner St, Dayton OH 45410

You may add your name to the list and forward this- we will not bow, we will not flinch, we will not change our way of life.

Unfortunately, I believe we have changed our way of life due to these maniacs, and in doing so, have given them more time, energy and credit than they deserve.

The simple fact that we’re fighting in Iraq, while Bin Laden is sitting in a cave sending video greetings, says somehow we got off course.

We’ve given up some of our personal freedoms because of made for TV terrorism. Never mind that more damage was done by Hurricane Katrina, and more Americans kill other Americans every year with guns or driving drunk- somehow, we’ve let the terrorists take our eyes off the prize- freedom and liberty for all.

If only we had a time machine, and could turn back the clock- and have stopped those planes from crashing into the World Trade Center towers. If the passengers had taken over like we believe they did on United Flight 93. How would our country be different?

Our President has squandered all the good will we had that day on a reckless and dangerous policy in Iraq, of which we’re now told, we can’t get out of.

Our national debt is soaring, thanks to the cost of a war with no end in sight. And, more Americans have died in Iraq- and continue to die in Iraq, than the number who died on 9/11.

We have changed our way of life. All because of the actions of 20+ mad men.

How do we change it back?

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