I wrote how I felt that day- and sent it on its way.
Someone else forwarded it to the Dayton Daily News who published it with their name attached.
To this day- Osama Bin Laden hasn’t shown up on my doorstep for his ass whuppin.
Our country was the most united it’s ever been five years ago- unfortunately, I can’t say that today. The world loved us then- and today I can’t say they still do.
We’ve given up our liberties in the name of a false “patriotism”- and re-elected a man almost as mad as Bin Laden. Hopefully, this November, voters will send a message to the Republicans that their reign of fear is over- and we can start making real progress by bringing our troops back from Iraq, stopping the pillaging of our wealth by the privileged few, and try re-learning diplomacy (without using guns).
I still love this country-Â here is what I wrote the morning of September 11, 2001 and sent on its way via e-mail:
September 11, 2001
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.